12 lb. packer cuts

Don't know what time ya'll eat,or what temps you cook at,or how much trimming you do,but are you sure you are allowing enough time?

Just a thought.

Thought to leave it untrimmed and cook at about 235. The alternative, I suppose, is to start it about midnight at lower temperature then raise it in the A.M. I would like to have it ready by about 6 P.M. What do you think Tom?

You could get it done,and there are tricks to speed the cooking.

Some folks like to figure 1.5 hrs/lb,and that leaves time for door opening,resting,etc.

Sometimes there are good results,and sometimes not.

Like Smokin' always says,leave plenty of time in the schedule.

You can always hold in a well insulated cooler for three or four hrs.

Setting a couple hrs, seems to help the finished product,anyway.

I have been taught that the more time in the plateau,the better it renders,and the better the breakdown of collagen.

We like to cook at lower temps,and then kick it up in the mornings.

Now, there are excellent comp cooks that cook them much faster.

I like to let the CS finish them all the way,just like I put them in.

If you see you are not going to finish,when you get over 160�,you can wrap tightly in double foil and crank the heat up to your CS max.

That will move it ahead,alot.

If it still is running behind,you can place it in your preheated oven at 325�,and it will finish quickly.

It may also finish ,just like you are planning.

I bought a 15.5 pounder a few wks ago and cut the point off to fit the shelves plus I thought I would leave the point in longer for burnt ends. I started at 6am like you for 6pm dinner. I was only monitering the flat. It really zoomed up to 160 deg in like 3.5 hours but then hung there in the plateau for 4 hrs! Pulled it at 195 after 10 hrs and foiled it in the cooler 2hrs until dinner. I was cooking at 225.

I guess my 12 pound cut was different? It took 22 hours for me to smoke. I had the temp set for 225 degrees, hung in the plateau forever!!

If your planning only an hour per pound you will probably have to wrap it in foil as suggested in order to make it to the table for dinner.

Let us know how it turns out!!!

dan

I like 190' for 24 hours put it on, when you want to eat it the next day. It is easier to slow it down and keep it warm, than speed it up.
If it is done in 20 hrs turn it off and leave it in til serving time it will stay plenty hot.
I just put a towel over the vent. I do fat side down on long cooks.
And you can sleep thru most of the cooking part and wont have any door openings either.

Tom,

You mentioned starting at a lower temp at night and then going up in the AM. What settng do you use during the night? And, understanding all the potential variables, do you have any rule of thumb for how much additional daytime cooking the technique might save, on a big packer for example?

Thanks,

Hook

Many folks do this for a couple of reasons.

On traditional woodburners,you may be wanting to enhance smokering.

At temps down around 170�-180�,your fire may not be as efficient and you may lay on more smoke.

Like Kingfish says,for timing and sleep.

There are also real fine cooks that will finish the same size packer in 8-9 hrs.

I may put it on at 9PM,when I am alert enough to function, and it will be in the plateau around 160�-165�,about 5- 6 AM.

I can then kick my temps up,manage the cook,in the morning.

My practice schedule and comp schedule are pretty close.

We like 15 lb choice packers,in the cryovac,and then trimmed some.

Depending on an assortment of variables,they seem to take about 65-70 mins/lb trimmed weight to finish.

Depending on how they are doing,on my schedule,dictates how high I might kick the heat.

We also like to get them off the heat,at least three hrs ahead of slicing.

Well wrapped and insulated,they may hold 6-7 hrs.

This certainly isn't the only way to time and cook,just one way that works for my schedule.

Hope this helps a little.

Ok - Here is the tale of the tape. I rubbed the brisket and let it set in the frig for about five hours. I put it into the smoker at 11:20 P.M. Friday nite at 185 degrees with about five ounces of hickory and three of apple. At 7:15 in the AM, I kicked the temperature up to 225 and it smoked all day until 5:00. The probe read 192 and I checked it in several places. I wrapped it and held it in a warm oven for about an hour while I fixed the rest of the meal. The meat was very tender but it held together quite well for slicing. I cut off the deckle, reseasoned it, and put it back in the smoker for three hours at 235 with two ounces of hickory. Made great burnt ends when I finally pulled it later in the evening. I planned on having the ends for lunch today but my kids found them and beat me to it while I was at church.

Glad you were pleased.

It is a lot about the cook,and managing.

Glad it turned out like you wanted,
185' goes a long way when the door is not opened for 8 hours, and the sleeping is the best part.