point being, that it doesn't taste like smoke. It's the chemicals in the smoke interacting with the meat to prevent discoloration. Not nearly as romantic as the idea of a smoke flavored ring called a smoke ring

So what's a cock ring tooge?

It's that thing that caused chipping on your front teeth

Nah, that was bottle caps

ROFL

Speaking of which, bottle caps, the candy, why do they even make any other flavor other than root beer?

I like them all except cherry. But root beer is like my fourth favorite behind orange, grape, and cola.

But I sometimes throw the cherry ones away.

I ****ING LOVE CP!!! This is some awesome stuff... And I mean it, the science behind this stuff is indeed cool..

Next we'll discuss the finer point of exactly why low and slow makes meat tender (beyond the obvious fact that it does), but why does it???

I can't be 1000% certain, but I was impressed at one competition I was in where a Revlon chemist (yeah, a make-up company guy who competes in BBQ!!) was telling in me that if has to be low (185-205), and needs to be there a LONG time because you're breaking-down (rendering) collagen and other tough tissues in the meat. Essentially, you can't break-down those tissues quickly, hence the long burn.

I'm NOT saying that's 1000% correct, but it sure did seem to make a lot of sense at a bit more of the scientific level.

Thoughts?

I looked it up before I left to go out. Yeah, it's a chemical reaction that creates the color.

Well, that's what I learned from cooking schools online. It breaks down the collagen and tenderizes the meat. That's how a pot roast and beef stew meat break down into tender meat. It works well on the cheaper tougher cuts.

you have to have wood ash or charcoal to get a good smoke ring. I can smoke all day in my electric and it's tough to get smoke ring. So while it is carried by smoke, it is not just smoke that causes it.

Or you can put chemicals on it and it'll get a "smoke" ring with no smoke at all. Nitrates baby!

This is 100% correct

The collegen breaks down slooooowly because the chemical bonds need to be broken. If you've ever had any meat cool down in the fridge after cooking, you will notice a meat "jelly" that forms around it in the container it's stored in. That is the rendered collagen. It doesn't go back to being tough collagen because the chemical bonds have been broken. So, if you imagine that jelly, but even runnier, coursing throughout the meat, that is what makes the meat tender and juicy after a low and slow cook.

Its one of the eternal bbq debates, low/slow vs hot/fast. Competition cooks use both with success.