Cold Weather Smoking?

cireksu · Oct 6, 2009

I'm going to fire up some chicken and ribs this weekend. The forcast will be 40's and 50's. I've never smoked meat in this cool of weather before always been 70's or higher. Do I need to do anything different? I have a Royal Oak Offset smoker.

Any suggestions? do anything different?

I'm worried about heat loss.

BBQ Grail · Oct 6, 2009

cireksu said:
Do I need to do anything different?

May I suggest a moving van headed to Southern California!

kickassbbq · Oct 6, 2009

Build a hotter fire!!!!
I smoke when it's 25 below here in MN. No big deal!!

UNTSIG · Oct 6, 2009

What he said!

bigabyte · Oct 6, 2009

I go out of my way to cook whenever the forecast is calling for the coldest day of the year. It can definitely be done.

pahutchens · Oct 6, 2009

Possible snow for us this weekend. I found I used a lot more charcoal and tried to be super fast when I did have to open up the smoker.
I used propane this past weekend is was about 55 out and the fatties were good.

Teleking · Oct 6, 2009

Build a bigger fire:

Tuck her in with a blanket:

cireksu · Oct 6, 2009

Didn't think about the blanket, very good idea.

When the weather is 80's 90's I have my smoker timed pretty perfectly. Just didn't want a 6 hour smoke to turn into 9 or 10 because I was losing too much heat.

I'll buy a fresh bag of lump in case.

Thanks for the suggestions.

BBQ Bandit · Oct 6, 2009

When considering a blanket... a natural wool blanket is preferred. Been trying to locate a winter horse blanket... synthetics do mellt.

Teleking · Oct 6, 2009

BBQ Bandit said:
synthetics do mellt.

Yes, yes they do:shock: The one in the pic is synthetic and got the fire a little hot one time and melted a little bit. It's what I had in the basment and I'm to cheap to buy a welding blanket.:wink:

MTHank · Oct 6, 2009

BBQ Bandit said:
synthetics do melt.

What he said!!! Don't ask me how I know but I do have a blue horizontal smoker…

Mark · Oct 6, 2009

cireksu:

I smoke all winter long without any exterior insulation. However, my equipment is sheilded from the wind. Just bveing cold doesn't matter much. Maybe I'll use a few more chunks during the course of a smoke but insulating with a flammable blanket is asking for big trouble.

Tweedle · Oct 6, 2009

I had never smoked in cooler weather either... till our first comp......... then it hit 36*! it added about 60 mins to my cooks for brisket and pork but i have very dif equipment (UDS)

bigabyte · Oct 6, 2009

MTHank said:
What he said!!! Don't ask me how I know but I do have a blue horizontal smoker…

Hmmm...I'm thinking a RED horizontal smoker would have been better.:twisted:

timzcardz · Oct 6, 2009

Don't even bother trying. It can't be done! :wink:

Well of course it can. You just will need a little more fuel and a little hotter burn.

thirdeye · Oct 6, 2009

I allow a little more time, and some things are easier to smoke in the winter. :biggrin:

For your cooker you might want to rig up a wind barrier (even some plywood will help) and consider a blanket on the firebox. If you are burning a lot of wood, pre warm it.

Teleking · Oct 6, 2009

bigabyte said:
Hmmm...I'm thinking a RED horizontal smoker would have been better.:twisted:

like that?

snoqualmiesmoker · Oct 6, 2009

If we didn't smoke in the 40-50's we would smoke one month a year! Washington weather FTW!

ddoggdapimp · Oct 6, 2009

yeah im in ohio and its cold most of the year and it has never nor will it ever stop me from eatin good Q!!!

Smokey Al Gold · Oct 6, 2009

"This is what we do"

Cold Weather Smoking?

Knows what a fatty is.

somebody shut me the fark up.

is Blowin Smoke!

Knows what a fatty is.

somebody shut me the fark up.

is one Smokin' Farker

is Blowin Smoke!

Knows what a fatty is.

Babbling Farker

is Blowin Smoke!

Full Fledged Farker

somebody shut me the fark up.

Tweedle

Guest

somebody shut me the fark up.

Babbling Farker

somebody shut me the fark up.

is Blowin Smoke!

is one Smokin' Farker

Knows what a fatty is.

is One Chatty Farker

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