Cold Weather Cross Rib Roast

[Burly567]

Well, I guess that I'm learning a lesson in cold weather smoking.

I started a smoke at 10am, it's now 9:00pm and my roast is only at 162°F. Current outside temp is 26°F. I have the smoker wrapped in cargo blankets and holding a temp of 230°.

I was going to wrap and braise at 190° then take to 210° and shred. Now I'm hoping to get to 195° and then slice thin.

I need all the encouragement that I can get because I'm beginning to get frustrated with this.

 

[Murray]

I’d blame the roast, you have a temperature of 230F so all is good inside the smoker. I do a fair amount of smoking in winter conditions and it can be challenging.

 

[mooncusser]

At that internal temp, I'm not sure it will take on much more smoke. You can always finish it indoors in the oven. Just a thought.

It's also fine to wrap it earlier than your planned 190F target. Should make the temp climb faster.

 

[Burly567]

I’d blame the roast, you have a temperature of 230F so all is good inside the smoker. I do a fair amount of smoking in winter conditions and it can be challenging.

Thanks. It is challenging.

It was difficult at first to get a fairly static smoker temp, but once I did it's been percolating right along.

It must have hit a plateau, but now it's broken thru. It's at 180° now.

 

[Burly567]

Smoker all bundled up for the evening.

 

[eddiememphis]

At that internal temp, I'm not sure it will take on much more smoke. You can always finish it indoors in the oven. Just a thought.

It's also fine to wrap it earlier than your planned 190F target. Should make the temp climb faster.

Internal temperature has noting to do with "taking on smoke" since the smoke particulates adhere to the surface of the meat.
Smoke sticks better to a wet surface so if Burly was spritzing or basting, it may get smokier but at the expense of crispy bark.
I agree that he should finish in the oven, 11 hours outside is enough.

 

[Burly567]

Well, my smoke and shred are finished.

At 3:30am my remote thermo was still reading 190°. I thought maybe the roast pulled away from the probe! I pulled the probe and shifted it a bit to a different spot. The probe went in like I was pushing into warm butter. I think that I discovered that I have a bad probe. I have 4 more so it's no biggie.

I double wrapped in foil, then with a big ol' beach towel and let it rest for 2 hours. I then pulled it warm.

It came out great with a nice crust. It's also a bit dry, but I guess that normal for a Chucky (The Cross Rib is a form of Chuck).

Sorry that I spaced taking pics, except for the smoker all wrapped in cargo blankets. (Harbor Freight cargo blankets work well to hold in the heat and help maintain the smoker temp in cold temperatures). I just spaced it, and this morning after 2 hours sleep, I simply didn't think about it.

 

[daveomak]

Next time.... Add the smoke you will like, then finish in the oven....

 

[Burly567]

Next time.... Add the smoke you will like, then finish in the oven....

Yeah, I added 5 hrs of hickory to it, then from 180 to 210(?) I finished in a 230° oven.

 

[Winterrider]

Glad it worked out. Cold weather is a trick. Wind is more of pain in controlling temperature I think.

 

[Burly567]

Yes it is. Fortunately very little wind yesterday here.

 

[mooncusser]

Internal temperature has noting to do with "taking on smoke" since the smoke particulates adhere to the surface of the meat.

I know that's not a direct connection. The point I was trying to make (and not articulated well) was that it had probably been in the smoker long enough and could move to oven. We were on the same page.