# Smoker that needs tending only every 8-10 hours?



## river251 (Apr 10, 2020)

I want to start smoking briskett. I need to be able to let it cook overnight while I sleep, or while I am at work.

Considering Kamodo/Green Egg, Weber Smokey Mountain, Weber Kettle, Oklahoma Joe's Offset Highland, and anyting else that uses wood/charcoal. 

Will any of these go 8 hours without tending the fire, checking temp, adding coal/wood ??

Thanks very much! 

Jim


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## SmokingUPnorth (Apr 11, 2020)

Not sure about the names you listed. But any electric smoker would do the trick. I have a mes 30 and do all my pork shoulders overnight. Easy and no tending needed. Same with a Traeger.


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## river251 (Apr 11, 2020)

Thanks Brian, but hoping I can find a charcoal/wood solution before  going that direction.

Jim


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## gmc2003 (Apr 11, 2020)

river251 said:


> Considering Kamodo/Green Egg, Weber Smokey Mountain, Weber Kettle, Oklahoma Joe's Offset Highland, and anyting else that uses wood/charcoal.



The WSM and the Egg(I believe) can, but it's foolish to leave them unintended for that lenght of time - especially while your at work. Overnight while your sleeping is fine as long as you have a therm that will wake you up if something goes astray. Just my opinion.

Chris


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## forktender (Apr 11, 2020)

You can cross the OK Joe off your list and pretty much every other offset smoker, they need to be babysat constantly.


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## phatbac (Apr 11, 2020)

WSM with a PID controller like a bbq guru should to the trick but as mentioned previously a therm with an alarm is probably needed with that kind of setup.

Happy Smoking,
phatbac(Aaron)


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## mike243 (Apr 11, 2020)

there are a lot of cabinet smokers that fit the bill but on the lower end is the Masterbuilt 560 . I am wanting the bigger unit when it and my $ can match up lol


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## tropics (Apr 11, 2020)

Pit Boss #5 or 4 they are set it and forget it,hold temps steady. You can see them at Lowe's 
Richie


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## mike243 (Apr 11, 2020)

He stated he wanted charcoal or wood , love my Pitboss but that don't fit the description lol


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## tropics (Apr 11, 2020)

mike243 said:


> He stated he wanted charcoal or wood , love my Pitboss but that don't fit the description lol


I went by the title. But for what it is worth they do make Charcoal Pellets & Wood Pellets 
He could have the best of both worlds LOL
Richie


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## JCAP (Apr 11, 2020)

Personally I would not want my smoker running when I’m out for that long. Overnight is fine with temp monitoring.

Good luck in your search though. There are lots of good choices out there and everyone has a favorite!


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## daveomak (Apr 11, 2020)

For long, unattended smokes, read what ECTO1 says in this thread....
He had 30 hours of uninterrupted smoke......





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						My UDS great story.
					

This is a short but good story.  Yesterday I loaded my charcoal basket with Kingsford blue.  I started it using the Minion method and smoked a bird for about 5 hours.  in all the excitement about my first bird i forgot to close the vents.  Today I look outside and I see it is still smoking 30...




					www.smokingmeatforums.com
				




..


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## daveomak (Apr 11, 2020)

Other stufff by ECTO1

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/seasoned-uds-now-with-video.97172/ 





__





						Just another UDS
					

This one already has a new home.  Love this new thermometer.




					www.smokingmeatforums.com


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## schlotz (Apr 11, 2020)

You might want to spend a little time researching pellet smokers.  They can easily do what you are wanting.


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## Sowsage (Apr 11, 2020)

daveomak said:


> He had 30 hours of uninterrupted smoke......


I've got 30 hrs out of mine as well. Basket will hold a full 20lb bag . The UDS is no joke joke when it comes to long consistent burn times. Only thing I would recomend is a way to track temps with an alarm. If the wind picks up you could have a pretty high temp spike.


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## pops6927 (Apr 11, 2020)

I am unable to tend fires @ disabilities and am going with a Camp Chef Dlx Pro Pellet grill/smoker for "set it and forget it" technology!  As soon as my stimulus pay arrives!


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## jcam222 (Apr 11, 2020)

Not sure on your budget but most well insulated charcoal cabinets easily do this. The inch thick insulation many are built with keep them rock steady in most temps. Once I get my dialed in it will easily hold temp overnight without issues. Mine is admittedly in the high end (bought used) but an entry level Backwoods will likely do the trick too. As someone else said a WSM with a temp controller unit is a great option as well. I am guessing you’ve done enough research to know pellet is simply not what you are looking for. I have a small pellet Traegar but like you I strongly prefer my charcoal for smokes. That said plenty of people turn out A+ Q with them although it usually involves the use of a pellet tube or maze too.


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## normanaj (Apr 11, 2020)

tropics said:


> But for what it is worth they do make Charcoal Pellets & Wood Pellets
> He could have the best of both worlds LOL



I use the charcoal pellets quite a bit in the tube(s) with my MES.


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## Bearcarver (Apr 11, 2020)

river251 said:


> Thanks Brian, but hoping I can find a charcoal/wood solution before  going that direction.
> 
> Jim




Bear Jr has a Big Green Egg, and I know he can go long times without touching it.

I'm an MES 40 lover, myself.

Bear


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## smokeymose (Apr 11, 2020)

I know a guy who has a WSM that he added a controller to and can go a long time without tending. Strictly charcoal.
I don't know about 8 hrs, though, and I certainly wouldn't leave something burning at home while I'm gone.


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## river251 (Apr 11, 2020)

tropics said:


> I went by the title. But for what it is worth they do make Charcoal Pellets & Wood Pellets
> He could have the best of both worlds LOL
> Richie


Well you've got me curious. I have grilled steaks, hamburgers, chicken, seafood, veggies all my life and was adamantly against gas grills, insisting on charcoal to get the flavor. So that prejudice kind of extended over into my thinking about a smoker. But, can a pellet smoker really give you the great taste of mesquite lump charcoal used in my grills? You guys have got me to do research on this and that certainly does sound like a solution that meets my needs, if it can really get the flavor for brisket. I'm only buying this for brisket cuz I am nuts about brisket and there's no good brisket around here. I will continue to use my Lodge sportsman's grill for cooking all that other stuff, it's fantastic but I can't cook brisket. So I'm curious to hear what you guys have to say about how you can get real woodsmoke flavor in a pellet smoker. I buy mesquite lump charcoal to grill with and throw some hickory or mesquite chips in there too. But maybe you guys can teach this old dog some new tricks. I just turned 65 today. Pops idea about using the stimulus check for that sounds pretty enticing. You guys already talked me out of a offset smoker, it was fork-tender that made that post and that nailed the coffin for the offset for me, thank you. My pal in California uses an electric that he actually sits in his kitchen and he's always sending me pictures of smoked this and smoked that. He's a big hunter and fisherman so it's often stuff he's caught out of the ocean or got hunting. Electric just never seemed right for the same reasons I never like the idea of a gas barbecue grill. But I'm ready to get edumcated.  Thank you much for your help so far everyone.


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## river251 (Apr 11, 2020)

pops6927 said:


> I am unable to tend fires @ disabilities and am going with a Camp Chef Dlx Pro Pellet grill/smoker for "set it and forget it" technology!  As soon as my stimulus pay arrives!


Thank you pops, that looks like a mighty fine choice for a pellet smoker. The doors that let you dump out the ashes seem like a lifesaver. You started me thinking about pellet smokers.


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## 1MoreFord (Apr 11, 2020)

From your other thread I didn't think might be interested in a pellet to start with.

I'm looking for a pellet rig currently.

I can't afford MAK's and Yoders and the like.

I am suspect of some of the ones from big box stores.  I know how they get special cheaper versions of merchandise that is only available thru them and is downgraded from near identical looking products available from other sources.

For one reason or another I've narrowed it down to looking at the Camp Chef's, RecTec's, and Grillas.


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## tropics (Apr 12, 2020)

river251 said:


> Well you've got me curious. I have grilled steaks, hamburgers, chicken, seafood, veggies all my life and was adamantly against gas grills, insisting on charcoal to get the flavor. So that prejudice kind of extended over into my thinking about a smoker. But, can a pellet smoker really give you the great taste of mesquite lump charcoal used in my grills? You guys have got me to do research on this and that certainly does sound like a solution that meets my needs, if it can really get the flavor for brisket. I'm only buying this for brisket cuz I am nuts about brisket and there's no good brisket around here. I will continue to use my Lodge sportsman's grill for cooking all that other stuff, it's fantastic but I can't cook brisket. So I'm curious to hear what you guys have to say about how you can get real woodsmoke flavor in a pellet smoker. I buy mesquite lump charcoal to grill with and throw some hickory or mesquite chips in there too. But maybe you guys can teach this old dog some new tricks. I just turned 65 today. Pops idea about using the stimulus check for that sounds pretty enticing. You guys already talked me out of a offset smoker, it was fork-tender that made that post and that nailed the coffin for the offset for me, thank you. My pal in California uses an electric that he actually sits in his kitchen and he's always sending me pictures of smoked this and smoked that. He's a big hunter and fisherman so it's often stuff he's caught out of the ocean or got hunting. Electric just never seemed right for the same reasons I never like the idea of a gas barbecue grill. But I'm ready to get edumcated.  Thank you much for your help so far everyone.


Honestly I can not say about the mesquite lump charcoal,I never used it the PB I have has a low setting of 150°F If you start with that temp and keep it there for a while it will give a pretty heavy smoke flavor. Here is a post I did with ribs hope this helps.
Richie
I did a Ham in it on Thursday that will be cut later


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## Buttah Butts (Apr 12, 2020)

If you consider a pellet smoker. Look at the Rec Tec line. I wish I would of bought it before wasting money on Traeger and GM Daniel Boone.


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## negolien (Apr 12, 2020)

Wow not a 560 mentione all eh?  Well hope you find something that works. I would be careful going cheap on pellet grills.  You tend to get what you pay for.


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## Will Squared (Apr 12, 2020)

I think the smoker that you are looking for is a Masterbuilt Gravity Feed. 
You cannot beat it on the price or versatility. 
A stack of fuel will last 6 hours or more. 
Taste of Mesquite.
Ability to ramp up to 700' in minutes !
Less parts to breakdown.
The 560 that we have is perfect.
The 1060 looks like an excellent deal.
An investment.


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## river251 (Apr 12, 2020)

smokeymose said:


> I know a guy who has a WSM that he added a controller to and can go a long time without tending. Strictly charcoal.
> I don't know about 8 hrs, though, and I certainly wouldn't leave something burning at home while I'm gone.


Hi Smokey mouse. Well, in fact I did decide to go this route and I picked up a WSM yesterday at Lowe's. I appreciate the help on this and look forward to brisket. Thank you!


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