Learned something about my grill/smoker rig today...

[AllenOK]

I fired up my smoker to cook up venison. We had a cold front move through around 11 am, which produced gusty winds out of the north. Well, I found out that while the wind wasn't cold, it was moving around 15 mph, and acted just like wind chill. I had a good fire, lots of fuel, but couldn't get the temp above 175 degrees F for over an hour. I moved my rig closer the house, to get it out of the brunt of the wind. Within 20 minutes the temp was up to 250 degrees F. I've been able to maintain an average of 225 degrees F for four hours, since I moved it out of the wind.

 

[Andy M.]

I've noticed the same thing with my gas grill. The wind has an impact, especially in February, when it's below freezing.

 

[justplainbill]

Don't know what your ambient temperature was but my experience has been that wind fans my 'flames' and makes for a hotter fire. Maybe you would not have to had moved your rig if you had opened your botom damper more?

 

[beerco]

Back when I was cooking with an electric ECB I had to build a shed around it to keep the temp up in cold months.

To make the shed I looked for that foil backed foam but couldn't find it so I figured I'd just try the regular foam panels and just be careful. That worked fine until whatever it was I was cooking dripped onto the smoke box and flaired up...the flair up melted a panel which started a bit of a chain reaction.... Anyhow I had to build another shed out of panneling to allow the cook to continue. No homes were lost etc.

That's another nicety about the egg. I did a brisket the other day and it got down into the 40's over night. My kid woke me up at 4:00am (just because he's mean) so I checked and it was rock solid at 250.

 

[AllenOK]

justplainbill, I did think of that. I turned my grill around so the intake was pointing north (where the wind was coming from), and had the intake wide open. It was like that for an hour, and never came up above 175 degrees F. The exhaust was wide open as well. Ambient air temp hit the upper 60's by the time I fired up my rig, but slowly dropped all day as that wind blew in cooler, drier air.

beerco, I hear you on the "shed" idea. When I first started smoking/grilling with this rig, up in Michigan, I kept it on the south side of the house, out of the prevailing north winds. At the rent house in Tulsa, earlier this year, I kept it close to the house, but the privacy fencing, and the small size of the yard, kept the stronger winds away from it. As I was firing my rig up yesterday, I even thought about wheeling it around to the south side of the house, as I have a very sheltered area there. However, I don't have a quick way in or out of the house there, as my wife has the only key to the back door, and she was out-and-about yesterday. So, it seems like close to the front door, sort-of sheltered, is the way to go, as it's close to a door, and the kitchen, and I can see the grill from where I normally sit while I'm using my laptop.

 

[jpmcgrew]

I sometimes have problems with my Weber Q gas grill when its really windy it blows out all the flames.Its sheltered under the porch in a corner where the house and the side of the porch which has a wall about 4 feet tall.I hate when it happens but have yet to find a solution.

 

[BBQ'd Dude]

I do the same as beerco. Darn wind stealing my heat . Made a three sided plywood shelter with hinges so it can be collapsed. I use it in Ohio during the winter months when it is windy outside.

Take care,

Brian

 

[bananabob]

I do the same as beerco. Darn wind stealing my heat . Made a three sided plywood shelter with hinges so it can be collapsed. I use it in Ohio during the winter months when it is windy outside.

Take care,

Brian

just dont burn the house down