How does humidity affect cook times/temps?

ctbeerbq · 07-25-2007, 07:46 AM

We took a family trip to Houston last week to visit one of Mrs. Beerbq's co-workers that lives down there, and now we're seriously considering moving. The cost of living up in CT is way higher than down there, and you can get so much more house for the $$ in the Houston area. There's also a hell of a lot more BBQ joints down there than up here, and I told her if we're moving I will need a new (bigger) pit

. Maybe a Klose or Gator Pit?

Anyway, my question is about humidity and how it affects the cooking. I was outside in early afternoon down there, just watching my daughter play on the playground for ten minutes, and I was sweating like a pig!

It doesn't get like that up north very often, especially not everyday. Will the meat be naturally moist from the humidity, like I was?

Thanks for any suggestions.

River City Smokehouse · 07-25-2007, 07:51 AM

I live in MIssouri and it gets just as humid and hot here as it does in Houston, but the cost of living is even cheaper here than Houston.
Humidity in my opinion has nothing to do with the moistness of meat. I have had some pretty dry stuff in my time in the most humid parts of the country.
Finishing internal cooking temps along with internal fat has a lot to do with the moistness.

backyardchef · 07-25-2007, 07:53 AM

Sometimes a fire just won't burn right in heavy humidity and with shifts in barometric pressure. I've had some days where I was just scratching my head about why the wood wouldn't burn right and then see a storm front come in......I don't think the weather made my head itch, though....

thirdeye · 07-25-2007, 08:45 AM

Having spent time in both Texas and Missouri, your barbecue could receive additional moisture depending on how much of your sweat was dripping on the meats.

ole'e · 07-25-2007, 08:56 AM

The only problem I have had is when I had a offset and the wood seemed to take longer to catch, other than that no other problems.
Eric

Jorge · 07-25-2007, 09:20 AM

What ole'e said. preheat the wood to dry it out some.

ipls3355 · 07-25-2007, 09:31 AM

It does require 20% more beer to Q in high humidity ;)

Mo-Dave · 07-25-2007, 10:40 AM

I really haven't noticed a fire control issue with high humidity. But it does seem to give me a heaver smokiness on the meat.

Maybe because the barometric pressure, suppresses the atmospheric stratosphere, causing the smoke to lay in a closer proximity to the meat. So in accordance with Newtons Law of Gravity,the meat will absorb the smoke more readily, or not. I think I heard this on Mr Wizard, when I was a kid. ;-)
Dave

tonto1117 · 07-25-2007, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mo-Dave

I really haven't noticed a fire control issue with high humidity. But it does seem to give me a heaver smokiness on the meat.

Maybe because the barometric pressure, suppresses the atmospheric stratosphere, causing the smoke to lay in a closer proximity to the meat. So in accordance with Newtons Law of Gravity,the meat will absorb the smoke more readily, or not. I think I heard this on Mr Wizard, when I was a kid. ;-)
Dave

Ummmm.......Doc, could ya just tell me in plain English? Am I dying or what........

SmokeWatcher · 07-25-2007, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ipls3355

It does require 20% more beer to Q in high humidity ;)

Yea.....what he said!

ctbeerbq · 07-25-2007, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thirdeye

Having spent time in both Texas and Missouri, your barbecue could receive additional moisture depending on how much of your sweat was dripping on the meats.

I figure I could also reduce the amount of salt in my rub as well...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ipls3355

It does require 20% more beer to Q in high humidity ;)

I was thinking more like 30 - 40% more, at least until my body adjusts to the climate.... which I hear could take a couple of years. I may have to join the AA forum soon...

Norcoredneck · 07-26-2007, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctbeerbq

The cost of living up in CT is way higher than down there, and you can get so much more house for the $$ in the Houston area.Thanks for any suggestions.

But is the beer cheaper?

ctbeerbq · 07-26-2007, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norcoredneck

But is the beer cheaper?

I usually brew my own, but I did take a liking to Shiner Bock while I was down there, and that was priced about average...

07-25-2007, 07:46 AM	#1
ctbeerbq Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 06-19-07 Location: Katy, TX	How does humidity affect cook times/temps? We took a family trip to Houston last week to visit one of Mrs. Beerbq's co-workers that lives down there, and now we're seriously considering moving. The cost of living up in CT is way higher than down there, and you can get so much more house for the $$ in the Houston area. There's also a hell of a lot more BBQ joints down there than up here, and I told her if we're moving I will need a new (bigger) pit . Maybe a Klose or Gator Pit? Anyway, my question is about humidity and how it affects the cooking. I was outside in early afternoon down there, just watching my daughter play on the playground for ten minutes, and I was sweating like a pig! It doesn't get like that up north very often, especially not everyday. Will the meat be naturally moist from the humidity, like I was? Thanks for any suggestions. __________________ Jared - not the Subway guy Certified MOINK Baller NB Bandera UDS - beer can Brinkman Pro Series 4400 Gasser "I'd rather have a belly from drinking than a hump from working."

07-25-2007, 07:51 AM	#2
River City Smokehouse is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 09-25-05 Location: Jefferson City, Missouri	I live in MIssouri and it gets just as humid and hot here as it does in Houston, but the cost of living is even cheaper here than Houston. Humidity in my opinion has nothing to do with the moistness of meat. I have had some pretty dry stuff in my time in the most humid parts of the country. Finishing internal cooking temps along with internal fat has a lot to do with the moistness. __________________ "Please let me be the person my dog thinks I am." ~Author Unknown 8 x 18 Haulmark Trailer Fast Eddy FEC 100 Traeger Texas BBQ 075 UDS "Cool Hand Luke" 3 Weber Kettles and a Yellow Thermapen KCBS Certified BBQ Judge #8425

07-25-2007, 07:53 AM	#3
backyardchef Babbling Farker Join Date: 11-05-04 Location: New York City	Sometimes a fire just won't burn right in heavy humidity and with shifts in barometric pressure. I've had some days where I was just scratching my head about why the wood wouldn't burn right and then see a storm front come in......I don't think the weather made my head itch, though.... __________________ Matt Fletcher's Brooklyn Barbecue The Hampton Smoker Blog: http://backyardchef.blogspot.com 7' Meadow Creek reverse flow w/ a 4' grill on the nose, named Large Marge 48" Klose Backyard Chef named Wubby Willy the Wonder Grill Weber Kettle named Georgiette ECB Spider Web Collector Model Char-Griller Smokin' Pro Firebrick Supremo

07-25-2007, 08:45 AM	#4
thirdeye somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-14-06 Location: At home on the range in Wyoming	Having spent time in both Texas and Missouri, your barbecue could receive additional moisture depending on how much of your sweat was dripping on the meats. __________________ ~thirdeye~ I Play With Fire and Smoke *Barbecuist ~ Charcuterist ~ KCBS Master Judge & CTC* Big Green Eggs, Big Drum Smokers, Big Chiefs, Weber Smokey Joe "Custom Tall Boy" Oil Patch Horizontal, SnS Deluxe Kettle Visit my Cookin' Site by clicking HERE Barbecue is not rocket surgery “The problem with quotes on the Internet is that it's hard to verify their authenticity” ~ Abraham Lincoln

07-25-2007, 08:56 AM	#5
ole'e On the road to being a farker Join Date: 05-07-05 Location: Spring Hill, KS	humidity The only problem I have had is when I had a offset and the wood seemed to take longer to catch, other than that no other problems. Eric __________________ Eric Westervelt Ribs 4 U Backwoods Competitor Louisiana Gill 680 26 ft Work and Play

07-25-2007, 09:20 AM	#6
Jorge somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-23-04 Location: DFW, San AntonioTx	What ole'e said. preheat the wood to dry it out some. __________________ You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline - it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer. --Frank Zappa Keeping Valspar in BBQ, one cook at a time. Recipient of a Huggies box! Shut up, and cook!!!!

07-25-2007, 09:31 AM	#7
ipls3355 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 04-27-07 Location: Mattoon, IL	It does require 20% more beer to Q in high humidity ;) __________________ Chris Crankin out Q on my ECB since 2005 UDS born September, 2007 22" Weber Kettle 18" Weber Kettle

07-25-2007, 10:40 AM	#8
Mo-Dave Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 09-18-06 Location: Hurricane Deck Missouri	I really haven't noticed a fire control issue with high humidity. But it does seem to give me a heaver smokiness on the meat. Maybe because the barometric pressure, suppresses the atmospheric stratosphere, causing the smoke to lay in a closer proximity to the meat. So in accordance with Newtons Law of Gravity,the meat will absorb the smoke more readily, or not. I think I heard this on Mr Wizard, when I was a kid. ;-) Dave __________________ Let us have a drink and by God lets us not think about the things we ain't never going to know about.

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