Cold Weather BBQ

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HillberryBBQ

Assistant Cook
Joined
Jan 13, 2011
Messages
6
Location
WashPa (just south of Pittsburgh)
So i got this new propane smoker for Christmas and i've only had one chance to use it so far. Mind you i'm in PA, and i think the high today is somewhere around 26 or so. Anyway tomorrow we have the Pens game followed by the Steelers game, and i'd love nothing more than to smoke a pork butt and have some nice tender, juicy, smoky pulled pork sammiches. Anyone ever do any cold weather smoking and have any tips and/or suggestions for me. I'm sure it's doable i'll just need to crank the propane a little more, Just figured i'd ask around for some tips.
 
Cant imagine too much of a problemo with it. Is the pit insulated by any chance? That should help if it is. If you have trouble keeping up the heat because of either cold wind or falling type weather a a big washtub turned upside down over the top of the cooker helps a lot..as does some type of wind screen..piece of braced up plywood etc.

bigwheel
 
Well the side of my house where i have the smoker all the wind is pretty much blocked by the house so i'm not too concerned about wind, and no it's not insulated at all. I just didn't know if i'd be fighting a losing battle trying to smoke something when it's 20 degrees outside. I'll probably go ahead and give er a try and see what happens.
 
Most of what you learn about Q and your equipment is the "trying" part and that's what makes it fun. You'll do great, even if the cook doesn't turn out as good as you would like. For sure, the next time will be better.
 
I'd say crank up the gas a little and follow what Lew said! I've never used propane, but usually you need more fuel to compensate for the colder weather in any uninsulated cooker. if you want to cook your butt at 225° just do your best to maintain that temperature. Good luck .... and go Steelers!
 
I don't use propane, but have done pork butts with outside temps as low as -20* F with no problem on the WSM. You just use more fuel.
 
Well if you got it out of the wind and it dont rain..come freezing rain or sleet you should be good to go. I've cooked in snow a few times and don't recall any major issues. Low temps in general bound to knock it down some in heat production but not enough to worry with I dont think. Keep the big washtub handy just in case. I've seen pics of Griff up in the vast expanses of the frozen North cooking on his WSM surrounded by snowbanks 10 feet high. When it Springtime in Alaska its Forty below. In the Winter it must get to only -20 below.

bigwheel
 
-36 below

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Nuff Said! !
 
Well it been cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey here in God's Country. I may move to Coasta Rikka to look for a Tica and thaw out a bit.

bigwheel
 
Smoked meat just smells and looks better when there's ice on the patio. I've got a Griff Loaf smoking and the anticipation is killing me.
Sorry, I'm a film guy so I don't have any photos.
 
3 Olives said:
Smoked meat just smells and looks better when there's ice on the patio. I've got a Griff Loaf smoking and the anticipation is killing me.
Sorry, I'm a film guy so I don't have any photos.

You are a lucky man, nothing better than a Griff Loaf on a cold night.
 
I pulled out my WSM last night and put on two 7.5lb butts a little after Midnight. The outdoor temp was approx 20 deg F. I started with the big blue bag charcoal and chunks of apple wood. I started the minion method with about 30 lit briquettes. I added boiling water to the water pan and the smoker came up to 220. Opened the vents all the way and went to bed. At about 7am the temp was 190 and dropping. I switched over to Royal Oak and this helped but I just could not get the temps over about 230. It was cold but not that cold.

What do you all think? switch to sand? Any idea of how to get a WSM over 250 deg? Sorry HillberyBBQ, not to steal time from your topic but I think we have similar issues.
 
I always start with a full chimney of lit...have the vents all the way open till the temp hits 200* (about 15-20min) then shut the bottom vents down till they are about 1/4 open. What are u using in the water/sand pan? If it's cold it will take frozen sand longer to come up to temp.
 
Well I checked with the Warden on this cold weather cooking deal. She say anybody who cooks outside when it's cold is crazy. I had to splain to her its a manly man macho testosterone type competition. Sorta like arm wrestling and jap eating contests etc. Now is that hot or warm?

bigwheel
 
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