Going to try my 2nd overnight smoke this weekend.

[Michael Stella]

This Friday I am going to do a pork loin in the WSM for dinner, and then I am going to put a butt on the WSM and cook it all night for pulled pork sandwiches to munch on during the Saturday games.

Does anyone have any suggustions on how I should start and maintain my fire? It's my understanding (and my understanding may be way wrong) that 250ish should be good for the porkloin and it shouldn't take more than 1.5 hours(ish) to cook it. I'd like to keep butt on the smoker all night long and not have to transfer to the oven like my first attempt had to be after 6-7 hours.

Thanks,
Michael

 

[K Kruger]

You have a few choices with the loin. Since it doesn't have lots of internal fat and connective tissue it does not require a longer slower cooking time but that approach offers a more even level of doneness at finish, important if you are not planning to brine or marinate. I usually brine or marinate and so I cook loins at a higher temp. The cook is shorter and the brining/marinating forestalls any tendency toward dryness--so long as the loin is not taken to too high an internal.

Either way, you'll have all your coals going--not good for a slow start for an overnight cook. Were it me, I'd think of the cooks separately, do the loin, then shut the cooker down completely. After dinner I'd disassemble (with gloves!) and set up for a Minion start for the butt(s). If 20 lit coals were scrounge-able I'd nab those for the start and remove all other coals, putting excess lit in a closed container to extinguish, and filling the ring with unlit. Top with wood and the 20 lit, assemble, water the pan, stick the butt(s) in--good to go.

 

[Michael G. (Canada Mike)]

Kevin, of course, is right. As a beginner, I was scared of overnights, but following the instructions for the minion metod carefully, really worked.

Go here: Minion Method

What I like to do is cook my butt overnight, then pack it up, put another bunch of coals on and do some ribs. Works great.

 

[Kirk Boorman]

If them overnighters still worry you a bit, you could always spring for a NuTemp NU-701 and a few remotes/probes. I have 2 for mine. I set the high temp alarm on one and a low temp alarm on the other, stick both probes through a tater on the top shelf and then sack out. Come morning, when I can watch the pit temps myself, I put the probes in the meat and wait 'till it's done. One thing I do different is I double wrap my pan in HD foil and I top it off before going to bed. I believe the reflective property of the foil helps slow evaporation and I've never woken up to a dry pan yet! If you want any more details on that, just ask and I'll see if I can be of any help. Good luck, Kirk.