Extended Smoking

[Breed]

I have the 6-rack digital-electric smoker. I recently decided to smoke a full brisket along with a full pork shoulder for a family gathering. I rubbed both with kosher salt and pepper 24 hrs before smoking them. The next day I used a dry rub on each and let them sit out for an hour as the smoker warmed up. I cut the Flat off the brisket and placed it in the smoker on the lowest shelf (slot 6). I placed the point with fat side up on the middle shelf (slot 4) and the pulled pork at the top (slot 2). I had the smoker running at 220 degrees with a 2/1 blend of Hickory and Pecan wood. I filled the water bowl with hot water and left the vent open full (weather was humid 80 high and 70 low). The system was loaded and running at 9 am and I kept the door closed except for changing out the water every 3 hours. The internal ambient temp in the smoker was running about 215-220 on the monitor by 11 am. After 6 hours I began checking the internal meat temp and of course the flat was done by 6pm, after 9 hours in the smoker. I continued to monitor the pork and the point section of brisket every 3 hours all night long and by 9 am the next day, after 24 hrs in the smoker, I had yet to bring it up to the magic number (203). I finally had to crutch them both in foil in order to have them ready to eat by 1 pm.

Every recipe I have seen suggests that low and slow should have a full brisket ready to eat within 12 hours, yet it took me more than twice that long to smoke mine. Is this unusual? I really enjoyed having to set my alarm to wake me up every three hrs during the night, and am wondering how much longer the brisket would have taken if I had not used the crutch.

My question is about whether I should have run my smoker hotter or done something else differently. I purchased the larger smoker because it has more room to smoke more food at a time, and I realize that the more meat I put inside, the colder the box will be and the longer it will take to cook. The meat came out tasting great with a delicious bark. I just need some advice before my next big family BBQ (4th of July).

On a humorous side note, I always smoke a few racks of sausage the last couple hours that the larger cuts are smoking. I find it curious that while the brisket and pulled pork were delicious, the cheap and fast sausage is always the first thing to disappear. I spent over $100 and slaved 28 hrs on the pork and the brisket, but the $12 and 2hrs invested in the sausage went first.

[Gafala]

From what I have learned here one cut of meat would take up to 12hrs, by adding a second one the time would double, your heating two pieces of meat so it only make sense it would take more time. Just my thoughts I could be corrected on this as I have not done ether one. I stick to Sausage, Bacon, Ribs, and once in a while a chicken.

[Habanero Smoker]

Hi Breed;

Welcome to the forum.

Each cut of meat is different, so I don't solely go by internal meat temperature. The proper doness is my goal; so I cook by Tenderness - Temperature - Time. Time being the least in importance, and tenderness being the goal. Temperature is mainly a guideline for me to start checking for tenderness. If you can get the Bradley up to a higher temperature then use a higher temperature. Though it is important to try to maintain a constant temperature.

The Bradley has poor recovery. Though you kept the door openings to every three hours, a lot of heat is lost when you open that door, check on the meat, and change the water bowl. I've used a foil brick in my Bradley to help with recovery times. Maybe use a larger pan instead of the water bowl, and you wouldn't have to switch out so often. Or have a second bowl, that that when it is time to change the water bowl, you can just switch them out - instead of opening the door, taking the bowl out, emptying the bowl, opening the door, and replacing the bowl. Also for large loads, you may want to think about using combined cooking methods. Such as after applying the smoke, move one or more pieces to your kitchen oven to finish the cook.

[TedEbear]

I really enjoyed having to set my alarm to wake me up every three hrs during the night, and am wondering how much longer the brisket would have taken if I had not used the crutch.n the pork and the brisket, but the $12 and 2hrs invested in the sausage went first.

Why did you need to check it every 3 hours?  If you use a wireless remote you can set an alarm that will alert you whenever the temp reaches your specified setpoint.  Also, you do not need to change the water every 3 hours, after the initial 3-4 hours of puck burning and you're just slow cooking after that.  Many of us have replaced that small water bowl with a disposable aluminum pan (8"x13"?), filled with water.

[Habanero Smoker]

I really enjoyed having to set my alarm to wake me up every three hrs during the night, and am wondering how much longer the brisket would have taken if I had not used the crutch.n the pork and the brisket, but the $12 and 2hrs invested in the sausage went first.

Why did you need to check it every 3 hours?  If you use a wireless remote you can set an alarm that will alert you whenever the temp reaches your specified setpoint.  Also, you do not need to change the water every 3 hours, after the initial 3-4 hours of puck burning and you're just slow cooking after that.  Many of us have replaced that small water bowl with a disposable aluminum pan (8"x13"?), filled with water.

The Bradley manual recommends changing the water bowl every three hours. Although I don't change it that often, I'm not going to recommend otherwise. :)

[TedEbear]

The Bradley manual recommends changing the water bowl every three hours. Although I don't change it that often, I'm not going to recommend otherwise. :)

A small water bowl, maybe, but only if he's burning pucks for the entire cooking process.  It's a waste of pucks if that's the case.  I generally leave the same water in the pan all night when I'm doing a 12+ hour cook.

[Habanero Smoker]

The Bradley manual recommends changing the water bowl every three hours. Although I don't change it that often, I'm not going to recommend otherwise. :)

A small water bowl, maybe, but only if he's burning pucks for the entire cooking process.  It's a waste of pucks if that's the case.  I generally leave the same water in the pan all night when I'm doing a 12+ hour cook.

I understand. I will often go around 6 hours may be a little more. Though if I did a cook like Breed did, I would change the bowl more frequently. I've done a couple of butts at the same time on a few occasions. I would have to check the water bowl about every 4 hours. The bowls were pretty much still full, but they were half fill of grease.

[manfromplaid]

got to go with habs on this. on a long cook I like to empty any grease in the bowl. to add some extra time is less of a problem then fighting fires. (no fires)

[cherrybergher]

I put an extra water filled drip pan in and i've ver had a problem.  However, I've never done a load as big as what is stated above.  I empty my puck bowl and refill after the three hours, and usually dont open the again till my igrill 2 suggests a proper IT

[Breed]

Thank you everyone for your insightful comments. I would like to expand on two of the replies that I received.

First, I have been running the pucks continuously throughout the cooking process. Should I limit the smoke time by maybe using them only the first few hours, or in some staggered schedule?

Second, I can easily use a big aluminum pan of water, but I chose to follow the Bradley guidelines the first time through. Since I usually only smoke meat on 3-4 occasions during the year, I try to make a large amount and wide variety so that I can freeze with my foodsaver vacuum sealer and use them during the year.

I would love any other advice that you are willing to offer provided it is based on your own experiences rather than conjecture.

Thanks,

Breed

[TedEbear]

First, I have been running the pucks continuously throughout the cooking process. Should I limit the smoke time by maybe using them only the first few hours, or in some staggered schedule?

The more done the meat gets, the less smoke it absorbs.  3-4 hours of applying smoke is what a lot of people do, including me.  The law of diminishing returns comes into play after that and puck prices can add up during a long slow smoke session.

[Habanero Smoker]

Anything over four hours of smoke for butts and brisket is too much smoke for myself. Some use as much as six hours, and there are those that apply the smoke the whole cook.  For chicken most use 1.5 - 2.5 hours of smoke, and ribs about 3 hours. If you are using smoke the full cook time, and that is the flavor you are looking for, then by all means cook to your taste.