smoking blanket

[what4]

Hi i have a Cabela's pellet smoker I purchased earlier this summer. Thanksgiving is next week and I live in Virginia. Temperatures have been in the mid 40s during the day.. into the 20s at night. I want to try smoking my turkey this year and have a feeling the grill will be challenged in this cold weather. Cabelas grills are made by camp chef and camp chef sells these insulating fiber glass blankets that sit on top of the grill.
https://www.campchef.com/smokers-gr...essories/accessories/smokepro-24-blanket.html

I'm thinking about buying one for this occasion but was just wondering if anybody else has used something similar and could give me some feedback (I think Traeger sells something like this too). Do you think it's worth it? I have only read one review and the person using it noted that the grill ran about 25 degrees higher than expected. This is kind of odd to me because I thought the grills are controlled via temperature feedback.

Thanks

 

[uncle eddie]

Although I do not have your particular type of smoker, I do have some experience with an old Brinkman electric bullet smoker that has since died and gone to smoker heaven. In Missouri, we have similarly cold weather and I used a wind-break (refrigerator box) and an old welders blanket over the top. It warmed up the smoker nicely on those cold bitter windy winter days and from what I saw in your link, I believe it would certainly help if you do have temp issues.

 

[what4]

Although I do not have your particular type of smoker, I do have some experience with an old Brinkman electric bullet smoker that has since died and gone to smoker heaven. In Missouri, we have similarly cold weather and I used a wind-break (refrigerator box) and an old welders blanket over the top. It warmed up the smoker nicely on those cold bitter windy winter days and from what I saw in your link, I believe it would certainly help if you do have temp issues.

Thanks Eddie. I will go with one then. Can't wait to smoke this turkey up!

 

[what4]

actually i just might buy a welders blanket. just googled the cost of one. $17 versus $99. haha.

 

[GaryHibbert]

$100 seems a little pricey to me. Check out the cost of a welding blanket and then you can decide if the lower cost will justify your time spent alterating it to fit. Either choice should help. It shouldn't make your smoker run above the set temp but it will help hold a steadier temp.
Gary

 

[cmayna]

You might consider going to your local hardware store and see if they carry Reflectix or something similar. This is what I got at our local Home Depot. Works like a champ.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Reflect...-Insulation-with-Staple-Tab-ST16025/100012574

 

[GaryHibbert]

You might consider going to your local hardware store and see if they carry Reflectix or something similar. This is what I got at our local Home Depot. Works like a champ.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Reflect...-Insulation-with-Staple-Tab-ST16025/100012574

Interesting Craig. Any thoughts on how to sttach it to my MES 30?? I'd only eant to leave it on in winter
Gary

 

[cmayna]

Here's a couple shots of the wrap applied to my Masterbuilt propane smoker which I seem to use more often cheese & lox smoking as compared to hot smoking. I double wrapped everything. It's not really taped to the smoker at all. Mainly held in place with help of the arm slits, and the Velcro straps above and below the door handle etc. Think it would work on an MES very nicely. Might do this to my MES40 using the extra wrap I have out in my shop.

What4, let's see some pics of your smoker. Maybe then we can get a better idea of what might need to be done.

 

[mneeley490]

Looks great Goat, but is that on the outside of an already insulated smoker? A pellet smoker is going to have much hotter temperatures on the exterior. I use a welders blanket that I bought years ago at Harbor Freight for about $10.

 

[cmayna]

Good point. Maybe a welder blanket and then the reflectix on the outside?

 

[what4]

That looks great Goat! Here is a picture of my smoker
http://www.cabelas.com/product/home...as-pellet-grill-w-window/2473858.uts?slotId=1

I like the idea of welder's blanket + reflectix. It would probably add up cheaper than the camp chef cover. The Camp chef cover uses magnets for attachment (i think they are sewn into the cover), but some one did mention that high temperatures effected the magnets in a review. I'll have to get on this quick with Thanksgiving right around the corner.

 

[what4]

late update, but year 2 - took Goat's idea above this year for the pellet smoker. Coldest Thanksgiving in years. Last year I did try a folded welder's blanket with some aluminum foil in between layers draped over the smoker. It worked ok - better than bare. I smoked a pork butt 2 days ago using the same cover (mid 40s outside) and it seemed like it took maybe 45-60 minutes to eventually hit an internal grill temperature of 225F. After cobbling together the cover below, I just fired up the grill to smoke a turkey today and literally after the initial startup period, it only took like 5-10 minutes or so to hit 225F. :D success! A belated thanks to Goat for the idea!

 

[cmayna]

Nice setup. Glad the reflectix helped. Going to be using it again this next week when I smoke some almonds.

 

[hammick]

Would the Reflectrix hold up to high temps? Say 550 plus degrees?

 

[Winterrider]

Cmayna, would like to thank you for your advise on the Reflectix insulation idea. Made a 3 sided plus top, cover for my MES 40" Gen 2 ( which needs all help possible) . Easily removable. Sure does help . Am trying to smoke at 10 degree.
Also thank Tallbm for the Auber PID rewire. I am able to easily maintain 230 degrees. It is set it and forget it now. Happy Smoker...

 

[what4]

i think it would survive 550 degrees - at least the foil part. the reflectix has a bubble wrap layer on the inside i think. that's made of plastic and would likely melt i'm guessing but i'm not sure. it kind of deformed in mine at 350 (the interior that is) but the general shape of the foil was fine and the reflective property of the foil still worked fine.

 

[Ness]

Looks great Goat, but is that on the outside of an already insulated smoker? A pellet smoker is going to have much hotter temperatures on the exterior. I use a welders blanket that I bought years ago at Harbor Freight for about $10.

I've just started looking into insulating my grill. I don't have a smoker, per se, but a BBQ grill that I use to grill steaks and also slow cook meats like brisket. Would a welders blanket work on that kind of grill or would it get too hot for it? I've looked on several different forums and read reviews of folks who've bought welders blanket for their smokers and haven't been able to find an answer.

Any help is appreciated and I thank you in advance for your time.

 

[what4]

I've just started looking into insulating my grill. I don't have a smoker, per se, but a BBQ grill that I use to grill steaks and also slow cook meats like brisket. Would a welders blanket work on that kind of grill or would it get too hot for it? I've looked on several different forums and read reviews of folks who've bought welders blanket for their smokers and haven't been able to find an answer.

Any help is appreciated and I thank you in advance for your time.

I did a quick search and from what i can tell, flame retardant fiberglass has a working temperature of 1000F. I would guess that as long as you're under this temperature cooking your meats, you will be fine!