Electric Smoker Unattended - How long?

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Bencroft4

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Hey,
Once of my smokers is a Masterbuilt 30 Inch Electric Smoker.

I've been debating throwing a shoulder in it before I go to work, with wood chips (which would last about an hour), and letting it go all day. When I get home, about 9 - 10 hours later, tend to it and finish it off.

Good idea? Bad idea? I know it would run out of smoke, but not heat. It'll maintain temp forever...

Do you think it would dry out? I don't want to foil it....
Is it worth trying or just a waste of meat?

Thoughts appreciated,
-Ben
 
I don't think it would dry out. Pork has enough fat in it to stay moist for a long time. There are a lot of people on this forum that never wrap and produce tasty looking food.

I think your issue would be lack of smoke with just one hour of smoke.

If I were you and wanted sustained smoke, I'd look into an Amaze-N-Tube. It's a tube that you fill with pellets that will provide clean smoke for quite some time.
 
I know it'll be short on smoke.... but if I have the neighbor add wood chips, I have to give him some pork...
 
Ran my Smokin-it #2 for 16 hrs with just the initial load of 8oz wood, butt came out great with good smoke flavor.
 
I have run the mastebuilt for 16 hrs no problem. See if you can get the neighbor to throw in chips. I usually would add chips for the first 3 hours.
 
I had an electric smoker short out once, luckily it was outside under an overhang when the plastics caught fire.

My concern is that you shouldn't leave it unattended in the house, outside in an unattached shed or gazebo -yes... they can be rebuilt..

Call me paranoid, but a close call will do that...
 
I've ran it that long before, but I've been there to check it.... Add wood chips, check meat, etc...

I'll put it in my driveway on a clear day...

Weekday BBQ.... YES!!!
 
IamMadMan said:
I had an electric smoker short out once, luckily it was outside under an overhang when the plastics caught fire.

My concern is that you shouldn't leave it unattended in the house, outside in an unattached shed or gazebo -yes... they can be rebuilt..

Call me paranoid, but a close call will do that...
Click to expand...



Its been stated before but can never be stated enough. Leaving any cooking device unattended poses some risk. This goes for a smoker outside to a crockpot on your kitchen counter. I've been guilty of letting a cooker ride outdoors but as you stated precaution should be taken to at least mitigate an unlikely disaster.
 
smoke ninja said:
Its been stated before but can never be stated enough. Leaving any cooking device unattended poses some risk. This goes for a smoker outside to a crockpot on your kitchen counter. I've been guilty of letting a cooker ride outdoors but as you stated precaution should be taken to at least mitigate an unlikely disaster.
Click to expand...

Agree ^ Meat should be fine.
 
hogs122 said:
I don't think it would dry out. Pork has enough fat in it to stay moist for a long time. There are a lot of people on this forum that never wrap and produce tasty looking food.

I think your issue would be lack of smoke with just one hour of smoke.

If I were you and wanted sustained smoke, I'd look into an Amaze-N-Tube. It's a tube that you fill with pellets that will provide clean smoke for quite some time.
Click to expand...

I agree that an Amaz-N-Tube or a Smokin' Wedgie would add smoke for as long as there are pellets in it, but you always run a risk when leaving something cooking unattended. Honestly, I'd rather cook a couple butts over a weekend when I can sit with it and have a few cold ones. Then freeze the leftovers. You've still got weekday barbecue, you just have to heat it up.
 
I have a master built 40" and have an add on, I think they call it a cold smoker, that you fill with chips and it will supply smoke for hours. The only issue I would have is do you trust your neighbors not to help them selves to your tasty shoulder!!
 
Ask neighbor to keep an eye on smoker as well as add wood, and make sure said neighbor knows to unplug smoker if anything goes cock-eyed during the cook... then all is good!
 
Could you use chunks instead of chips so it would make smoke longer? I use chunks in my electric but I have to use only a little bit and chop them into fairly small pieces. But they smoke for a pretty long time.
 
One hour of smoke is not enough. You might need to add a few tbsp of liquid smoke in the water pan . Add water to pan half full, then apple juice or apple cider plus liquid smoke. Ok don't leave it unattended if it is anywhere close to anything that can catch fire . JMHO
 
I would say maybe try to set an alarm and quickly get out of bed and start the cook, and then head back to bed for another hour or so until your normal wake up. and then at the last minute before you leave, reload the chips. Most of the smoke flavour from my experiences is really absorbed in the first portion of the cook. So long as you can read the internal temps when you get back, I definitely think you'll get back before it's done (and I would say, easiest way to extend the cook is to choose a larger cut of pork and freeze some leftovers and give it to friends, or save it for later). I don't foil personally, but I would also ensure your water pan is nice and full, without risking overflow of course. From what I understand, part of the purpose of foiling is to help speed the pork through the stall period. I would say, you should be fine and if you can find a helpful neighbor to check on it to make sure everything is A-OK, thats a bonus!
 
I work for my family's embroidery/silkscreening biz... I've debated taking one of my smokers to shop so I can run it out back....

Someone gave me an old Pop-Geer Totem Electric Smoker a few years... I plugged it in to see if it got hot, which it did, but otherwise I've never used it.... Looks like its getting a test run this weekend...
 
I would not leave a smoker unattended close to my house. Plus, in this weather, how reliable is a electric smoker outdoors in terms of keeping meat above the safety temp point?
 
I've found the Masterbuilt ones extremely reliable to hold temp...

I've done long cooks in it before, and I've never had to adjust the temp because the smoker wasn't holding temp properly....
 
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