Over Night Cook Fails

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If you're going to inject or stick in a temp probe, give it a wipe down with some vinegar first. As mentioned above, whole muscle is considered safe UNTIL you poke holes in it. Reduce the risk if you do happen to have a flame out / low temp situation.

I use a hi/low alarm but I'm not as confident in the Bluetooth/WiFi as some of you guys. I like the RF signals. One less possible point of failure. And..... use fresh batteries for the overnight cooks! If you got 1 or 2 bars on the screen, pull those and save them for the day cooks.

And I'm sure everyone has a fire extinguisher near by at all times, right?

RIGHT?!?!?!?!

3:47 am is not the time to be woken up and need to work thru the sleepy haze to remember where the extinguisher is, running around in your undies and stubbing both pinky toes on every protruding object in the house.
 
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And I'm sure everyone has a fire extinguisher near by at all times, right?

RIGHT?!?!?!?!

3:47 am is not the time to be woken up and need to work thru the sleepy haze to remember where the extinguisher is, running around in your undies and stubbing both pinky toes on every protruding object in the house.
Lol, so true. I just keep a big box of Arm and Hammer close by. So far so good.
 
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If you're going to inject or stick in a temp probe, give it a wipe down with some vinegar first.
I don't even stick a temp probe in until several hours into the cook, if at all. Sterilized with rubbing alcohol if so.

And I'm sure everyone has a fire extinguisher near by at all times, right?
I got a water hose nearby and if all else fails, I'll drag the flaming mess out in the barn driveway with a tractor. Truth be told, the now on fire smoker could burn where I use them inside the barn without setting the building on fire. It is a tall building.
 
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3 (Very) recently Learned Lessons: 1) Be Happy. Cooking quality food outside is always to be enjoyed; otherwise there’s Swansons. B) Improvise. Or have a backup plan (I’m terrible at backup plans). When things go runny (and they will) just remember God gave you a great brain. Don’t despair, smile and refer to Lesson #1.

Memorial Day (yes, two days ago). Sun’s out, 2 racks on the smoker, biscuits in the DO, BBQ beans on the grill, my BBQ playlist (another thread perhaps?) under patio umbrella, R&C in hand - all is right with the world.

Then weather alert goes off. I look at radar, “No problem, looks to be heading south of-“ 💥 BAM!! 💥 Beaned on the head with a hailstone, rain in buckets and Tornado siren blares.

Foiled the ribs (they needed resting anyway, right?) and ran to the house past the popping, sputtering DO being plinked with hail. By the time I got the umbrella stowed and smoker shut down I didn’t need to worry about the DO lid (extinguished). Carried it into garage.

Some of you know I’m as comfortable in the kitchen as a nun - scratch that. As a long-tail cat in a rocking chair showroom. While collecting my thoughts I hosed off the DO lid and buttered the biscuits. Aha, the oven looks like coals: put the DO on a pizza steel and hit the broiler. Stove looks like a grill for the beans (already seasoned with smoke!) and by the time I’d fumbled around sufficiently the biscuits were GBD! Gee, I could probably set the glaze on the ribs a treat with the broiler!

As I sit writing this to the chainsaw symphony (the tornado touched down a block and a half away), I reflect: A) I’ve got one helluva mess to clean up. 2) Dinner came out just fine, no Papa John’s. III) This tale’s too long and c) Things happen. Be happy, you’ll make it!
 

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I've been posting on each of these threads for quite some time. Definitely agree there needs to be a sticky for "My smoker died". For the most part these are usually inexperienced users but regardless of experience each case comes down to not thinking through what could go wrong and applying the necessary measures and tools to ensure you don't wake up to a dead smoker.

So you're going to smoke over night:

1. Got enough fuel?

2. Smoker ash cleaned out?

3. Got a minimum of a two probe digital thermometer (grate & meat) with alarm that connects to your phone. Bluetooth is fine but WiFi is better. Regardless, test to make sure it works at the distance you need it to.

4. Is the thermometer programed correctly? Low temp and High temp alarm settings?

5. Have you tested the alarm to make sure it works and is loud enough to wake you?

6. Is your phone set so the alarm will work in the middle of the night? Is the phone plugged into the charger?

7. Thermometer: Are the batteries fresh? Is it fully charged?

8. Fire protection: smoker not too close to house. Extinguisher near by?
 
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I just use my my Amaz .. Get smoker going about 9PM add meat cold from the fridge. Set temp at 275.. Let er go.. Wake up about 5AM.. Add some wood chips to the chip box let er go some more . Take meat off. let it rest.. mig a little bourbon and bbq sauce and start pulling...
 
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