Extending a smoking time

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usmcoklahoma

Newbie
Original poster
Sep 1, 2010
18
10
Hey all. I'm having a cookout in a few week for some friends and I'll be cooking with a friend who will be smoking all night. Each recipe on bringing only require 4 to 8 hours. I'm bringing 2 ribs and a brisket, all of which have recipes I've tried on the family with great results. One rib is hopefully a Johnny Trigg clone and the second is a basic salt, pepper & garlic rib. Both are about 4 to 6 hours. The brisket takes 6 or 8 hours.

How would one adjust times and temps to cook longer and still come out on top so to speak? The cookout we host won't start till the evening after an all night cook.

Or, should I hold what I have and keep it all wrapped in foil under newspapers in a cooler?
 
I think you're trying to adjust the wrong part of the cook. You should adjust your start times for each cut based on how long they take and when you want to have them finished. That being, your brisket takes the longest so start that at say 10am and then start the ribs at noon. That puts them on about the same schedule for a finishing time. If anyone of them finish early just wrap it in foil and pop it in the cooler until the rest are done.
 
Thanks for the reply. That brings up a few new items.

I have some meats that id like to smoke with different woods than others. Would I wait till I wrap the current meat in foil to change wood or change it as I finish eat cut?

The other question is unfortunately the weather for this cookout doesn't look to wanna cooperate and will be cold. My fire box is something of about 2ft wide and about the same in depth and is circular in construction. Would I want to go heavy on the wood I use to maintain temp or heavy on charcoal? My cents will be between cracked and full open but all doors will be closed except to flip or wrap meats. We unfortunately can't smoke inside for obvious reasons but our plan is always smoked meats.

I've smoked in cold weather but struggled to keep temp and had to finish in the oven. Oh, we will have propane grills so we could probably smoke, then finish on propane. I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks.
 
Be patient and remember the cooler will hold for 6 to 8 hrs. , time is your best friend , plan for extra time for cooking ( no 2 cuts cook the same) and Brisket can be a booger with it's stall .

I wish you enjoyment and  . . .
 
The great thing about cooking for ourselves is we can do it how we want, when we want...coolers and towels will be your best friends for meat that is done early.  With your cook times listed, you'll be starting way earlier than necessary, but who can resist the occasional all night smoke.  Personally, briskets are better with at least a 3 to 4 hour rest anyway, but on the other hand ribs are best served about 15 minutes removed from the pit. So you might want to time the smaller cuts such as ribs and chicken to come off within an hour of serving, while briskets and butts can come off anywhere up to 6 hours or so prior to serving. 

As far as fire and temp management, yes you very well may need more fuel for you to maintain the proper cooking temps you will need, but only you can properly determine this since it's your cooker you're using.  I would recommend using charcoal as the base for your fire.  I start all of my fires in my offset with at least 10 pounds (usually a full 20# bag goes in) of Kingsford Original (also known as KBB), then I start adding hickory and oak for smoke and heat as the cook progresses  I use a half full chimney to get some coals lit, then dump and spread them out over the unlit, once the top layer of coals have ashed over and going good, I'll start adding the wood sticks to the fire, get my intakes set and start cooking.  The charcoal will give you a solid coal base for the first 4 hours or so and keep a much steadier temp.

Good luck on your smoke and most of all, have patience and fun!  

 
Last edited:
As long as the meats fit, will any cooler suffice for maintaining 4 to 8 hours of heat?
 
I have two meats that call to be smoked with pecan wood and two that call for hickory. I've tickled the idea of using one or the other for all four meats but on wondering about the level of complexity of using both woods. I have a place to discard ash and such so no big deal there. Is it common to change woods like that or should I venture out and see how the meats taste with one wood?
 
There is no problem mixing or changing woods during a cook, but personally, Hickory or Pecan goes good with just about any meat.   
 
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