Smoking to eat the next day

[mjdaniel]

Hello everyone, I am brand new to this forum and am a casual smoker. I have a Brinkmann electric and have smoked beef and chicken for several years now, but only 4-5 times a year. I have smoked chicken breast, tri tip, and pot roast in different combinations. I basically hit it with a rub, put it in a zip loc bag overnight in the fridge, and smoke it for 4 hours using mesquite wood chunks. I am not looking for the fall of the bone texture, which is obvious from my method. The last time I smoked pot roast, I wrapped it in foil while the guests arrived. We got to talking a lot, and ended up slicing the meat after about 2.5 hours resting in the foil. After reading different threads in smoking forums, apprently I did something good by accident. Here is my question, next weekend I am having a lot of folks over for BBQ. I was planning on smoking pot roast and chicken breast on Friday. My thoughts were to wrap the pot roast and chicken in foil after a 4 hour (or more) smoking session, then put the meat in the fridge. On Saturday morning, turn the oven on 200 and put the chicken and beef in there for ?? hours and take out and slice. Please comment on this plan and any suggestions would be appreciated. Mike Daniel

 

[Dutch]

It's a good plan Mike and it's one I've done on many occasions. Especially if you are limited on your smoker size.

Another thing that I do is I put the meat in aluminium foil pans and then cover the pans with a sheet of aluminum foil.  When I'm ready to put the meat into the oven to rewarm, I'll lift a corner of the foil and pour in about a half cup of low sodium/low fat beef or chicken stock (depending on the meat) I set my oven to 250° so that the broth will create some steam. I also have a thermo probe in the meat so I can monitor the temps. I bring the internal temps to 165° and then I will lower my oven temps down to 200°.  As you have probably noticed, around here we really don't cook anything to time (with the exception of ribs), we mainly cook to temp. That is why I use my thermometer with a food probe-even when rewarming food.

Good luck on your get together!

 

[mjdaniel]

Hi Dutch, thanks for the response, that's helpful. I do have several followup questions:

1) Do I keep the corner of the foil up or close it after adding the stock?

2) Once I reach the proper temp and am cruising at 200, is there an optimum amount of time before I start serving,

    or what is too much time to keep it warming?

3) I also plan on BBQ'ing some chicken with sauce and will do this early the same day I am serving. Can I keep this

    covered in the oven at 200 also, minus the stock? Then I can serve all together. Thanks again, Mike Daniel

 

[jirodriguez]

1) once you add the stock re-seal the pan with the foil, you want to keep the moisture in.

2) You should be OK at 200° for a couple of hours once you come up to 165° internal, but if it is going to be more than 3 or 4 hrs. I would drop the oven temp. to about 150° after the meat internal temp. gets to 165°.

3) Yup your chicken will be fine in there with the other stuff.

Basically once you have all the pre-cooked up to 165° internal you are just keeping it warm at that point. Most resteraunts I have worked at we used food warmers set to 150° and stuff would keep for hours.

 

[adiochiro3]

Your plan will work to perfection.  I also have done this on many occasions with terrific results.  Just follow Dutch & Johnny's advice above and enjoy your party!