Cooking something "overnight"

[pacanis]

If you were following a multi step/multi-day recipe and the first step said to cook something "overnight", how long would you cook it for?

Obviously there is room to move one way or the other, but generally speaking, are they expecting you to start it after supper or right before you go to bed? Are they expecting you to sleep the normal eight hours?
Overnight. Are you kidding me?

 

[Alix]

Well that would irritate me. I'm not sure what I'd do...8 hours?

 

[Andy M.]

Is it something that would be easily overcooked if you did 10 or 12 hours instead of 8?

 

[pacanis]

It is irrating, Alix. It's so vague.

I'm pretty sure it would not be overcooked, Andy. I'm basically slow cooking it in the oven. Lots of room to go one way or the other.

And I realize I could simply cook it until it's done, but I'm curious if there's a rule of thumb for cooking something overnight. Maybe it's like brining something overnight.

 

[Andy M.]

I'd say with a direction as imprecise as that you've got major leeway.

 

[Dawgluver]

Just what is the something you're cooking, Pac?

 

[Zhizara]

If you were following a multi step/multi-day recipe and the first step said to cook something "overnight", how long would you cook it for?

Obviously there is room to move one way or the other, but generally speaking, are they expecting you to start it after supper or right before you go to bed? Are they expecting you to sleep the normal eight hours?
Overnight. Are you kidding me?

I'd load and set my crockpot for low 8 hours at bedtime. Mine has a keep warm feature that it goes to after the time's up. It would be ready to start the next step in the morning.

I'm going to be starting a several day multi-step crockpot project, so it's possible I might need to do this. Mostly though, I just let it cool a little and refrigerate overnight, continuing my dish in the morning.

Since it would have a little while to come up to temperature, I'd have time to drink some coffee and prepare the next step of the cooking.

 

[pacanis]

Just what is the something you're cooking, Pac?

A piece of meat.

I was re-reading the recipe and after I cook the meat overnight, I shred it and let it marinate overnight... What is it supposed to be doing the other 12-18 hours inbetween?
Goofy recipe

I guess the whole gist of it is to slowly prepare the dish. And let the meat cool from one step to the next. I'm just not that familiar with doing things, like brining or marinating, overnight. It's hard for me to grasp this term and correlate it to actual cooking time. Other than I've got a lot of room for play.

 

[Zhizara]

I agree, Pac. I haven't had to cook "overnight" unless it was the last time a made a holiday dinner.

I like letting my dish rest in the refrigerator between steps. The flavor changes, and I like knowing what I'm working with before adding things.

I really enjoy taking my time to enjoy the process.

 

[Timothy]

I'd load and set my crockpot for low 8 hours at bedtime. Mine has a keep warm feature that it goes to after the time's up. It would be ready to start the next step in the morning.

+1