Emergency "Smoking Issue"

[kzaha]

I started a smoke last night about 9:00 running the temp between 220 and 250. Kept an eye on the tempature of the smoker and around 2:00am I wanted to make sure that my internal meat tempature had reached above 140 degrees which it did , it was around 146 degrees went back out around 3:00 am temp of the grill was about 220 so added alittle wood to bring the temp up abit in the grill got the tempature back up to 250 degrees. Due to the weather being extremely cold (for Texas) 28 degrees.  I wanted to make sure i kept an eye on it all night. I woke up about 6:00 am (oppps) the temp in my smoker had dropped to around 90degrees and my meat temp down to 110. I did get my smoker back up to 240 degrees and my meat temp has started rising but not yet above 140 degrees. It's now 8:00 , do i consider this meat bad or is there still a chance that it will be safe. I am brand new to this so all info is greatly apperciated. Thanks

P.S. I did read the 4 hour rule on the goverment wesite, so if my fire went out about 4:30am i got the smoker back up to tempature by 6:30am , but my meat is still in the 40/135 range now, is that considered bad,  but is there any logic being that the outdoor temp is under freezing that it could also act as a refridgerator , so to say i cooked the meat and it went right in the fridge.and now im reheating

 

[bbally]

You already had the meat to 140 F at one point.

You are OK.

After the meat reached 140 F you had several options.  You could continue to cook above 140 F forever,  You had two hours to bring the meat below 70 F and then 4 hours to get it below 40 F.  Or you have 4 hours in which to serve it, or sometime in that 4 hours to heat the meat back up above the danger zone.  Technicially you need to take it to 165 F now on a reheat, but since you understand the hazards it was exposed to (none) you can continue on as normal.

 

[kzaha]

Thanks for the reply bbally, the information is very grateful, I'm holding a steady temp in the smoker around 245 degrees and my meat temp is back up right around 138 degrees and rising. I dont know why i tried a winter over night smoke, I guess cause I just bought this new smoker and I was way to ready to get some meat on it and it needed to be broke in.

 

[bbally]

Thanks for the reply bbally, the information is very grateful, I'm holding a steady temp in the smoker around 245 degrees and my meat temp is back up right around 138 degrees and rising. I dont know why i tried a winter over night smoke, I guess cause I just bought this new smoker and I was way to ready to get some meat on it and it needed to be broke in.

Winter overnight smokes are done all the time.  The secret is whiskey at the proper levels so you don't fall asleep!
 

 

[deannc]

The secret is whiskey at the proper levels so you don't fall asleep!

     

     Kz, don't forget our Qview!  

 

[mballi3011]

Yes you have to remember not to fall asleep cause sometimes bad things happen to sleeping smokers. Not to scare you but........ Now I just dii a really long smoke ( about 21 hours) for a job I had to do. So keep an eye out for the smoker. I just can't fall asleep with a fire going right outside my door.

 

[cycletrash]

pplease share qviews...and I would be drinking more coffee !!

 

[kzaha]

 Yes you have to remember not to fall asleep cause sometimes bad things happen to sleeping smokers. Not to scare you but........ Now I just dii a really long smoke ( about 21 hours) for a job I had to do. So keep an eye out for the smoker. I just can't fall asleep with a fire going right outside my door.  

 Im a newbie and will for sure not fall asleep again, I'd hate for insurance not to cover my burnt up property

 

[SmokinAl]

Just keep the smoker away from your house. I do all night smokes and sleep well. Could be the amount of scotch I drink, but I'm more worried about the smoker temp than burning the house down.  

 

[scarbelly]

That my friend is precisely why I have a watt burner

  If I fall asleep ( and I do ) it just keeps on ticking. Bob set you right on your smoke  

 

[oldschoolbbq]

I'm coming a little late,but it sounds all good

Enjoy your success and remember...:)