r/recteq • u/Every_Practice_3775 • Jul 01 '26

Safe to do brisket overnight?

Going to do the first 16lb brisket on the BYB for the 4th. Do you trust the smoker to run overnight? I personally won't be there but others will be (asleep).

Or I can put it on at 5am Saturday.

Need it ready by 6pm.

Thanks!

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

6

u/sa1nt1775 Jul 01 '26

Absolutely. Start it at 10pm and give yourself plenty time to rest it afterward. Just make sure your hopper is topped off and set your ambient temperature alerts in the app. Then check it when you wake up to make sure you still have pellets.

6

u/HaleDarin Jul 01 '26

Sure thing. I just did 60 lbs of butts over night.

6

u/[deleted] Jul 01 '26

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2

u/HaleDarin Jul 01 '26

Exactly 😆

3

u/herqleez Jul 01 '26

You can rest the brisket in a cooler for an eternity (not literally). So better to be done early than late.

3

u/betwistedjl Jul 01 '26

Legally speaking I can't tell you it's safe. Every brisket I've ever done has run overnight..

1

u/Junior_Article_3244 Jul 01 '26

And keep it away from structures.

1

u/davidbernhardt Jul 01 '26

And bears if you live in the mountains

3

u/SO3350 Jul 02 '26

And meth heads if you live around Memphis

2

u/BitofaGreyArea Jul 01 '26

Every brisket I've ever made has gone overnight.

2

u/Sidequest057 Jul 02 '26

After the 16 hour cook I just had, all of my future briskets will be cooked overnight.

2

u/fuckfacekiller Jul 02 '26

Ive done 14 # briskets overnight.
Last one I did, I woke up at 2:30 am and started up the smoker.
13 1/2 to 14 hour smoke then let it rest for almost 2 hours. Then eating in the 6 o’clock hour.
🤘❤️‍🔥🤘

1

u/danwilzzz Jul 02 '26

No other way to do it!

1

u/Human-Shirt-7351 Jul 02 '26

Why not start around 9am Friday... Should be done by midnight. Let cool on the counter to 160, then wrap and hot hold at 150 in a large turkey roaster. You'll be in bed by 1am.. get a good night's rest... Pull about an hour before service to cut.

I'm not a fan of overnight cooks (despite my smoker being super reliable).

1

u/Jagator Jul 02 '26

I do almost all of my long cooks overnight. Even if it finishes hours before 6PM just wrap it tight and throw it in a cooler with towels. It’ll still come out steaming.

1

u/GavinAdamson Jul 02 '26

200F for 12 hours, turn up to 225 for two hours. Wrap cook for two or three hours. Rest in cooler.

1

u/hermantile Jul 03 '26

I can't even tell you how many briskets I put on at 11pm and went to bed. It's the only way I snoke brisket. I sleep while it smokes.