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Wish me luck, first overnight cook

atgcpaul
atgcpaul Posts: 29
in EggHead Forum
I've had my medium egg for a couple of years now but have never done an overnight cook with it.  I primarily use it for steaks and it does a great job.

My 2nd daughter turns 2 today.  On her first B-day, I rented an open spit rotisserie and cooked a 55lb whole pig.  It was exhausting but oh so good.  We had a big crowd to feed.

Well, for #2 Bday, we're going low key but I wanted to keep the pig tradition and am doing my first overnight pork shoulder.  I remember last year staying up by myself tending to the coals.  I know it should be pretty hands-off on the BGE but I still want to be able to monitor the roast and Egg temp.  I don't have a BBQ guru or wireless thermometer (I see their utility now) but I do have an IP camera.

I just started the cook and I need the egg to go a tad higher but I can see both gauges now from the cool AC and no bugs.

Fingers crossed,
Paul
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Comments

  • Hungry Joe
    Hungry Joe Posts: 1,567
    Good luck! What size shoulder and temp are you cooking at? If things stay stable the next couple of hours you should be good to go.

    I know before I had a Guru I never slept good during an over night cook but that is just my nature.
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  • Black_Badger
    Black_Badger Posts: 1,182
    It'll be great dude, good luck and have fun.

    I'm actually using a guru for the first time ever right now. Borrowed it from a friend and will be using on a 15# packer brisket. So far it does seem to make things very easy. I want to watch it holds temp for an hour before I put the brisket on, but I'm very optimistic.

    Cheers
    B_B
    Finally back in the Badger State!

    Middleton, WI
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  • mb99zz
    mb99zz Posts: 183
    Good luck!  I've been thinking of doing the same soon.  I have my egg on my deck though, which for some reason concerns me to be all the way upstairs snoring away with a fire going.  I figure I may sleep on the couch just to make sure the house doesn't burn down.  I'm probably over thinking things (as usual).  
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  • RaleighGuy
    RaleighGuy Posts: 207
    Believe in the egg! Once the temp is set, it will hold! Don't try to go too low on the temp. The egg seems too settle in at 250.

    Eddie

    Raleigh, NC

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  • atgcpaul
    atgcpaul Posts: 29
    8.5lb bone in pork shoulder.  I did an injection marinade last night similar to the recipe I did last year for the whole pig.  Then dry rub of spices before I put it in the egg.

    I'm shooting for 250deg.  I had to do a Home Depot run and it was at 325deg when I got back.  Gauge was at 225 when I left an hour earlier.  I adjusted the vents some more to get the temp back down.  Since my experience is primarily steaks, adjusting the temp to a low setting is a new experience.
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  • Black_Badger
    Black_Badger Posts: 1,182
    You'll probably want no wider than the thickness of a nickel at the bottom vent and maybe petals half open on the top (in my experience, on my XL). Mine struggles to really seems in below 250 out so.
    Finally back in the Badger State!

    Middleton, WI
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  • Bustersdad
    Bustersdad Posts: 311
    Good luck...I'm sure it will be great
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  • atgcpaul
    atgcpaul Posts: 29
    1:50am. Went to sleep on couch with Egg at 225 and shoulder at 192.  Yeah, I was worried it would hit 200 too soon.  Buy Maverick dual probe wireless BBQ thermometer off Amazon. Set an alarm for 3am

    3:00am. Checked my Egg cam.  Egg still at 225 and pig holding steady.  Set alarm for 5am.

    4:57am.  Yeah, I have an excellent internal clock.  Egg at 150 (Oh, no!!!) and pig at 180.  Use WC and head outside.  Open up vents and start blowing/flapping air into bottom vent for several minutes.  Notice that I'm the only one awake--even the mosquitoes have gone to sleep.

    5:20am.  Egg back at 225.  Lights out and wait for wife and kids to wake me up around 7.

    As Danny Glover would say in the Leathal Weapon movies, "I'm too old for this s***!". I'm putting a BBQ Guru on my Christmas wish list.


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  • mb99zz
    mb99zz Posts: 183
    edited September 2013
    atgcpaul said:

    As Danny Glover would say in the Leathal Weapon movies, "I'm too old for this s***!". I'm putting a BBQ Guru on my Christmas wish list.



    Classic! Did you aim to have it done this early?
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  • atgcpaul
    atgcpaul Posts: 29
    7:30am. Luckily the kids stomping around upstairs woke me up. Checked the cam and Egg was still sitting at 250 and pig was at 204.  Started up the coffee maker and got outside and took it off the Egg.  It's sitting in a dish under foil.

    Party starts at noon and I'll start shredding once it's a little cooler to handle.  Crossing my fingers it's not too dry.

    No pics, didn't happen, right?

    Paul
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  • Hungry Joe
    Hungry Joe Posts: 1,567
    Looks like you pulled it off! You will love the Guru.
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  • BuckeyeBob
    BuckeyeBob Posts: 673
    I wouldn't worry about the dryness. Should be awesome and you will have a great party.
    Clarendon Hills, IL
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  • North_Is_Up
    North_Is_Up Posts: 137
    I bought my Guru for that very reason. Yes, the Egg is great, but I wanted to be able to hold 225 overnight and while at work all day. With the CyberQ Wifi, I can monitor it and adjust the temp if I need to.

    Something about piece of mind... Since you don't do many long cooks, a DigiQ DX2 is probably the best for you. One pit probe and one meat probe.

    Enjoy the terrible two's!
    Small (hatched 6/13/2015)
    XL (hatched 4/21/2012)
    CyberQ Wifi, KCBS CTC CBJ
    Northern CA
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  • atgcpaul
    atgcpaul Posts: 29
    Thanks for the words of encouragement everyone.  The pork came out great.  There was a good mix of super moist meat with yummy crunchy pieces here and there.  Nothing was inedible.  The dogs got the bones so everyone left the party happy.

    I'll look into the DX2.
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