Cold Weather Smokin' Blues

MrAdam

New member
Just got back from a trip to Las Vegas and Newport Beach, CA for some well needed (and deserved) R&R. During the two weeks we were gone, the weather here has turned not so nice, and I'm reluctant to go out in the cold (around 40F, not really that cold yet but I'm a suck) and cook. I also have a harder time controlling the temperature during the winter months. Do any of my northern brethren have any suggestions on how to keep your smoker happily plodding along at 225?
 

Nafle

New member
Hi. Last winter i made pulled pork e few times. smoked it on my BBQ. I had to watch it every hour and refill a copple of times. But regulatet it with wents. So i hope the drum will make it easyer for me this winter :) The longest turn I had was 19 hour on a big lump of meat. so I think it works. just watch them wents. :)

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MrAdam

New member
Yeah, I know what you mean. The worst part of BBQ'ing north of the 49th parallel is the -40C in the dead of winter. I'm sure it can get even nastier as far north as you are. My biggest problem in the winter is the wind, it can gust 60-80 km/h without a moment's notice.
 

Nafle

New member
We'll have to shufle us a BBQ snow pit to keep the worst wind away :) but I'm lucky that it's rare with temeratures below -20 to -25C where I live.
 

Steviez269

New member
I have smoked a few times in the extreme cold , to start the fire I use a larger amount if lit coals in the basket , at most , a half chimney ! I also on two cooks had wrapped a folded moving blanket around the outside and secured it with bungees which kept it between , 230-250 degrees at its highest . Had it running 18 hours to do a couple pork butts .
 

sheepdad

New member
I have smoked a few times in the extreme cold , to start the fire I use a larger amount if lit coals in the basket , at most , a half chimney ! I also on two cooks had wrapped a folded moving blanket around the outside and secured it with bungees which kept it between , 230-2egrees at its highest . Had it running 18 hours to do a couple pork butts .

I like that idea stevie z... I'm gonna get one soon.
 
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Big Poppa

Administrator
OK be very careful with blankets get a welding blanket and one that is fire proof. Moving blankets are not good with high heat.

We put both temp controls near each other because it doesnt affect the cook and you can steer the drum out of the wind....

Ahhh Newport Beach That is where I grew up.

You guys with that kind of cold are true die hards....hats off to you.
 

MrAdam

New member
I'm only here because I grew up here. I'd love to move somewhere like Newport Beach. One thing they're lacking is BBQ restaurants... Maybe that'll be my key to immigrating to the US... :p

I'm going to try building a pit around the drum with snow like Nafie suggested. That should shelter it from most of the wind. I'm thinking maybe a stoker would be a good thing to have as well, but I'm waiting until BBQ Guru builds an adapter for the EDS before I buy one.
 

MrAdam

New member
One problem I noticed during my last cook is that if I don't flip my meat, the bottom comes out much darker than the top. The outside temperature was about 10°F, and it was quite windy. I'm thinking that perhaps I need a silicone jacket for the drum, but would rather have a less expensive solution. Maybe fire blankets?

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2
 

scooter

Moderator
Staff member
Meat should be rotated and flipped on most cookers to promote even cooking. Even with a heat difflector I flip and rotate everything on the drum halfway through the cook.
 

Nafle

New member
Ok :) I never done that. But still i'm a noobie on lo & slow. And noobie on smokers to, only smoked on my 22,5" Weber before. Ill try turn on my drum when it arrives.
 
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