All Nighter VS. Precook

[meandmytwodogs]

I am considering pulling my first all nighter next weekend. If I decide not to I will cook this weekend, vacuum seal, and then reheat next week when the family get in. I am cooking a 12 1/2 lb brisket, a 9 lb butt and 9 lbs of hotwings (if you've never smoked hotwings....DO IT!). The wings I will smoke the day of the feast regardless of when I cook the other meats. What I am wondering is, how much difference is there in the quality if I precook rather than serve fresh food? I have heard several people say that they prefer to cook ahead of time (typicaly the day before), but not necessarily a full week in advance and then freezing. My only hesitation with the all nighter is that I am a devout charcoal burner and will truly be up almost the entire night and am concerned with what condition I will be in when the food is served the following day. In the past when I have cooked brisket it was for a future event and I have only sampled the food a little before sealing up. So those of you with All Nighter experience, please chime in and let me know what your experience has been like.

Thanks for your help!

Dave

 

[fatback joe]

Personally, I would stay up, but that is just how I am.

Anyhow, if there is any difference in quality, you would probably be the only one who notices. I think you can freeze an reheat and be alright.

Have the family that is coming stay up with you all night.......make the party out of that, then just eat and go to bed.

 

[walking dude]

I am a ecb man..........and only use charcoal, and have done several briskets..........all nighters........you, imho, cannot call yourself a 'COMPLETE" smoker dude, or dudette, till you have done a all niter.........

check out this link, if it doesn't convince you to do a allniter, well then, *sigh*

http://www.smoking-meat.com/brisket-smoke.html

 

[lcruzen]

Of course the all nighter is the preferred method as that would yield the best result but if we are talking practicality then precook, vacpac and freeze. My rule of thumb is if the guests aren't paying then I do what is easiest for me. Your end product will still be of high quality and you'll be able to enjoy your company and the day instead of walking around in a daze.

 

[fatback joe]

Every so often you are alright. LOL

 

[meandmytwodogs]

Maybe it's time for my baptism then. We'll see.

 

[fatback joe]

I'd give you pts just for the consideration, but I have apparently been too liberal with them and have to wait 24 hours.

 

[walking dude]

remember this WHEN you do a allniter.............LOTS of folks here do em, so if you have a question........ask here, even if its 3 in the morning.........you wuld be surprised how many of us others, are up doing it too, and hanging out here.............

 

[geek with fire]

I agree with all above about a rite of passage. And when it comes to pork, fresh cooked is the only way to go. However, I will say that the last beef brisket I cooked the day before, sliced and reheated with the juices in a crock pot the next day was the best brisket I've ever had.

 

[blacklab]

All nighters is all I did when Qing pork or brisket for get togethers. In june I threw a grad party for my youngest. This was the first time I pre Qued anything. Had alot friends and guest comming and didn't want to be dazed and confused with all the company. It was great! The only thing I had to do was make the sides and reheat the PP. If I had to do it all over again I would. Also imo pp and brisket freeze very well, especially when vacuumed packed. Gl

 

[meandmytwodogs]

Allright Guys, I'm going for it. Came home for lunch and put the meats back into the freezer until next weekend. My last cook of equal proportions took about 16 hours so I figure that if I have meat on the grill by 6:00 p.m. I should have it finished by 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Wrap it in towels for two hours and voila! Lunch will be served! I do the wings for about three hours. Just enough time to get em done and have the hot sauce dry around the outside. They get pre-marinated in italian dressing for about 36 hours too so they have a little tang to em as well as the spice. I'll try to get a camera here at the house so you will believe me when I get things smokin!

Thanks for the support.

Dave

 

[fatback joe]

Best of luck. We are proud of ya'

 

[meandmytwodogs]

So I can catch a nap, maybe after I foil I'll finish in the ove.....Just kidding. Wont even go there! I love this forum!

Dave

 

[bertjo44]

There is another option which I have done. You can smoke your meat until whatever time you want (say midnight, 2am) then put it in the oven at 225 and know it will be safe, just leave your digital thermometer in with so the beeper will go off if by some chance something happened and it got too hot. Remember most smoke flavor is imparted in the first couple of hours. The biggest drawback I had to this was I kept waking up b/c of that wonderful aroma in the house, darned nose. You can get great, fresh cooked meat and get some sleep.

 

[meandmytwodogs]

Tsk Tsk Tsk.

I know. No more smoke gets absorbed. But C'mon. I'ts Que!

Dave
BBQ Purist

 

[pineywoods]

Having done several all nighters I say go for it not so much because I think the meat will be that much better but they are right every smoker needs to do an all nighter at least once or twice. Oh and I freely admit to being a cheater when its foiled I often put it into the oven set at 250* and save fuel the meat doesn't know any difference.

 

[fatback joe]

More smoke does get absorbed (flavor) but the smoke ring will stop forming at roughly 140 degrees or so.


Dave,

I am going to submit your name for submission to join the highly secretive AOL (Anti Oven League)

 

[flyin'illini]

This is where I come out, too. However, pulled pork re-heated properly IS really good. It is hard for me to tell.



Joe, D88de -- If you catnap (usually with the thermo alarm set) - does that qualify as an all-niter? This is how I have done it a few times.

 

[fatback joe]

Don't ask me.........fact of the matter is that I get my Stumps dialed in and then go to bed........I don't even bother to check on things unless the ET73 starts beeping and wakes me up.

But had you asked me that before I got my Stumps, I would have mocked you and called you a big cheater baby. LOL

 

[flyin'illini]

Yea, it sure was nice when I got the ET-73 even though it was early on in my 'career' it made the late niters easier to deal with. But I find I don't sleep soundly knowing an alarm is set as I just don't want to ruin any meat.