I can't sleep when I cook overnight.


 
JeffB

JeffB

TVWBB Pro
Does anybody else have this problem? I have a total of maybe 10 cooks under my belt on my 22.5 WSM. Each time when I did an overnight cook, I cannot get any sleep. I toss and turn and worry about my BBQ and end up miserable the next day.

This is one thing I hate about this hobby. My inability to relax and sleep on overnight cooks.
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I used to own an electric smoker and just didn't sleep well knowing meat is cooking and I am not their!!

Still beats setting next to a stick burner all night freezing your %$*&^ off!!
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Get your cook going. Then go inside and make your sauce. During that time, you can check on the cooker every few minutes. When that's done, get on line and read through TVWBB for an hour or two - again, checking your cooker every 20-30 minutes. During all these activities, be sure that you are constantly sipping the libation of your choice. Then go to bed sauced, and sleep like a baby, knowing that your cook has gone fine thus far and is unlikely to take a turn for the worse.
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I used to have this problem, but once I realized the WSM is safe to cook with and won't spontaneously start a fire, then I got over it. the WSM is designed so well, I'd be shocked if it started a fire. The fire seems to be contained very well within the unit. I also cook on a tile walkway so that lessens the risk. I do overnights, and sometimes cook while I'm at work. It's amazing how different an experience the WSM vs. an offset smoker.
 
I must either be more laid back, or just not care as much! The last cook I did overnight, I got a little heavy handed on the Southern Comfort bottle, never moved once I went to bed, woke up at 7:00, and it was cruising right along at 237 degrees, right where it always settles in at. The WSM does an amazing job on overnighters, which I found out the first time I did one, so now i've got teh confidence to just let it go by itself.
 
Originally posted by Mike R. (Heyworth):
I must either be more laid back, or just not care as much!
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I think that's the trick...I'm just too high strung I suppose

I am already a bad sleeper but when the food is on, I'm a zombie.
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I had the same problem the first couple of times I did ovenighters, but after realizing how good the WSM's works I got over it.
 
I've slept through 2 hurricanes, I sleep like a baby once I've got the temp zeroed in. Knowing with certitude that short of an apocalypse, it will be chugging right along where I left it.
 
As a kid, I rolled off the top bunk in a cabin, landed on a concrete floor, and even knocked over a stool on the way down. Never woke up until the morning, confused how I got there.

I slept in the delivery room at 2am while my wife was laboring (sorry, honey).

I don't have too much trouble sleeping through an overnighter. The harder part is waking up with the alarm.
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Once you learn to trust your WSM, it gets pretty easy:

I've learned that as long as the charcoal grate is not plugged-up and I have a full water pan and a good load of charcoal, I am good for at least 4 to 6 hours.

With this in mind, my routine is roughly:
-Shortly before sack time, I
-Top-off the water pan with HOT water
-Stir the coals
-Add some coals if needed

>Check the weather report:
(If no big weather changes are expected, I set the alarm for about 4-6 hours later, check on the WSM, and if all is OK go back to bed for a while.)
[If big weather changes are expected - rain or high winds, then I'll adjust & check on it a bit more often - if the weather pattern is holding, I go back to sleep.]

Next investment will be a Maverick or Nu-Temp, so that I can "eyeball" my WSM & Meat Temps by simply glancing on the unit that will eventually be on my night stand.

For now, I have a large-face Tell-Tru Thermometer. I can see if it's "in the ballpark" from my kitchen window - so I don't even have to go outside unless something looks fishy...

A little schnort of Scotch before bedtime may also help ;-P
 
I agree with Ron. A year ago I was learning the WSM and I couldn't sleep on an overnight cook. A year later I have more confidence and I can get a decent sleep. It's just like when you started in your profession and lost sleep worrying about something important that was happening the next day. In time and with experience you get more sleep - I suspect.
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I used to sleep well before the wireless Mavrick. Now I wake up every half our and look at the temps on my nightstand. **** technology!
 
Originally posted by ChrisPM:
I used to sleep well before the wireless Mavrick. Now I wake up every half our and look at the temps on my nightstand. **** technology!
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The Maverick 732 has high and low pit temp and food temp alarms. No need to wake up to check.
 
Originally posted by Steve Cole:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ChrisPM:
I used to sleep well before the wireless Mavrick. Now I wake up every half our and look at the temps on my nightstand. **** technology!
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The Maverick 732 has high and low pit temp and food temp alarms. No need to wake up to check. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yup, it sure does and they were set. Still woke up!
 
Originally posted by JimK:
Get your cook going. Then go inside and make your sauce. During that time, you can check on the cooker every few minutes. When that's done, get on line and read through TVWBB for an hour or two - again, checking your cooker every 20-30 minutes. During all these activities, be sure that you are constantly sipping the libation of your choice. Then go to bed sauced, and sleep like a baby, knowing that your cook has gone fine thus far and is unlikely to take a turn for the worse.
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Thats what I did .... even over slept for 2 hours. temp was still within 5 degrees of when i passed out, uh , I mean went to sleep!! LOL
 
Wow, it's comforting to hear all of these stories about not being able to sleep. Neat thread.

Anyhow, I remember my first overnighter. It was hell. I finally passed out for about 75 min and awoke in a stark panic. Ran outside and started fiddling with stuff to the point that all the wood caught fire (moral: don't leave side door open for an extended period when your vents have been essentially closed). Then, with a wood fire, things REALLY got out of hand. Long story short....two 13.5 lb. Select packers and my friend from TX said they were fantastic....disaster averted.

Now? I sleep at least 6 hours. Especially with butts. They're bulletproof! My technique? Stay with it long enough to get to temp & stabilization. For me doing a big Minion cook (i.e., ring jam packed with charcoal), that means usually 0% open on the two windward vents and 25% on the leeward. Trust me....the temps ain't going to 100. I also top...TOP...off the water pan with cold water. At that point....at temp with only one vent open at 25%....full water pan....and a ring jammed full with charcoal, it's in the hands of the Big Guy. Beddy Bye Time.
 
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