Question(s) mainly for stick burner guys

[Doog]

I'm an early riser most days. Smoke at 275 to 300 depending what I am smoking.
Done in plenty of time for supper.
Sometimes my wife will throw a couple splits on for me and I will get an hour nap.

 

[Smokinhole]

IMHO it is a wonderful experience...never did an all nighter ....mostly did ribs and butt/brisket at hight temp so they would get done by supper....but with some health issues/meds naps are a necessity......so I have a drum, kettle, stick burner, and I love each and everyone of them, but it’s like how do you feel that day. Do you want to be caveman and tend the fire, or socialize a lil more on a drum or kettle? One of my most proud moments was when I contemplated selling the stick burner and my son said “I thought we were going to keep it for posterity”......guess the ole Jambo is going to make a second generation!!

Gotta be a great feeling that the next generation wants in on what you've built, congrats for showing him in a way that made him want to continue. To me, that's more important than any cook a person can do. I doff my hypothetical hat to you sir.

 

[blazinfire]

Since a lot of our other options can run pretty steady for longer periods of time, I was curious for the stick burner folks as to when they do most of their cooks. Run all day with evening meal? Burn the midnight oil? Some of column A and some of column B? To all: Ever fallen asleep during a cook and wake up to disaster?

I don't have my stick burner yet (in the SF cue) but I have adjusted down my vent on the egg and awoken to some tepid, ruined butt 6 hours later.

Sorry I'm late in the game. I haven't had much time on the site as I would like. Plus not having time to cook Q really turns me off of the site with all the darn good cooks here.

I run a basic custom vertical offset. its my preferred smoker. But to answer your question, I'm a day time cook. I get up before 9 a.m. and cook through the day for eating in the evening.

When I'm cooking briskets or pork butts that have longer cook times That is normally for a late evening snack and dinner through the week. I'll throw stuff like ribs/chicken/fatties/ or anything with a short cook time for that nights dinner.

If I'm cooking for a group or a scheduled get together of sorts its just based on what time I have to get it there. Only get together cooks I do are for friends/family so I plan evening time for everyone to eat anyways.

I've "rested my eyes" once in a while in between splits. But I could never fully fall asleep to ruin food. Personally I can't see how people fires up their set it and forget it smokers and just sleep over night! It would drive me nuts trying to sleep knowing I had food and a fire going.

 

[ironmanerik]

For a dinnertime brisket, up at 4 brisket on by 5 dinner around 6. Everything else cooks fast enough to easily get done during normal hours.

 

[SDAR]

Nothing wrong with a 325 cook on a brisket set out at midnight to come to room temp and putting it on at 6 AM. Done between 5-6 hours with beautiful bark with a wrap after about 3 hours. The only difference is the perfection is within about 15 - 30 minutes instead of 60 - 90 minutes at 250.

Too old and impatient while knowing the feel of a brisket being properly finished. :thumb:

 

[Joe Black]

At the new preferred temps of 250-300* or higher, the overnight problems seem to be going away. Hurrah!!!! I personally think that I am getting better results on my cooks by using the higher temps.

Also, it seems that the new heavy duty smokers like it settle in better at the higher temps. The 200-225* cooks seem to be going by the wayside.

 

[m-fine]

This really only applies to briskets and maybe pork butts as ribs, poultry and other things don't take that long to worry about. I will do a hotter faster cook starting early in the morning if necessary, but I always feel the end results are not as good as they could be.

I have done the all night thing a few times and don't feel the need to do that anymore.

So, if I have the time and I want the best results, cook the day before with the goal of being done late at night. Hold the meat safely above 130 until serving time and get some sleep. If anything, meat held warm for 12-15 hours is more tender juicier and better rendered. Personally, I think my 20-24 hour brisket is better than my 12 or 8 or 6 hour brisket, but it is a lot of time and can be a problem if I have to work on Friday and serve on Saturday. For pork butt it makes less of a difference, but I do think the slower cook followed by long hold makes a tender juicy and easy to pull shoulder.

 

[ncmoose]

I was thinking of good ways to socialize. Have some guys over. Bring your own meat (and booze). Bring a cot or lounge chair. We'll socialize, take turns tending the fire and the next day you can bring home dinner for the family. Win-win.

 

[Notorious Q.U.E.]

The still of the night is therapeutic to me. No texts, no kids, nobody trying to get my attention. Even though I'm dead tired doing an all nighter, I strangely feel energized on some cooks. I like the autumn nights the best with cool crisp air

 

[Czarbecue]

I was thinking of good ways to socialize. Have some guys over. Bring your own meat (and booze). Bring a cot or lounge chair. We'll socialize, take turns tending the fire and the next day you can bring home dinner for the family. Win-win.

Sounds like a sleep over lol

 

[ncmoose]

Sounds like a sleep over lol

Exactly. With beer, meat, and fire. :thumb: