Can I go to sleep?

matt r

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Oct 7, 2014

152

22

Long Island, New York

• Oct 8, 2014

• #1

This may be an obviously stupid question, but here goes...I have a Masterbuilt Electric. I hear quite a lot about LOOOOONGGG cooking times for Briskets and Pork Shoulders, sometimes 12-14 hours at 220. The thing is, can i go to sleep and have the smoker run all night long? Is it safe?

 

kc5tpy

Master of the Pit

May 12, 2013

4,352

188

Newark on Trent, United Kingdom.

• Oct 8, 2014

• #2

Hello Matt.  I wouldn't leave your smoker for that long unattended until you KNOW how that smoker will perform with that particular cut of meat.  Once you are really sure then catching some sleep should be no problem.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

rgautheir20420

Master of the Pit

Jun 11, 2014

1,126

60

Crest Hill, IL (Chicagoland)

• Oct 8, 2014

• #3

Matt, if you've got the AMNPS or AMNTS and have used and understand how they operate in your smoker, then go to bed and enjoy some sleep.

If you have no aux smoker attachment and are relying on the smoker's chip tray for adding smoke, then grab a cold one (maybe a few?) cause it's gonna be a long night. The chip tray needs to be reloaded every 1 or so (sometimes less) or there will be no more smoke.

 

Bearcarver

Gone but not forgotten RIP

OTBS Member

Group Lead

Sep 12, 2009

45,279

18,182

Macungie, PA

• Oct 8, 2014

• #4

Matt,

I agree with what's been said above, except that I would never go to sleep with any smoker going, unless it is somewhere that if it goes up in flames, nothing else goes with it. It is very very rare, but I know of one MES that had the door go up in flames.

That would not be good if that happened to mine, on my front porch, while I was sleeping!!!!

Bear

 

matt r

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Thread starter

Oct 7, 2014

152

22

Long Island, New York

• Oct 8, 2014

• #5

Ok thanks guys. No sleep till the smoke clears!

I guess theres worse reasons to stay up all night...

 

oldschoolbbq

Legendary Pitmaster

OTBS Member

Jul 16, 2008

9,359

205

NW Ohio - outside Toledo

• Oct 8, 2014

• #6

Yeah , Mattr , you miss out on all the fun of friends sharing your time and company , and the peace and tranquility of the night...

I love the long ones...

FOOD I HAVE COOKED - ANYTHING 004.JPG

• oldschoolbbq
• May 24, 2013

Betty 004.JPG

• oldschoolbbq
• Nov 1, 2012

have a blast visiting with my Buddies.

Have fun and . . .

 

matt r

Meat Mopper

Original poster

Thread starter

Oct 7, 2014

152

22

Long Island, New York

• Oct 8, 2014

• #7

Man, that looks good...

 

mneeley490

Master of the Pit

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SMF Premier Member

Jun 23, 2011

3,763

2,226

Everett, WA

• Oct 8, 2014

• #8

Matt, it can be done, but you will need 2 things.

One, as was mentioned above, a AMNPS to provide continuous smoke. And two, a Maverick or other remote thermometer that can be programmed to set off the alarm if the temp goes too low or too high. Also, one that has a duel probe so you know when your meat is done is great, too. I tend to wake up a few times a night anyway, so I just peek at the display to see how things are going. It's great to finally be able to do an overnight cook and sleep as well.

But as Bear mentioned, put it someplace where it won't catch anything else on fire if it goes.

 

Last edited: Oct 8, 2014

slysmoke

Smoke Blower

Sep 12, 2014

80

33

Virginia Beach

• Oct 8, 2014

• #9

+1 on the Maverick.

My first smoke on 2 9lb butts started at 8PM, around midnight I had things stabilized to the point I felt safe nodding off, knowing the Maverick would wake me up if temps went too high or too low, or if the smoker caught fire! 18 hours later we had yummy pulled pork.

Someone here mentioned the "Water method" as well, drink a lot of water before nodding off, wake up to empty the bladder and check the smoker, drink more water, wake up etc etc.....

 

Bearcarver

Gone but not forgotten RIP

OTBS Member

Group Lead

Sep 12, 2009

45,279

18,182

Macungie, PA

• Oct 8, 2014

• #10

SlySmoke said:

 
+1 on the Maverick.

My first smoke on 2 9lb butts started at 8PM, around midnight I had things stabilized to the point I felt safe nodding off, knowing the Maverick would wake me up if temps went too high or too low, or if the smoker caught fire! 18 hours later we had yummy pulled pork.

Someone here mentioned the "Water method" as well, drink a lot of water before nodding off, wake up to empty the bladder and check the smoker, drink more water, wake up etc etc.....

Click to expand...

LOL----That someone must have been younger that I am.

I can get up twice a night without drinking any extra water.

Also: Depending on what part of the smoker started on fire, I'm not so sure the Maverick would tell you before the fire would spread, depending on where you have it.

Bear

 

Last edited: Oct 8, 2014

jarjarchef

Master of the Pit

OTBS Member

Sep 30, 2010

3,155

117

Central Florida

• Oct 8, 2014

• #11

Without a remote thermometer with alarms and an AMNPS, I would not sleep.

 

eman

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

Feb 3, 2009

5,316

139

• Oct 8, 2014

• #12

I put on butts in my MES using the AMNPS for smoke (10 hrs on one fill.) at 6pm at 235 degrees , i go to bed and sleep till 6-7 am.

Get up and check to see if the bone pulls out clean? If not i let it go checking every hour till the bone pulls out of the butt easily. No thermos ,no foil , no problems .

  Grab the butt w/ my meat gloves and put in on tray w/ foil to wrap butt. 2 hrs later i open foil and pull my pork.  Smoking is not near as hard as some make it out to be.