How to get great bark in an electric smoker

[McSev2010]

Folks,

 I share with you the secret of my bark success for smaller cuts of meat from chicken wings to pork butts, to turkey breast to lamb: Parkay Margarine in the squeezable bottle.  No, I'm not joking, and yes it's for real.  Parkay is mostly soybean oil, so it's a neutral base to make your rubs stick better and not give you any funky tastes.

Take whatever cut of meat you have, coat it with the Parkay.  Liberally apply your rub, and then place the meat in a zip lock bag. Take the bag and hand it to whomever is in front of the TV and let them massage it for 15 minutes.  Take the bag back and thank your masseuse with an age appropriate beverage.  Put the bag of meat in the fridge for at least 12 hours.  Smoke when ready.

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[pigsmoke]

Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys but it killed them instead. What do to? It was colored yellow and sold as a butter substitute.

While both have the same amount of calories, butter has eight grams of saturated fat while margarine has five. However margarine is hydrogenated and full of trans-fatty acids so it increases the risk of heart disease and cancer, affects breast milk, weakens the immune system and depresses insulin response.

Butter is natural and good for you: it increases the absorption of many vital nutrients, tastes good (especially when used for cooking) and has been used traditionally for centuries in cultures that had no heart disease, cancer, diabetes or obesity.

Margarine is synthetic, only one molecule away from being plastic and shares 27 ingredients with paint. Leave margarine outside and no flies will go near it; it doesn't go bad and nothing grows on it because it has no nutritional value.

[DivotMaker]

Afraid I'm with Mike on this one, McSev.  Not only do we not use margarine in our house, it's not coming anywhere close to my Q!  Since, as you say, it's "mostly soybean oil," why not just use soybean oil?  Just wondering if you've tried that as an alternative to the yellow liquid plastic.  Or what about real butter?  I wonder if it would have the same browning properties?

You have some really good posts & recipes, but I think I'll pass on this one.  But, hay, if it works for you - go for it!  That's what a healthy discussion is all about!

[McSev2010]

I use Parkay because I've seen it used successfully in world championship BBQ competitions.  I have also seen soybean oil, but it has a different taste - it's not overwhelming, but subtle.  0mg of cholesterol per serving, with 0g of trans fat per serving.  Checking the nutritional value and what it's made of might make a difference