temperature control for overnight pulled pork

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duggy

Fire Starter
Original poster
Aug 3, 2010
55
16
Los Angeles, California
Hi all

I need some help with temperature control. I want to make some boston butt overnight but I don't think I am skilled enough yet to leave something in the smoker over night. I have a charcoal smoker so I find that it'd be difficult. I've already heard of the minion method but would that be enough to last through the night?
 
Don't own a brinkman.... need to build a charcoal basket and light it on one end.  My guess is you will still have to get up once in the night and add fuel.
 
What I have done several times now with good results is smoke it for 5-6 hours(lets say 5-11pm) then wrap it up in foil and into the oven overnight at 210-225.  Go to sleep, wake up, and check temperature.  Most of the time it is pretty close to 200 but sometimes as a little ways to go.  Anyways I have had good results.
 
Assuming you've built a fire basket and done all the usual things, two things would add immensely to your overnight smoking success rate and ovreall piece of mind.

One is an electronically controlled stoker fan that would help keep the temperature constant though out the smoke.  The other would be a Maverick ET 73 wireless remote thermometer that you can sit up with an audible alarm to wake you when the temp drops too low from the fire running low on fuel.
 
What I have done several times now with good results is smoke it for 5-6 hours(lets say 5-11pm) then wrap it up in foil and into the oven overnight at 210-225.  Go to sleep, wake up, and check temperature.  Most of the time it is pretty close to 200 but sometimes as a little ways to go.  Anyways I have had good results.
I have a two door version. Not exactly the one picured but similar. Also, I've built a basket that I love. (http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/64025/new-no-weld-charcoal-pan-for-my-ecb) However, even with the minion method, I only get about 2 1/2 hours burn before needing to tend to the fire. Your best bet IMO is to do what Tank says.
 
It is a larger "basket" for holding more charcoal - that way when you do the minion method you start with more unlit charcoal and get a longer burn. Baskets can be made from modified shaker baskets, expanded metal, bbq woks, custom fabricated ones... ect. ect. If you look around the forum you find several posts under charcoal smokers that show people making charcoal baskets.
 
This is why I love my Weber Smokey Mountain. That thing is built so tight and holds alot of charcoal. I can run it 7-8 hours overnight and not have to stoke it or anything. I might have to get up one time if it's chilly outside to open the vent up.
 
This is why I love my Weber Smokey Mountain. That thing is built so tight and holds alot of charcoal. I can run it 7-8 hours overnight and not have to stoke it or anything. I might have to get up one time if it's chilly outside to open the vent up.


 lol... yeah I learned that the hard way last weekend, I got my WSM last spring and hadn't used it in any "chilly" weather yet. I was used to setting it at 225° going to bed and having it run for 16+ hrs. with no maintenance. Last weekend our low for the night was down around 38°, I got the meat on a midnight, went to bed at 1:00 AM, dog woke me up at 5:00 AM to go oustide and I figured I might as well check the smoker while I was up.... it had dropped to 190°. Had to open all three vents up 100° and kick the bottom to knock some ash off the coals before the temp came back up, had to leave the vents almost 50% open to maintain my target temp. till the sun came back up.

Now I have to figure out how I want to refuel for longer smokes
PDT_Armataz_01_31.gif
 , cause lifting the upper body off with water in the pan and 25+ lbs of meat aint gonna be fun... lol.
 
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