Slow-cooked barbecue meat often shows a pink ring around its outer edge. This guide explains what the ring is made of, which gases the sources name, and what they say about reading the ring as a doneness sign.
What the ring is made of
Cordray says the ring may range from 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch thick. Cordray says myoglobin is the pigment that gives muscle its color. The 1991 session document on pink color says three distinct pigments may commonly cause red or pink color in cooked meats. That document names nitrosyl hemochrome as the pink pigment of cured meat.
Where the gas comes from
Cordray writes that wood contains large amounts of nitrogen. He says that, during burning, that nitrogen combines with oxygen in the air to form nitrogen dioxide. Cordray says the ring forms when that gas is absorbed into the moist meat surface and reacts to form nitrous acid. The 1991 session document names a different gas: it says a pink ring forms on birds, large roasts, or rolls exposed to NO or CO gas. The same document says the ring is common and even desired in Texas BBQ beef, where meat is slow cooked in a heavy smoke. Cordray adds that gas-fired cookers can also produce the gas, because NO2 is a by-product of burning natural gas or propane. The two sources do not name the same gas, so this guide cannot settle which one does the work.
Why the smoke itself is not the cause
Cordray says the ring is not caused by smoke penetrating and coloring the muscle. He notes that a ring can form on a product that was never smoked. He also notes that heavy smoke can be applied without any ring forming.
What the ring does not mean
The 1991 document says consumers often read red or pink color in cooked meat as a sign of undercooking. Cordray says some consumers have mistakenly thought the pink color meant the meat was undercooked. Cordray also says barbecue fans take a ring to mean the item was slow smoked for a long time. Practical advice: judge doneness with a thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, not by the color of the ring. Practical advice: do not add extra smoke to chase a ring.
Reading the source
Cordray has written for The BBQer since fall 2001. The author note identifies him as Meat Extension Specialist at Iowa State University’s Meat Lab. The 1991 document’s heading reads “RECIPROCATION SESSION.” Its title is “Methods for Identification and Prevention of Pink Color in Cooked Meat.” The original of Cordray’s column was not found on an Iowa State site, so this guide uses a third-party copy. For the difference between smoking and grilling methods, see smoking vs grilling. For checking doneness with a probe, see grilling with a meat thermometer.
Sources
- Cornforth, D., ‘Methods for Identification and Prevention of Pink Color in Cooked Meat’ (1991 session document, meatscience.org PDF): https://meatscience.org/docs/default-source/publications-resources/rmc/1991/methods-for-identification-and-prevention-of-pink-color-in-cooked-meat.pdf?sfvrsn=2, checked 2026-10-08.
- Joe Cordray, ‘What is the Smoke Ring and Why Is It There!’ (third-party copy; the author note says he has written for The BBQer): https://portercalls.mountainbikebill.com/Images2015/smokering.pdf, checked 2026-10-08.