Kickoff for tomorrow's University of South Carolina v. Arkansas game is 1:00 Eastern time. I am planning on putting two butts on the smoker tonight starting around 7. They will each have un untrimmed weight of just over 8 pounds. Top rack for each. I hope to finish the smoke by nine tomorrow morning. Any tips for steady heat through the night while I sleep? The smoker will be covered. The low tonight will only get to 55 degress, and some light rain is expected to start around 3 A.M. Any tips will be appreciated. Thanks.
Tips for steady heat on overnight smoke
- Thread starter C. Moore
- Start date
Shawn W
TVWBB Emerald Member
If wind is the main enemy of steady temps, the changing volume of water in the pan in probably second. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying water is bad, but going from a full pan to empty makes a really big difference on your internal temp (a lot of folks use alternatives to water in the pan).
An empty pan can smoke a lot once empty and you might not care for the 'dimension' that adds. So, I'd suggest filling the water pan before you crash and top it up with hot water about every 3 hours in the night.
If the wind is coming from one direction, you can close the vents facing and open opposing (twist the lid around, always leave the top vent open 100%). Some have said they do that to prevent wind from stoking the fire. Where mine is located the wind is always swirly so I don't bother.
With briquettes, sometime after about 6 hours on a minion method cook (usually around 8 for me) your coals might need a gentle stir or a few taps on a WSM leg for the ash to fall through the grate so the fire can breathe again. I use a 2x4 (gently
) or my coal tongs right on the leg bolts, some use a rubber mallet.
An empty pan can smoke a lot once empty and you might not care for the 'dimension' that adds. So, I'd suggest filling the water pan before you crash and top it up with hot water about every 3 hours in the night.
If the wind is coming from one direction, you can close the vents facing and open opposing (twist the lid around, always leave the top vent open 100%). Some have said they do that to prevent wind from stoking the fire. Where mine is located the wind is always swirly so I don't bother.
With briquettes, sometime after about 6 hours on a minion method cook (usually around 8 for me) your coals might need a gentle stir or a few taps on a WSM leg for the ash to fall through the grate so the fire can breathe again. I use a 2x4 (gently
Ed Cardoza
TVWBB Pro
Gosh, I am not sure about that anymore. I did one earlier this week and it took 26.5 hours to complelte, but then again I did mine at 225*, and I use a DIGIQ II power draft system, so it did all the work for me. If yours is wind protected and you don't mind cooking it at 275*, you should be good to go. Once you get started just keep a close eye on it to see if she holds the temp you have selected to cook at as the WSM will hold steady for you pretty much all night long. I can't tell you much more, because I have never been able to maintain temps overnight until I got my DIGIQ II, but I have read other threads where other brothers of "Q" have had no trouble at all. The only suggestion I would have to offer is you may want to cook at a higher heat since you plan finishing by 9 am.
Todd Randall
TVWBB Pro
I realize this post is a little late, hopefully you are waking up to decent temps.
Just going to toss this out there, for me, I'm not all that worried about a temp swing overnight, especially when just doing butts.
My goal is first and foremost, to get some sleep. Second, hopefully cooker temps don't fall below 200 degrees. Third, temps don't go over 285 degrees. And that's about all I shoot for. Get up in the morning, and get things all stable again then.
Normally, my overnights start about 9-10PM. I usually get to bed around 1AM making 3-4 vent adjustments within that first 3-4. I usually don't even look at the smoker again until 7am. I'd guess about 85% of the time I go to bed with the cooker running 235-250 and wake up 6-7 hours later and it's running within 15 degrees of where I left it at.
I don't use water. I use a clay pot base. I also put the wsm inside my weather screens which also have a roof and I think it does help a lot to keep things stable.
Todd
Just going to toss this out there, for me, I'm not all that worried about a temp swing overnight, especially when just doing butts.
My goal is first and foremost, to get some sleep. Second, hopefully cooker temps don't fall below 200 degrees. Third, temps don't go over 285 degrees. And that's about all I shoot for. Get up in the morning, and get things all stable again then.
Normally, my overnights start about 9-10PM. I usually get to bed around 1AM making 3-4 vent adjustments within that first 3-4. I usually don't even look at the smoker again until 7am. I'd guess about 85% of the time I go to bed with the cooker running 235-250 and wake up 6-7 hours later and it's running within 15 degrees of where I left it at.
I don't use water. I use a clay pot base. I also put the wsm inside my weather screens which also have a roof and I think it does help a lot to keep things stable.
Todd