Smoking butt at night

[tnscoot]

I've been lurking for months and have gotten some good information that I have used to smoke some great pork and beef. I know I need to do an intro thread, but I need some advice.

I want to smoke a couple of butts for PP to take to TX on Friday afternoon. I was thinking about starting them this evening in my Masterbuilt and letting them go through the night.

My question is: Can I put chips into smoker for the first 3 hours or so and then retire for the night or would I be better off starting tomorrow morning? I want to smoke chickens too tomorrow evening so wanted the butts off before those went on. I haven't smoked pork butts yet so wasn't sure. I was going to set temp at 225.

 

[hoser]

I don't see a problem with loading , smoking for three hours, then reloading and going to bed. How much smoke to put in it is purely personal preference. I will sometimes only blow smoke for about 5 or 6 hours on a 12 hour smoke....it's all in what you want. How much smoke flavor you can handle...some folks are put off by too much.

Good luck with the smoke

 

[pineywoods]

Welcome to SMF. Personally I don't think 3 hours of smoke is near enough for a butt but of course thats my opinion. I usually apply smoke right up to when I foil them and if you keep it thin blue smoke they are by no means "too smokey" Have fun and have a great smoke

 

[oneshot]

I'm with Piney. but still need more info as to what type of smoker and how you have it set up.....Going on what you said so far I would get it started before bed then set your alarm for 3 or 4 hours later to get up and check it...jmo Good luck!!

 

[mballi3011]

Im with piney and one shot I keep the smoke on till I foil at about 165. then you can stop with the chips. Then you can throw in your chicken. Oh yea welcome to SMF. Please stop in to Roll Call and introduce yourself properly.

 

[tnscoot]

Thanks for all of the advice. I think I will go ahead and get a good night's sleep, get up early and put them on. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[fire it up]

Just remember tnscoot, if you want them off in time to put chickens on then depending on the size of the butts they can take up to 12-14 hours and then a whole chicken, or even pieces, will run you anywhere from 2-3 hours.
I smoke up until the time I foil also but then again I burn oak for my heat source so any smoke I do is smoked with burning oak most of the time and additional smaller chunks of wood for the flavoring.