Planning my first overnight smoke...

[micker]

I haven't posted in ages, but I'm planning my first overnight smoke for Sunday and thought I would share....

I picked up two 8# butts from ronnies meats at the gratiot centrtal market I Detroit. I'm having a bunch of folks over for a BBQ on Monday around 2pm. I'm thinking of starting the butts around 10 or 11pm on Sunday evening so they're ready in time. I've had too many bbq's where the pork arrived two or three hours late. This time it's going to be on time,

I'm cooking on a propane GOSM around 250f. Does this schedule sound about right?

I'm thinking of also smoking some veg for a smoked tomatillo salsa. I think I'll have a little room on the top grate left. Suggestions on what to smoke for a 4am snack?

Also, I usually spritz every hour during daytime smokes. Am I safe sleeping for 3hours or so once everything is stable?

I'll be posting pics once I get started on Sunday.

 

[indyadmin1974]

I'd start a bit earlier if I were you.  Remember temp, not time.

In a perfect world, you'd be good, but if you want it to be done for sure, start about 8-9 and then foil, wrap in a towel and put them in a cooler until you're ready to pull or chop.

 

[micker]

I was thinking 9pm at first but worried about keeping the butts in the cooler for too long, I didn't want them to be too mushy. Plus my friends are never on time so it will probably be 3pm before we actually set out the spread.

 

[dennisdocb]

I'd start a bit earlier if I were you.  Remember temp, not time.

In a perfect world, you'd be good, but if you want it to be done for sure, start about 8-9 and then foil, wrap in a towel and put them in a cooler until you're ready to pull or chop.

Couldn't agree more...did a couple butts awhile back, started at 1:00am for dinner at 6:00pm. Hit a terrible stall and finally ate at 8:pm after only an hour of rest...happy smokes.

 

[micker]

Yeah, i'm thinking a longer time is a good idea. Any comments on sleeping with the GOSM going on the patio? My fiancé picked me up a new wireless thermo that has a pager unit I can set an alarm.

If you're catching some sleep during an overnight smoke, do you use the wireless with the alarm to measure the temp in the smoker to wake you up if it flares up?

 

[indyadmin1974]

As long as your at least 10' away from anything remotely flammable, you're good.

The thermometer with the alarm is a must...many times I have run out of LP at 3AM and wouldn't know it if I didn't have some way to alert me.

As far as the butts getting mushy, pull them off around 195-200 and they should be good.

 

[mballi3011]

I would maybe start maybe around 9pm or so and then you can always keep it in the cooler for many hours. I have kept one for 6 hours and it was still really warm. Not burn your fingers hot but hot enough to pull and serve it. I would give this little hint to you, Make sure that you fill the cooler with towels the more the better it will work like insulation and keep your butt in the hot cooler.

 

[micker]

That's the problem, it's a wooden patio... I use it for all my daytime smokes without a problem though. I was thinking about moving it downstairs to the driveway for the overnight smoke, but Id first have to make sure the wireless thermo will make it upstairs and into the house... Then I'd need to figure out a way to keep raccoons away from the GOSM

 

[mnola917]

I'm going to do my first overnighter as well, I got two 8# butts also, plus 3 slabs of babys.  Well, im probably going to put the butts on around 5pm on Sunday night, we're eating fairly early on Monday.  The baby backs will follow about 5 hours before the food is to be served.

 

[mls]

I just did my first overnight smoke a few days ago and it worked out great.  I had 3 8lb butts in my propane GOSM.  I set it up in my 30x60' shop because it was raining hard.  I put them on at 8:00pm at 225-250*.  I spritzed every hour with 1/2 apple juice and 1/2 rum untill midnight,  At midnight I crashed and slept till 7:00am.  When I got up, all 3 were between 160 and 165.  I foiled them and took them up to 195.  It was about 9:00am when they hit 195 and I put them in the cooler for 4 hrs then pulled them.  They were still plenty warm,  pulled easy and tasted great plus I got a good nights sleep.

Mike S. 

 

[rc1991]

Last weekend I smoked a 6.5-7 lb butt and started it between 2:30 and 3 am for dinner guests that evening who were coming around 6:30. Well after 14 1/2 hours in the smoker I had to finish it in the over - we pretty much ate on time but even with allowing for about 2 hrs per pound it still wasn't done - had a major stall! I did a chuckie too which I put in at about 9 and it was done at 4 - foiled and put in a cooler and it was still plenty hot at dinner time.

 

[marty catka]

I would start earlier too.  I have had butts go over 18 hrs on the cook because of the stall.  Also have had butts still at 160 after 4 hours in the cooler.  Lots of towels under, around and on top of the meat.  It helps if you warm the cooler with hot water first.

 

[alaskansmokesignals]

I haven't posted in ages, but I'm planning my first overnight smoke for Sunday and thought I would share....

I picked up two 8# butts from ronnies meats at the gratiot centrtal market I Detroit. I'm having a bunch of folks over for a BBQ on Monday around 2pm. I'm thinking of starting the butts around 10 or 11pm on Sunday evening so they're ready in time. I've had too many bbq's where the pork arrived two or three hours late. This time it's going to be on time,

I'm cooking on a propane GOSM around 250f. Does this schedule sound about right?

I'm thinking of also smoking some veg for a smoked tomatillo salsa. I think I'll have a little room on the top grate left. Suggestions on what to smoke for a 4am snack?

Also, I usually spritz every hour during daytime smokes. Am I safe sleeping for 3hours or so once everything is stable?

I'll be posting pics once I get started on Sunday.

If you can keep 250F inside the smoker, you'll be looking at very close to 8 hours cook time.

 

[dasmoker]

Couldn't agree more...did a couple butts awhile back, started at 1:00am for dinner at 6:00pm. Hit a terrible stall and finally ate at 8:pm after only an hour of rest...happy smokes.

17 Hours?????  For pork butts?  I could see maybe a brisket taking that long, but damn, I have never heard of pork butts taking that long. Glad I never encounter that.  knock on wood.

 

[sumosmoke]

Good luck on the overnight smoke, it's definitely a rite of passage, IMO

, and fun to do while people are sleeping and the smoker is quietly chugging away.

For those that might be doing an overnight, hop into SMF chat and get to know one another. Makes the time go by quite quickly, and there are other night crawlers there, as well

 

[micker]

I thought that seemed excessive too, but now I'm unsure.  Now I'm thinking of smoking all day sunday and reheating on Monday...  Any suggestions on going that route? Can I reheat it in the smoker?  Questions comments suggestions?

 

[micker]

I think I will stick with the overnight smoke. Start it up between 10pm and 11pm tomorrow night. 

Filled up the propane tank for the GOSM, got a bunch of cigars and getting ready to start the brine in a bit...

I think I will start a new thread for the smoke and the Qview once I get started.

Thanks for the advice everyone!

 

[micker]

well, planning is over.. I'm going to start a new thread with the Qview as the smoking has begun...