Offset smoker in cooler temperatures

[AmericanHunter]

it is starting to cool off across the Midwest with temperatures dropping into the 30s at night and only reaching the low 50s during the day. My question is, as a novice, does any body have any tips for using a offset during temperatures such as this. I imagine maintaining heat will be a completely different animal as opposed to smoking when it's the middle of summer. Thanks!

 

[motocrash]

What smoker you running?

 

[AmericanHunter]

It's a cheap Char-Griller brand for the time being. The plan is to hopefully have a Lang by next summer.

 

[motocrash]

It's a cheap Char-Griller brand for the time being. The plan is to hopefully have a Lang by next summer.

Intake vents wider open=more fuel usage obviously.Can always blanket it to help.4x6 welding blankets are like $20,fold in half and drape over top of CC.

 

[pops6927]

Also, building a windbreaker does help also, position it between your smoker and the wind direction. An L-shape works well, just something to keep the direct wind off it will help. Add a couple legs to weigh down with some cement blocks or sand bags so it doesn't tip over should the wind change.

 

[hardcookin]

You will just burn more wood. But you should do fine.

 

[bluewhisper]

Yes, wind is more of a problem than cold. When in doubt, stoke. You can run an open flame in the firebox and have plenty of heat.

 

[Mrdrh99]

Hey, here is my reply to another post, but I think it would be relevant here also. I'm in Omaha, we topped out at 44 today, but I kept a nice hot smoker going for 5 hours and 2 full racks of baby backs today.

Hey, I have a cheapo from home Depot, similar to yours. I keep my door wedged open about an inch with the vent open. I always start with a full hot chimney of briquettes, on top of a nice pile of lump, just to get everything heated up. After about 30 min I'm usually pushing 325-350.... Them come the logs. I have it sealed up pretty good but find that once it's nice and hot it's a lot easier to keep a 225-250 with little effort

 

[smokingwxman]

This is a big problem I have living in central Nebraska. My offset requires a lot of attention in order to maintain the temp and between using quite a bit more wood and sitting out in the cold garage I just don't find myself smoking much once the temp starts to dip.

 

[louj]

Winter is here in Calgary and I have an offset smoker. today, I ordered a Thermoworks thermometer with a separate monitor. This guy has two prongs, one for the grill/smoker temp and the other for the meat. I set the temp and walk away . I can monitor everything on the second monitor I hold on to, and can monitor up to 300 ft. away.. I can stay in the house babysitting all, and be warm....

 

[bigsyd]

This past Saturday, I started a cook around midnight using my Horizon 16 offset smoker. I was smoking a 10 pound Brisket at around 275F in 30F weather. Usually, I have to replace a mini-log every 45 minutes or so. However, on this night, I ended up using 1 mini log on top of 2 chimneys of lump charcoal for 4+ hours. Also, I used a charcoal basket which I filled about halfway as a bed for the 2 chimneys of lit lump and the log.

Any ideas why I was able to go 4 hours with one log? Is it because of the minion method using a charcoal basket half full. Or could it be the log was just that big and thick?

I was very surprised to see the fire maintain that long in such cold temps.