Restaurants that smoke their meats for crazy amounts of time?

Cabin Fever · Aug 31, 2013

I've noticed that several of the restaurants featured on shows such as BBQ Crawl and various other bbq specials are saying that they smoke their butts and briskets anywhere from 16 to 18 and sometimes even 20+ hours. If that's true, what temp could they be cooking at? 200 or maybe 215? Or is it all just a bunch of hogwash so they can get around revealing their true cooking times and temps?

The_Kapn · Aug 31, 2013

I never believe what I hear on those shows, unless it makes sense based on my personal experience.
Not saying directly that they are lying, but I do think they "fudge" the truth and may say what they think the normal viewer wants to hear or to make them "different". 8)

TIM

sliding_billy · Aug 31, 2013

I think a lot of times it is just B.S. because the network thinks it sounds cool.

muidaq · Aug 31, 2013

Hopefully they're going by feel and not time anyway. ;-)

HeSmellsLikeSmoke · Aug 31, 2013

In my experience, the longer the smoking time most of them claim, the less smoke you can detect.

Teleking · Aug 31, 2013

My last brisket went 17 hours to get probe tender and hit temp.

Pitmaster T · Aug 31, 2013

sigh.... Joe's BBQ in Alvin... 24 hours....

Observed.... rubbed, thrown in the fridge 10 hours, smoked 6 hours, rested the remainder of time.

I myself am liking a very low and slow entry to set the ring, then roast smoke until tender, then long rest again.

FireChief · Aug 31, 2013

That's exactly it. Franklin's, Mueller, and others put their briskets at the end (coolest) of the pit, Over time they move it along. This helps it develop the smoke ring then finish up fast. I think low and slow to begin will help with the smoke ring.

Copronymous · Aug 31, 2013

I have a friend with a joint, has 2 Old Hickory units. He cooks briskets (flats only) for around 12 hours, give or take, @185*. He puts them on at 6 p.m., then pulls them after he arrives the next morning (6-ish), or whenever they're done. He gets unbelievable smoke rings and they are super juicy.

Either these super long cook times are just for effect, or they're cooking big whole packers at super low temps.

Cabin Fever · Sep 1, 2013

Copronymous said:
I have a friend with a joint, has 2 Old Hickory units. He cooks briskets (flats only) for around 12 hours, give or take, @185*. He puts them on at 6 p.m., then pulls them after he arrives the next morning (6-ish), or whenever they're done. He gets unbelievable smoke rings and they are super juicy.

Either these super long cook times are just for effect, or they're cooking big whole packers at super low temps.

I've always wanted to try smoking something at less than 200 degrees, but I've always heard horror stories about meat being in the "danger zone" for too long when cooked that low. Sure seems like quite a few bbq joints go that route though.

AZScott · Sep 1, 2013

They are lying but it sounds amazing to those who "think" they know what makes good BBQ. If they are keeping it in smoke for 20 hours I'll take a pass.

code3rrt · Sep 1, 2013

I guess I would have to wonder if they really SMOKE for that long or if it is just the total cook that lasts that long, perhaps only smoking for the first few hours.

KC

IamMadMan · Sep 1, 2013

TV Show have to get your interest for it to be a success...

The comments about cooking times are something that will catch the viewer's attention and hopefully peak their interest in the show. People will follow in hopes of getting an answer.

By the comments posted here, they have done their job catching interests...

Lastly good BBQ takes time and work, it isn't easy but it can be enjoyable. If it were easy, everybody would be doing good BBQ and these restaurants would soon cease to exist. If they have found a successful method of creating great BBQ food, one could hardly expect them to reveal their recipes and methods, especially on national TV.

Simply put they send you on an easter egg hunt for something that doesn't exist, so you keep returning trying to find another tidbit of a clue. If you had people lining up at your door to get a taste of your great BBQ making you wealthy and very popular, how willing would you be to tell everyone how to exactly replicate your food. Maybe they all wouldn't try it, but someone would try to replicate and take some business away from you..

Just my opinion here..

Hcs · Sep 1, 2013

When just starting out I overloaded the uds in the dead of the winter and it took every bit of 18 hours but boy did I learn and that has never happened again usually 12 hours at 225 for briskets and about 8 for butts

SITM BBQ · Sep 1, 2013

I can believe that they are cooking for 15 to 18 hours. When I first started cooking I would let a butt or brisket go at 225 on the BGE for 16 hours minimum. I did not foil back then and the stall would last for up to 7 hours aroun 160 it. If they are doing whole shoulder or 20 pound packers with no foiling then I can see going one hour per pound at 225. I don't understand doing this however when you can get the same results in 8 hours with slightly higher temps and foil.

YetiDave · Sep 1, 2013

It annoys the hell out of me that over here we get BBQ places advertising '18 hour smoked' pulled pork and alike. It's not had anywhere near 18 hours, in reality they've just got glorified ovens that pump in some wood pellets every so often. Cooked for 18 hours? I can believe that. 18 hours of smoke? Not a chance

bshm · Sep 1, 2013

HeSmellsLikeSmoke said:
In my experience, the longer the smoking time most of them claim, the less smoke you can detect.

I've noticed that with a couple places. One in particular there was no bark on the ribs and you couldn't even pick one up without it falling apart and the cartilage in the tips were very soft. The brisket is a pile of mush cooked till it basically disintegrates, not much smoke flavor...

It's almost like it was cooked in a pressure cooker and according to yelp it's some of the best bbq around. :laugh:

ETA: Some people like it like that though, so I don't know, to each their own I guess.

Diesel Dave · Sep 1, 2013

The only thing I have smoked for 12 hrs was a cured ham that I smoked with mulberry.
It was great!!

There were a couple Q joints in Nashville I went to that you tasted nothing but smoke.
Didn't care for the food I had there.

bshm · Sep 1, 2013

Diesel Dave said:
The only thing I have smoked for 12 hrs was a cured ham that I smoked with mulberry.
It was great!!

There were a couple Q joints in Nashville I went to that you tasted nothing but smoke.
Didn't care for the food I had there.

There are some pretty good places, I kinda like a little more smoke than some though. There are a couple guys that just have a smoker set up in a parking lot that make some pretty good stuff too, but it's definitely better when they're busy. Yes, I'm being defensive. Lol.

Diesel Dave · Sep 1, 2013

Didn't mean to be offensive.....

I just think when all you taste is smoke it's just not true Q

And yes there are some great places there.

Restaurants that smoke their meats for crazy amounts of time?

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