Smoking in Freezing Temperatures?

[candelbc]

Anyone use their smoker in temperatures below or at freezing? I have a few times, but was wondering if anyone had any hints that they have learned over time?

-Brad

 

[Uncle Bob]

Well we certainly don't have the extreme cold here as you do in WI...
But I have smoked in very cold temps...Just use your smoker's temp guage and keep it at the omptimum temp for what you are trying to do. This will mean maybe more charcoal/wood/etc to maintain the inside temp as the outside temp and wind can have a dramtic effect. Hope this helps!

 

[candelbc]

I am curious what you might think about adding another heat source just to keep the temp a little higher.. Like maybe adding an electric heat plate and a plate of sand just to add a little more constant heat..

THoughts?

-Brad

 

[Uncle Bob]

What is your current heat souce???

Adding another souce sounds risky to your personal safety...Especially if it is electrical!!! I personally would not "go there"

 

[jminion]

It depends on the cooker to what you would do. Keeping the cooker out of the winds helps no matter the cooker.

If it is a offset a packing or welding blanket over the horizonal helps a lot.

Vertical cookers like a WSM a water heater insulation works well. I cook on a WSM in freezing weather often without much trouble, again wind is real problem.

Insulated cookers like FEC pellet cookers, Stomps, Backwood or Spicewine smokers would be fine in freezing weather.

Jim

 

[TATTRAT]

So long as the coals/woods/whatever is going at a good rate, just keep your eye on the temp. The outside temp should have very little to do with the internal temp once things are going. Just moderate the temp accordingly. As for a secondary heat source, I wouldn't. If you have to throw a little more fuel on, no biggie.

 

[candelbc]

I have a Charcoal Smoker with an offset firebox.. Nothing too fancy, but works great for what I need..

Great idea on the Welding Blanket.. I might look into that..

-Brad

 

[HWooldridge]

It doesn't get extremely cold here so this may not apply to your situation. I smoke a lot of sausage in the winter and hang it in the garage overnight after stuffing so it can dry but freezing would be detrimental to what I make. Since I'm not hot smoking, I build the fire in the smoker and get it going before moving the sausage. If the weather is quite cold, I simply add more wood and regulate accordingly. The welder blanket is a good idea - or build a smokehouse if you have the room/need.

 

[JohnL]

I used an aluminum backed fiberglass duct wrap on my ecb (el cheapo brinkmann) and it works well in cold weather. Still have to keep it out of a direct breeze though.

 

[candelbc]

At some point I will build my own smoke house, but for the winter I will continue to use my CharGriller.

Most people in this area give up grilling and smoking this time of the year. NOT ME!?!

-Brad

 

[kitchenelf]

I have a friend that said she put quilts all over hers when hers wouldn't not come up to temp due to the "chill" in the air. I can't say I'd recommend this without having first tried it myself - BUT she said she did it.

Is there such a thing as a fire-proof type "blanket" - maybe from the hardware store?

 

[jminion]

=
Is there such a thing as a fire-proof type "blanket" - maybe from the hardware store?

Welding and packing blankets are used.

 

[candelbc]

Packing blankets, like "moving" blankets?

-Brad

 

[kitchenelf]

Yes, like moving blankets. Actually, that's what my friend used versus quilts. I asked her and she said quilts then upon further questioning she said they were packing blankets which can also be called packing quilts around here.

 

[candelbc]

I have a few of those... I might have to give it a try...

-Brad

 

[StirBlue]

you are almost as desperate as the one who was craving charcoal!

 

[TATTRAT]

Well sounds like I should use U-haul for my next smoking experience, lol.

 

[candelbc]

you are almost as desperate as the one who was craving charcoal!

Definitely NOT..

I just hate to take off a couple of months of Smoking just on account of the cold. Not that Wisconsin has any cold!

-Brad

 

[StirBlue]

Definitely NOT..

I just hate to take off a couple of months of Smoking just on account of the cold. Not that Wisconsin has any cold!

-Brad

If you can find a metal drum type barrel, cut out a third of the side (large enough to set your smoker inside on the bottom of the barrel leaving the top open. That should cut down on the blizzard ruining your dinner. Our park district has these type of barrels and yours may too. They could probably tell you where to get one. Sears sell small grinding tools that will cut through the barrel. A neighbor did something like this; I know because he borrowed our grinder.

The neighbor across the street used to cook outside all winter. Could see his flames from the overpass on the highway. Since he remodeled his house, the smoker is no more.

 

[candelbc]

My smoke would definitely not fit in any barrel. It is a barrel in fact..