Cooking overnight tips?


 
J

Justin Jaynes

New member
Hey All,

I did my first smoke last week (5 lb Boston Butt), and the results were great. However, I'd like to have some people over for dinner but that would require me to cook over night. What are some stragies that I should undertake to have a succesful night of smoking, that also allows me to get some sleep?

Thanks for the help.
 
I find the Maverick ET-73 thermometer to help a lot with over night smokes as it has both high and low temp alarms which you can set for the smoke chamber.

If you use a water pan, get the larger Brinkmann Charcoal Pan which will not run out during the night thus preventing a temperature spike from a dry water pan. If you use sand or the clay pot, you should not have that problem.
 
I agree with the above -- Minion Method and a thermometer with a temperature alarm.

I have done a few 18-20 hour cooks using the standard water pan without even having to refill it. I always keep watch, but if it's full at midnight, you probably won't run out of water by 8AM.
 
I definetly plan on using the MM. I have a wireless thermometer from Williams-Sonoma, but unfortunately it doesn't have a low temperature alarm. I think I'll look into getting that Maverick. Thanks for the tips.
 
Justin,

Even as far north as NY, I find the summer months too warm to get away all night without refilling the water pan. I agree that the Maverick helps although several times it lost capture during the night, thankfully I sleep so light worrying about the raccoons getting near it that I woke up before it was too late. Personally, I have never been able to sleep all night, and usually get up twice at the least....but the results are SO worth it.
Just a side note, I always make two picnic roasts, one for the next day and one goes in the freezer. I find they freeze really well and why get only one meal out of it...load that baby up...don"t waste the time or space on such a long cook!
 
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