Confessions of a overnighter failure

Grillin_G_Ma

I have had my egg for 8 years.  I have tried multiple times to do an overnight cook and actually sleep.    But it doesn't happen.  I have read all of the posts about successful overnight cooks so I know that it is possible.  I have followed the advice that I found. This past weekend, I put 2-10 pound butts on at 10:00 p.m.  I set my Maverick thermometer to alarm if the temp went below 200 or above 275.  The temp jumped all over the place and went off multiple times.  I ended up sleeping from 4:30 to 5:30 a.m. The temperature never really stabilized until 9:00 a.m. I think that I am going to have to go to turbo butts even though the one time I tried them, they seemed more fatty so I think the longer cook produces leaner barbeque.  Of course, during the night I tell myself this is my last overnight cook but I always end up trying one more time because the barbeque is so darn good!

GoooDawgs

I think it's time to get the Flame Boss...  The $$ is well worth it for you to be able to get some sleep and have peace of mind.   Give it a try!

SmokeyPitt

You should reach out to @stlcharcoal and tell him your tale of woe and he will be so moved that he will offer a generous discount on a temperature controller. 

YukonRon

I have a digiQ. Never has failed me, I have done many overnighters. It is worth it.

Spaightlabs

The secret to a successful overnight cook is alcohol.  You'll never hear the temp alert and in the morning you can deal with it.

Bottoms up.


What has your experience been in regard to holding temps in the past for other long cook but not overnight, say for ribs?  Are you able to keep the temp in the zone without farting around with the settings or are you always chasing the temp and making adjustments?

volfan1

Get the Flameboss. It is the key to successful overnight cooks IMHO.

Ragtop99

Pit controllers make sleep happen. 

Huge fluctuation in temp makes me wonder if the pit probe wasn't shielded from the direct heat.  The egg holds +/- 25* at the dome pretty well if you start with a clean egg, good charcoal load and lock it in before going to bed. 

What temp are you aiming at?  It's a lot easier to get 250* locked in than 225*.  

jtcBoynton

Where is the probe of the Maverick placed?  With two 10 pounders, there really isn't much space left for a grate level probe in a spot that is consistent (assuming a large egg).  The fluctuating temps may be more due to probe placement than to an overall heat fluctuation.  The fire may have been steady and producing a steady supply of heat, just had moving hot spots based on changing air circulation patterns.

Darby_Crenshaw

if you are using a water filled pan, ditch it.  didn't say what temp you run at, but 250 is a sweet spot for many large BGEs.  275 is still low too, and is maybe a more stable (larger) fire.

there is no need for a controller, but many folks swear by them.
you can still run into trouble with them, too, so it's always good to figure out what is wrong to begin with. 

Carolina Q

Grillin_G_Ma said:

The temperature never really stabilized until 9:00 a.m.

I think this is the key. If it's not stable before you put the meat on, you're gonna be chasing it all night long. Get it where you want it so that it doesn't change for at least 30 minutes. An hour would be better. Once that has happened, put the meat on and walk away, The temp will drop with all that cold meat. Do not adjust. If it was stable, it will come back on it's own.

Dobie

Get a controller and get some sleep. 

Lvnthedrm

Carolina Q said:

Grillin_G_Ma said:

The temperature never really stabilized until 9:00 a.m.

I think this is the key. If it's not stable before you put the meat on, you're gonna be chasing it all night long. Get it where you want it so that it doesn't change for at least 30 minutes. An hour would be better. Once that has happened, put the meat on and walk away, The temp will drop with all that cold meat. Do not adjust. If it was stable, it will come back on it's own.

This^^^^^^^^. Do not chase and give yourself a larger windows of variance when using the maverick. I used to use the maverick. I'd get the egg stable somewhere between 250-275 with a low alarm set for 160 and a high for 380. I only want to be woken when something really has gotten out of hand...a 75 degree variance just isn't worth being woken for and won't affect the overall cook. Now I don't even bother with the maverick...just get the egg stable, throw the meat on and go to bed. I'll deal with whatever I wake up to.

Focker

Along with the 275 recommendation, another must is starting the fire much sooner, like 6pm or 7pm.  It takes a while for 20lbs of cold pork to stabilize.  I like to get at minimum, 4 hrs of steady fire time, and then turn in.  Often, if I let the egg cruise at target temp a couple of hours before I put the meat on, letting the ceramic warm up, I don't have to touch a thing.

ATCs are nice, but almost overkill with egg IMO, if you run it hot enough, and give it enough time for the fire to settle in.  

RedSkip

Buy the FlameBoss.  Egg purists will say you don't need it, or learn to control your egg without.  Why?  

You just bought $30-50 worth of meat, who cares how you cook it?  As long as it's healthy and you were able to sleep, that's all that matters.  

Sanity, sleep, and happiness is all that matters.

Darby_Crenshaw

Only because it6good to understand why a stable system isnt stable 

if it is yoyoing up and down, there's something that isn't going to be 'right' whether you use a powered draft unit

those have had issues as well. Not a band aid

Chubbs

I am in the no need for a pit controller camp. In my years of egging I have never had a fire go out. One time I woke up hungover out of my mind dry mouthed and remembered I put a butt on a few hours earlier. It didn't look too good cooking at 450 haha-- forgot to make finally adjustment to bottom vent. Aside from that, if you have a stable egg before meat goes on you will have no issue if you have enough fuel. 

RedSkip

@Darby_Crenshaw I disagree.  The FB will regulate any issues with up and down temp swings.  It's a PID controller and it limits the intake volume of air.  The unit WILL solve any issues.  

Unless of of course the computer craps
out, but that's just bad luck.

Darby_Crenshaw

there are plenty of threads with controller issues

all systems need a little practice

dougcrann

This is the very reason I have a controller...and have no more trouble sleeping during an overnight cook than I normally do...but considering I average about 2.5 hours a night that ain't saying much...

dougcrann

Darby_Crenshaw said:

there are plenty of threads with controller issues

all systems need a little practice

Have never had a bit of trouble with any of my controllers...unless of course the controller was acting up...

Haters are gonna hate...

Focker

RedSkip said:

Buy the FlameBoss.  Egg purists will say you don't need it, or learn to control your egg without.  Why?  

You just bought $30-50 worth of meat, who cares how you cook it?  As long as it's healthy and you were able to sleep, that's all that matters.  

Sanity, sleep, and happiness is all that matters.

I've slept fine without one.  ATCs are far from a perfect solution.  My Guru was the biggest POS.  I look forward to drilling it at 50 yards with my Hoyt.

SmokinTiger81

I like the auber pit controller.  About $150 from auber direct.  Very accurate and no extra bells or whistles.  Keeps temp very dialed in at 225 or 250.  Whatever you want to set it on

RedSkip

@Focker Don't use a broadhead, and if you have room back up to 75 yards.  If memory serves me, the guru is a decent size...

Focker

RedSkip said:

@Focker Don't use a broadhead, and if you have room back up to 75 yards.  If memory serves me, the guru is a decent size...

Agreed, not worth a carbon steel Montec G5.  Field point for sure.  75 is a lob, but doable. Lol

RedSkip

You should watch some of Tim Wells videos, crazy what that man can do with a bow.

onedbguru

Just make sure your bottom vent is not in a area where there is direct wind blowing towards the vent.  I have never had issues and all I use is the vents and I rarely put in the thermometer until I get up in the morning.  

Grillin_G_Ma

Thanks for all of the ideas.  I might just have to try one more time...

jabam

I do not have a controller , just a maverick. I let stabilize for at least an hour. I go low, shoot for 225 to 250. You can always bump up when you wake up. When I do an overnight, I always make sure egg is clean and I put large pieces on the bottom, medium pieces, and smaller pieces on top. Worse thing I have come across is temp to low when I wake up, but i just open vents and go from there. Have never had proteins not done on time. 

Zmokin

Well, as many have suggested, a pricey electronic gadget will work and let you get your beauty sleep.  However, I would bet the TTT would work just as well.  I haven't used mine for overnighters, at least not yet, but it has held stable temps for a couple o'hours during the day for me.  I just haven't done any long cooks since getting my TTT (Tip Top Temp), but I like it's simplicity over my DigiQ which has never failed me either, but is more work to set up and requires an extension cord for the flow of electrons necessary to turn it on.

Philly35

Im in the no controller camp too. If you want a controller to monitor your temp, you might as well own a treager. 

StillH2OEgger

I have done a few overnighters and it has worked out well, but inevitably get up one time to make a minor adjustment. I expect to get a blower of some sort in the not too distant future, but also wanted to make sure I could have a successful cook without it first.