Brisket in smoker overnight?

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jetsknicks1

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Nov 23, 2011
493
132
Ocala, Fl.
Yes, another brisket question, sorry.

Doing a brisket for our fantasy draft tomorrow night and I really don’t want to get up at 4am to get it started. I have a vertical OKJ and I’m wondering if it would be okay to bring the smoker up to say, 300*, put the brisket on about 10/11pm, close up all the vents and go to bed?
Since I stopped using chips and have gone to actual cut wood, I’ve noticed it’s much easier to maintain a consistent temp, I’m just wondering if you guys think the brisket would be okay until about 6am? Oh, it’s a 9# brisket. Thanks in advance.
 
Recent thread about wood smoker and having to babysit on here somewhere. Set and forget is pretty much elec. or propane and some get good "between refill " times with charcoal and minion or worm methods. Some circles claim wood gives best taste but the catch is the wood smokers have to be fed every 45 mins or so.
 
Unattended brisket cook in a wood fired smoker is not gonna happen! I'm also concerned about the statement "close up all the vents". You are begging for stale, acrid smoke which will give the meat a very unpleasant flavor. I fear you will wake up to a dead fire, under cooked, possibly spoiled meat and a disappointed cook and guests.
There is no way to take shortcuts with a stick burner. Even using charcoal and the Minion method, an unattended cook is a disaster waiting to happen.
 
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Humm, since it is not gonna happen like you hoped, how about buying a brisket done?
(From a Bar-B-Que restaurant) :confused:o_O

Might be cheaper to buy an electric smoker to do it...
 
Yea, stick burner really isn't going to allow you to leave it unattended. Minion method charcoal, you can get away with a couple hours if you have your airflow dialed in, but with straight wood you'll be feeding it every 45 minutes.
 
If I was to tend a stick burner all night, which would include beer of course (It's a safety item for burns), I think any ideas of a fantasy draft would be a fantasy....
YMMV.
 
Well, clearly my plan sucked lol. I’ll just have to bite the bullet and get up early, I can get it set and going and catch some sleep.
 
Just use the time to go over your draft options.
Lol. I got up at 4 and the brisket was on at 5. My buddy had originally picked up an 8# brisket but when he opened it, he said it had a weird smell so he chucked it and the only replacement he could find was a 13#. Here’s to hoping it gets done on time and doesn’t suck.
 
Oh my. You are definitely being challenged on this cook! What time is the draft. You might be cutting her close.
First pick is 7pm so I’d like to get it done and ready to slice by 6. It’s cooking faster than I thought, at 175* right now. Gonna put it in a covered pan and see how it goes, actually a bit worried it’ll be done too early lol. If so, I’ll put it in the cooler with towels. It should be able to hold there for a few hours, right?
 
Hmmm you may be in for a time crunch.
Good news! My mother hot smokes her brisket... really hot hahaha. She often cuts them in half, will get about 4 -5 hours of good smoke on it, wrap in foil and do the whole thing at like 400F. They come out fantastic!

This means you can can give it a shot if you get pressed for time. I imagine a number of things could go wrong trying to pick up that method on the fly BUT the alternative may be no brisket come draft time :)
 
First pick is 7pm so I’d like to get it done and ready to slice by 6. It’s cooking faster than I thought, at 175* right now. Gonna put it in a covered pan and see how it goes, actually a bit worried it’ll be done too early lol. If so, I’ll put it in the cooler with towels. It should be able to hold there for a few hours, right?

Well, remember you will reach a stall, so don't get settled in just yet...We all wish you the best of luck that this gets pulled off and successful. If it does get done early, your storage should work just fine. Remember that temp is just a guage..probe is the proof.

Guess you are having plenty of time to get those picks figured out...who is your first? I have a draft tomorrow, need the advice!!!
 
At 190* and not quite probe tender, can’t believe this thing is finishing early lol. My pick depends on where I pick, if I end up with the first pick probably Antonio Brown or Todd Gurley.
 
At 190* and not quite probe tender, can’t believe this thing is finishing early lol. My pick depends on where I pick, if I end up with the first pick probably Antonio Brown or Todd Gurley.

Getting the temp probe placed properly in a brisket is a challenge in itself. If you don't have it in the right spot you may be getting 190F and it is really not 190F.

Just so it is said, make sure your therm probe is in the thickest yet center most portion of the FLAT.
There was a guy the other day that posted that thought his was cooking way too fast and then he readjusted where his probe was and got hit with the reality that it was cooking normally hahaha.

I hope yours is cooking fast but better to check the temp probe location and to be safe rather than sorry :)
 
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