Coldest Outdoor Temp for Smoking

[ov10fac]

OK, maybe one of those "New Guy Dumb Questions" but what is the coldest outside temp I can smoke. I am thinking about doing some cold smoked cheese and temps here are in the 20's and 30's for the next couple of weeks. So, is that going to be too cold?
Thanks.

 

[TNJAKE]

You can smoke as cold as you can handle!

 

[Smoke-Chem BBQ]

There is no hard lower temp limit, as TNJAKE already noted. Some smokers will do better at low temperatures than others, but any will use a bit more fuel than when smoking on a warmer day. Insulation, like a cheap welding blanket, thrown over the cook chamber will help.

When I smoke cheese with my WSM (no cold smoke generator), I can ONLY do it when the temperature is below 20F, and even then I can only light a couple of briquets at a time and I need to fill the water pan with snow, just to keep the chamber temp low enough to not melt the cheese. So for cheese, I look forward to cold days.

 

[thirdeye]

I am thinking about doing some cold smoked cheese and temps here are in the 20's and 30's for the next couple of weeks. So, is that going to be too cold?

I have pushed the limit of outside temps for cold smoking more than a few times. And it's usually with butter and cheese. Temps in the 20's and 30's should be fine since your smoke time is so short. Butter is more delicate, but I guess it's the fat that keeps the surface from freezing?? Worst case... you could bring your cheese inside on the counter to warm up for a couple of hours, then rotate back to the smoker.

The best tips I can offer is to start sampling after the first hour or so and adjust your smoke time (on that day) accordingly. I sample butter my melting a pat in a skillet, then dipping a piece of bread in the butter. After mellowing butter or cheese overnight and confirming the smokiness..., you can always come back the next day for a few more hours if you need to.

The second tip is to maximize your airflow. Stale smoke can make butter and cheese bitter, and it might take a week or more of mellowing to reverse that. Blocking open the lid or door is an easy fix.

 

[BigW.]

Cold is fine, just make sure you have good airflow as mentioned above.

 

[gmc2003]

Aside from what's been mentioned above. I can only add that the cheese will take on less smoke with the colder temps. So be prepared for a longer than normal smoke session, or maybe two smoking sessions. You can elevate that by adding a little heat to the smoker, but that in-itself can be a risky venture.

Chris

 

[ThePreacherMan]

OK, maybe one of those "New Guy Dumb Questions" but what is the coldest outside temp I can smoke. I am thinking about doing some cold smoked cheese and temps here are in the 20's and 30's for the next couple of weeks. So, is that going to be too cold?
Thanks.

A couple years ago we had an incredibly uncommon -20 degree weather day here in Oklahoma. Snow and ice and everything was still on the ground, it was windy and snow and I decided to smoke a rack of ribs my Traeger barely took off and I had an insulation blanket on it but surprisingly it held temp and I ate ribs in the dead of winter lol

 

[ov10fac]

Thanks everyone for all the ideas, so now I am encouraged to try a cold smoke.
OK, well, the temp Sunday is going to be in the high 40s. So I plan on doing my first cold smoke with some cheese. I plan on not using my offset, but will use a CharGriller BBQ that I have. Its a pretty tight chamber and good ventilation. So should I put the smoke tube on the same rack as the cheese or on the fire rack below the cooking rack?
Thanks.

 

[TNJAKE]

Thanks everyone for all the ideas, so now I am encouraged to try a cold smoke.
OK, well, the temp Sunday is going to be in the high 40s. So I plan on doing my first cold smoke with some cheese. I plan on not using my offset, but will use a CharGriller BBQ that I have. Its a pretty tight chamber and good ventilation. So should I put the smoke tube on the same rack as the cheese or on the fire rack below the cooking rack?
Thanks.

Smoked a little bit of cheese

Been planning a cheese smoke for a while now but the mild winter has kept me from doing it. Woke up Friday morning to this and decided the time was perfect We have been buying cheese now for a while for this smoke and managed to gather 30lbs. My mom had 10lbs for me as well but the snow...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[thirdeye]

So should I put the smoke tube on the same rack as the cheese or on the fire rack below the cooking rack?
Thanks.

I usually use my sawdust tray for cheese but my drum smoker has large enough volume to handle a pellet tube. I position it low in the drum about 10 minutes before adding cheese and can get a good look at the smoke in case I need to re-arrange anything.

Typical set-up with lid blocked open and all vents wide open.

 

[mr_whipple]

How timely of a post. I'm doing my cold smoked bacon debut later today. It was in the high 20's this morning, and looks to be somewhere around freezing later. Gonna fire up the MES and run it at 45 degrees with the Auber and my fan setup so it will draft. That's the plan anyway. Good luck with your cheese!

 

[ov10fac]

So does the smoke tube generate enough heat for cold smoking or do I need to have a fire in addition to the smoke tube? I will be using a Char Grill BBQ for the smoking, smaller that the offset so may be able to closer temp control.

 

[BigW.]

So does the smoke tube generate enough heat for cold smoking or do I need to have a fire in addition to the smoke tube? I will be using a Char Grill BBQ for the smoking, smaller that the offset so may be able to closer temp control.

No need for heat. As long as you have decent airflow so the smoke does not get stale.

 

[ov10fac]

ok, Change of plans. I just bought a used Smoke Hollow propane smoker. Thought it would be good for cold smoking, I'll check it out Friday and post some pictures.