Smoking Overnight

[retto]

This is the first time that I need to start my meat the night before. I am making a 10lb shoulder, so I estimate my smoke time may be somwhere @15 hours (but I'm a novice, so I could be wrong.) My wife wants to have family over, and eat sometime during the afternoon, so I estimate that as 3pm. My question is this, how do I cook the shoulder and get some sleep at the same time? I figured that I'd start the shoulder @10:00 PM the night before, but doesn't the shoulder require hourly care?

 

[niniron]

What type of smoker are you going to use?

 

[walking dude]

first off.......WHEN is this going to happen

second......you need a remote 2 probe digi thermo.......like a Mav. Redi-Chek ET-73.......you can put the second/recieving uint besides your bed......this unit has alarms high and low ....one probe you insert into your meat.......if it hits the designated temp the alarm will go off......the second probe is for the smoker.........when the temps fall off and you need to add more charchol/wood.......the alarm goes off......

but MOST important.....like niniron said.......what type of smoker........dude we need a HECK of alot more info than what you just gave us..........

 

[neens]

First off the 15hrs is a good guess you normaly say 1.5hrs per pound but it is just a guess. I would start it at like 8 or 9 the night before seeing as you could always wrap it in an old towel and put it in a preheated cooler and it will stay warm for hours.

The type of smoker you have is important. If it is a charcoal smoker you can use the minion mehtod with a charcoal basket so you dont need to check it as often. depending on the size of the basket i have heard of people smoking up to 6 hrs without checking.

 

[smokin' joe]

According to his roll call post, he is using a month old WSM. Now at least we know the equipment, I agree we are going to need some further info to be of any help.

 

[retto]

Wow, sorry, I didn't expect a response so quickly. Yes, I have a Weber Smoky Mountain and I am going to start the meat Friday night, so it's ready Saturday. Tomorrow night, I plan on putting the rub on the shoulder, wrapping it in plastic and putting it in the fridge until just before cook time (a little better than 24 hours.) I plan on using the minion method with lump. Also, I do not have a thermometer yet, but I will get one.

 

[geek with fire]

As far as time goes, I plan on 20 hours before people will be coming over. Yea, it usually takes 15 hours for a large butt, but you never know for sure; expecially if you fall asleep and let the temperature go down! If it does get done before hand, wrap it in plastic wrap, foil, a towel, and put it all in a cooler. It will stay hot for up to about 4 hours.

As far as sleep goes....that depends on 2 things:
1.) How well does your smoker maintain temperature?
2.) How cold is it where you're from?
Before I built my temperature control system, I put a lawn chair and an alarm clock out by the smoker. Set the alarm clock for about 1 hour at a time. Wake up every hour and check time and fuel as needed.

Like WD said, make sure you have a couple of digital thermo's to measure the pit and meat temperature.

Lastly, if you get really sleepy in the middle of the night and you just can't take it any more, once the pig hits 140 you can always finish it in the oven.

 

[lc in va]

believe it or not you may not be as tired as you think you might. the excitment of it all really gets adrenaline flowing and makes it hard to sleep anyway.

 

[gadgetgeek]

Draft controls are the easy answer. Go on to BBQ Guru's site and get you one of those new-fangled, digital controller and the smallest fan they sell (for your WSM) and you are set.
DigiQ II all the way... get an adaptor for your WSM, set the pit temp to 200º-215º, set the meat temp to 190º, and go to bed (this won't work for this pork shoulder session, but will work for you NEXT one). Count about 14 hours and start the WSM using the Minion method, set the ramp option to off. Get the WSM barely up to temperature, and don't open it for 8-10 hours (providing you have enough charcoal). Then spray the shoulder with an acceptable moisturizing spray, and keep the temp. at 190+ for at least 45 minutes. Foil it, wrap it in a towel, and park it in a smallish cooler until you are ready to pull it.

With the right rub, I don't sauce the pork after I pull it, I just slightly salt it and provide a handful of various BBQ sauces in squeeze bottles near the buns. Good luck.. you are on your way.

.

 

[richtee]

Welcome to SMF Gadget! Be sure to stop into the Roll Call forum and give us an introduction on yerself! Enjoy!

 

[retto]

Thanks everyone, I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[packplantpath]

Be careful with the digital probes. For some reason, with mine, when you get out of range of the signal, it just keeps displaying the last known temperature. I had mine once drop to 170 before I figured it out.

This may be a quirk of mine, not sure, but a warning anyway. Have fun.

 

[walking dude]

yeah.......on my et-73......wherever i put my reciever.......i watch it to make sure that i see the lil signal flashes.........then i know i have reception

 

[geob]

I love the all nighters. Pleanty of Bud on hand, Lot's of stars, Keep the gun and spotlight ready for armadillos.

Smoking

 

[blacklab]

Now that sounds like a perferct bbq night.

 

[walking dude]

heheh.......yeah.........when its not 20 degrees outside.,...........