Pellet Smoker - First Overnight

[Furby076]

Hey Everyone,

My new RecTeq is on the way and this will be my first pellet grill. Previously I was using a Char-griller flavor pro (gas & charcoal/wood combo). The Char-griller is great, except it's completely manual process, so my rib/brisket smoking was limited to 6 to 8 hours. A lot of manual work keeping the smoke going and maintaining the temp...hence I went pellet. With that, since I have (one week to go) a pellet grill, I want to do an overnight smoke. Looking at Youtube BBQ Labs below is what I took away. Mostly it's the notes I took from his video, but in some areas I put "My suggestion"

Can I get your opinions, please?

1. 1030PM: Put brisket fat side down, and 200F. No wrap. My suggestion: throw some of the fat trimmings on top so it oozes the fat juices on top
2. 8AM: Pull out the meat, wrap in butcher paper. Place back in smoker at about 250F. My Suggestion: Again, keep the fat trimmings on top
3. 1045 AM (once it reaches about 205): Pull out the meat. Wrap the meat, with butcher paper still on it, in saran wrap to help keep in the juices. Place in cooler (are towels really needed)?
4. 5PM : Pull out of cooler. The meat should be around 165. Slice and serve

Does this seem like a good plan?

 

[sandyut]

Maybe…. Since I got my rec teq I have not needed to do an overnight cook.

My brisket temp profile is this.. Start at 180 for an hour or two (extreme smoke), then 275 for the duration, no wrap. Pull when probe tender. Normally I can start the RT700 at 0600 and have the brisket ready for supper same day.

If you must go overnight - set the app alarms just in case there is an issue.

 

[BurntWeenie]

Get a sheet pan rack combo to put the brisket on to catch the fat. Easier than depending on the drip tray. Line the drip tray itself with heavy duty foil.

I've done overnight and do the 2 hours at 180 then up it to 225F. Fat side up. You can wrap with paper. Do not use plastic wrap. You will lose the bark.

 

[sandyut]

I think most agree on a pellet grill fat side down is the preferred placement due to the heat source being centered under the middle. The fat cap buffers the heat from the bottom.

 

[Fueling Around]

I smoke it both cap up and down.
Something to capture the meat dripping and fat is a real help.
Yes, towels help hold the heat.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Sounds like a plan.
Instead of using saran wrap during the cooler rest, use aluminum foil. It is easier to work with and will hold heat better along with the towels.

 

[schlotz]

Hey Everyone,

My new RecTeq is on the way and this will be my first pellet grill. Previously I was using a Char-griller flavor pro (gas & charcoal/wood combo). The Char-griller is great, except it's completely manual process, so my rib/brisket smoking was limited to 6 to 8 hours. A lot of manual work keeping the smoke going and maintaining the temp...hence I went pellet. With that, since I have (one week to go) a pellet grill, I want to do an overnight smoke. Looking at Youtube BBQ Labs below is what I took away. Mostly it's the notes I took from his video, but in some areas I put "My suggestion"

Can I get your opinions, please?

1. 1030PM: Put brisket fat side down, and 200F. No wrap. My suggestion: throw some of the fat trimmings on top so it oozes the fat juices on top
2. 8AM: Pull out the meat, wrap in butcher paper. Place back in smoker at about 250F. My Suggestion: Again, keep the fat trimmings on top
3. 1045 AM (once it reaches about 205): Pull out the meat. Wrap the meat, with butcher paper still on it, in saran wrap to help keep in the juices. Place in cooler (are towels really needed)?
4. 5PM : Pull out of cooler. The meat should be around 165. Slice and serve

Does this seem like a good plan?

Reasonable plan... but remember briskets don't tell time! Wrapping should be considered either when the color of the bark hits what you are looking for OR, sometime after the brisket has been in the stall for a bit. Every brisket can be different.

Next: briskets are done when they are tender, NOT by temp. Temp is only a guideline to know when to start testing for tenderness. Probing the flat all over and the feel in each place should be like going into a jar of peanut butter. I usually start testing once the IT in the thickest part of the flat reaches 195º. If had briskets get tender anywhere from 195º to 210º.

Lastly: if pulled when tender make sure you let it rest OPEN on the counter until the IT drops 5º or so to ensure the cooking process has stopped. If instead you go straight from the smoker into a cooler, the brisket will continue to cook and can easily become overdone.

Can't stress enough the importance of having a good reporting probe setup to adequately warn you if the smoker loses temp or whatever. There have been way too many threads around here about someone waking up to find there was a problem in the middle of the night. It's not a good thing to experience, especially given the time and money invested in smoking a full sized brisket. Personally, I just avoid the issue entirely by smoking at 275º keeping it a same-day smoke & dine.

Good luck with the new toy, and show us pic's of how it went!

 

[Furby076]

Thanks all. I'll jot all these notes down and agree about tenderness vs straight temp or time.

With regards to temp probes, the grill comes with probes (connect to app) and I also have a manual dual IR/Probe thermometer.

 

[sandyut]

With regards to temp probes, the grill comes with probes (connect to app) and I also have a manual dual IR/Probe thermometer.

Ive had very good luck with the Rec Teq probes and App. Im pretty sure the app needs to be on your 2.4Ghz band... the instruction says to name the two bands differently. I just turned off the 5Ghz got the app going then turned it back on.

 

[Winterrider]

Thanks all. I'll jot all these notes down and agree about tenderness vs straight temp or time.

With regards to temp probes, the grill comes with probes (connect to app) and I also have a manual dual IR/Probe thermometer.

Make sure to test th RT probes. I needed to calibrate mine

 

[bigfurmn]

I have also never had to do an over night with a brisket. Ive started at 4am with a bigger one and was ready in time for dinner.

 

[sandyut]

I have also never had to do an over night with a brisket. Ive started at 4am with a bigger one and was ready in time for dinner.

same, the day I got my rec teq was the day the overnight cooks ended. thankfully. Plus, its not the safest move to cook overnight while sleeping.

 

[Daba's BBQ]

I'm cooking a 16-pounder starting tonight, Friday, at 11 pm. I'm setting the temp at 225 and won't touch it until Saturday morning around 6-7 am. I'm using a Traeger Pro Series 34

 

[Furby076]

Sorry. Forgot to post my first ever cook on the recteq...did overnight smoked brisket. And it was dreamy

180 from 10pm to 8am, unwrapped
8am to 4pm, wrapped at 250
4 to 6pm wrapped in paper and towel and in cooler

 

[Furby076]

 

[Sven Svensson]

Looks fantastic. Congrats on the first big cook.

 

[Daba's BBQ]

Just took this pic about 5 minutes ago. its been smoking since 10:45 pm EST last night (about 8 hours) at 225 degrees. It has about 4 more hours before I start checking temps.