So, I have been reading alot about long smoke times.....

[redrocker65200]

And it got me to thinking, if I want to do a pork shoulder and it takes about 16 hours to do, how do I make sure the smoker and the temp are good with a propane smoker for that long of a period of time?   If I start it at 10pm or so, I will need to go to bed at some point, so do I just put a dump load of wood on the tray and let it be?  What if the flame goes out, or the propane tank runs dry?  

I know, probably really stupid questions, but heck, I am working and I have some free time.  LOL.  

Thanks to all.  

D

 

[bellevue]

Redrocker65200,

I attached a basic cooking times chart. Weight versus temperature. From this you should be able to determine how much fuel you will need to do your roast. This guide is probably based on  an indoor appliance so if yours is outside and unsheltered and un-insulated, give yourself some lee way. See how fast your smoker comes up to temperature and if it can hold your desired cooking temperature. If it is too cold outside and you do not have an insulated unit then be prepared to monitor it closely. If there is a slight breeze you may have to devise some sort of wind shield. It can be done. I have done a whole hog on an un-insulated smoker when the outside temperature was only 10F. Went through a lot of wood and had a propane torch going also. Ask me if I would do that again and I would say no. Anyway good luck!

,  

 

[SmokinAl]

A 20 lb tank will last all night easily. The main thing is the smoke. On my Smoke Vault I have to put a chunk of wood in every 1 1/2. For an all nighter you may want to invest in a pellet burner. Check this out:

http://www.amazenproducts.com/

Al

 

[seenred]

Hi redrocker...

Good advice from the guys.  I'll only add this:  There is always the potential for problems with any smoker left unattended for hours at a time...the wood burns up, the temp spikes and burns up your meat, the flame could go out...you get the idea.  Regardless of what kind of smoker it is, they need to be checked on occasionally...to monitor cook temps, add fuel/wood, check internal meat temps, etc.  I just shake my head when I read posts from guys who went to bed and slept through the night, only to wake up the next morning to find a dead smoker and a raw, ruined hunk of meat...or they had a temp spike in the night and their meat is now a piece of charcoal.

I never go to bed and sleep through the night on overnight cooks.  I like to check on things at least once an hour.  If I need sleep, I'll lie down for an hour or so with an alarm set to get me up so I can go check on my smoker.  

Just me 2 cents...I'm sure some of the guys trust their rigs enough to go to bed and forget it...I'm just a little too OCD to do that.

Good luck!

Red

 

[westby]

An Amazen maze or tube would help you with having to replenish wood constantly.  I agree with Red to a point, especially with gas smokers. You really have to be careful and they can run away on you.  I've had major grease fires in units I've owned in the past.  I have to be honest and say that I have a pellet grill (RT680) and I sleep through the night like a baby.  I do have my Maverick probes monitoring meat temp and grill temp and I have the receiver right next to the bed with high/low alarms set that will alert me if there are any issues.  I set my high alarm at 300, I never cook any more than 225 and if I ever have a grease fire starting up or any other unforeseen issue, I should be alerted pretty darn quick and be able to respond in a reasonable amount of time.  I also smoke in my driveway with the unit away from any combustibles.

 

[redrocker65200]

An Amazen maze or tube would help you with having to replenish wood constantly.  I agree with Red to a point, especially with gas smokers. You really have to be careful and they can run away on you.  I've had major grease fires in units I've owned in the past.  I have to be honest and say that I have a pellet grill (RT680) and I sleep through the night like a baby.  I do have my Maverick probes monitoring meat temp and grill temp and I have the receiver right next to the bed with high/low alarms set that will alert me if there are any issues.  I set my high alarm at 300, I never cook any more than 225 and if I ever have a grease fire starting up or any other unforeseen issue, I should be alerted pretty darn quick and be able to respond in a reasonable amount of time.  I also smoke in my driveway with the unit away from any combustibles.

;

And that leads me to another question. Where would i put the tray or tube in my smoke vault? I like the idea of not having to keep opening the door to add wood.

 

[westby]

Good question.  It needs to be in an area that has enough air flow, but not too close to the heat source (you don't want the pellets to ignite).  I'm not sure if you know how they work, but you light the tube or maze on one end and let it burn for several minutes until you get a good cherry going.  You then blow out the flame and let it smolder.  You want it to smolder and not re-ignite.

I think if you call Todd at Amazen Products, he could help you out with which one to buy and where to place it.  you can contact him through his website.

http://www.amazenproducts.com/aboutus.asp

Good luck.