Smoking in Winter

[davet102]

Being new to the smoking scene. Just having smoked 2 chickens, 3 sets of baby backs this summer, I am wondering how smoking goes during the winter??

I Live in Ohio, we do get snow and alot of cold.

My smoker is not the best, a vertical Brinkman. Cheap but nice one to get started with, without shelling out a lot of money. (I will definatley upgrade when the time comes)

Being a "Yankee", how do you smoke in the extreme cold and snow temps that we get around here??

Do I just have to wait till spring to start back up??

Bob

 

[donr]

Dave,

Some here have insulated their smokers with welding blankets, Reflectix radiant insulation & other things.  The reflectix isn't rated for the temps a smoker runs at, but some have had luck with it.  I was thinking of building an insulated box to go around my Charbroil electric.  Plywood with insulation to be named later, a door that opens & vents on top & bottom.  

From on Ohioan to another, enjoy your lake effect snow.

Don

 

[fourthwind]

Packing blankets work well and are available for cheap at harbor freight type places.  Get a couple of hand clamps to hold it to the smoker and your set.   A lot of us smoke during the winter.  My smokers have insulated fireboxes and 3/8 inch steel on the cook chamber.  Even with that we will put packing blankets over the top to help keep our fuel usage down.

 

[venture]

Blankets as noted.  Wind breaks.  Maybe wheels so you can roll it into the garage?  As noted, fuel usage goes way up when ambients drop.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[steamaway]

Put on your coat and man up, lol. I am in NE Indiana, 20 minutes from the Ohio line so I feel your chill. Try and choose less windy days. When I was using my cheapo char griller I wouldn't smoke if it were to windy. But a nice sunny cold day you shouldn't have much problem. If you are really serious about smoking you can get a decent electric smoker that isn't effected as much by the wind.  See example below, notice my path shoveled through the snow to the smoker. I now keep my electric on my front covered porch. 

 

[roller]

Steamaway is that live trap to catch your supper in...lol 

I live in Louisiana and do not have much trouble smoking in winter...

 

[smoke king]

Dave,

I agree with the guys above, the wind will probably be the most detrimental.....unless you are in the snow belt - then snow might be your biggest problem.  Just give it a try, learn was works and what doesn't and you might even consider taking notes.  Good luck!

 

[steamaway]

Steamaway is that live trap to catch your supper in...lol 

I live in Louisiana and do not have much trouble smoking in winter...

yep, smoked Raccoon, smoked possum, smoked squirrel. Just joking. Was for a possum living under my deck. drove my dog crazy 

 

[flash]

If you use water in your smoker, you can try using playbox sand instead. It will allow you more consistent  and higher temperature. Use a sheet of aluminum foil over the sand to catch drippings.

 

[wan2smoke]

I would be more than happy to post pictures of me grilling and smoking in shorts in January. I live in SoCal and am glad to illustrate for all of you what it is like to smoke outside during the harsh winter months here in SoCal. I do the same for cycling friends in the mid west and east as they ride indoors on their trainers for the next 4 months!

 

[flash]

I would be more than happy to post pictures of me grilling and smoking in shorts in January. I live in SoCal and am glad to illustrate for all of you what it is like to smoke outside during the harsh winter months here in SoCal. I do the same for cycling friends in the mid west and east as they ride indoors on their trainers for the next 4 months!

 You just gotta tie the smoke down to fight those winds.

 

[ecto1]

I smoke all year long to tell you the truth love to smoke in the Cold Texas winter especially when it gets in the 50's. 

 

[wan2smoke]

I smoke all year long to tell you the truth love to smoke in the Cold Texas winter especially when it gets in the 50's. 

We break out down jackets here when it gets that cold!

 

[bigeyedavid]

I just put the smoker out of the wind and cover it in a welders blanket works well.But just like grilling winter adds time to your smoking.Good luck and happy smoking. 

 

[exhaustedspark]

Move the smoker inside.

Sorry i could not help myself.  I have a big chief smoker and it is rated at 400 watt i am going to convert it tomorrow to 800 + watts tomorrow and i will probably use a blanket to wrap it to keep the heat in. However if after i smoke it i have moved it into the house and used it without smoke of course to finish it.

works for me

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Well, I'll be out in the cold this Winter too, as last year and the year before that and.....

The In-Laws got me a pop-up a couple of years ago and the JR. has a spare Salamander I use. I set my tent right outside the Garage door about the middle. I had a 20' X 20' Plastic tarp, it is now 10'X20'(split it for Winter use), I tye the tarp to the top rail of the tent on 3 sides, stretch it to the Garage door frame and snap it to this with the handy snaps I found at the Petro fuel stop.

Then I place my smoker 1/2 way to the back of the tent and to the left side of the covering. This alows me to have my smoke stack out of the tent ( the metal at that end doesn't get hot enough to hurt anything) and the salamander at the walk thru door so vapors go out to the air. I stay warm and cosy, but it looks like a Gypsy Camp.

. Oh, well. My intrest are in the BBQ , not a fashion design for the BYC smoker...

.

Have fun and...

 

[tjohnson]

Steamaway is that live trap to catch your supper in...lol 

I live in Louisiana and do not have much trouble smoking in winter...

I was thinking the same thing!!

LOL!

I use Harbor Freight moving blankets

Todd

 

[SmokinAl]

Glad I live in Florida! 

 

[johnnie walker]

We break out down jackets here when it gets that cold!

Shoot wan2smoke when it hits 50 I'm outside in a tee shirt.

Bob, the wind will kill you quicker than the cold. Figure a way to block it and keep on smokin!

 

[sprky]

I smoke year round here in Kansas. I use a propane fired smoker and that helps some. But as the others have said block the wind. I am also pondering the insulated box idea to go around my smoker. It's just in the thought stage for now, but when and if I do build 1 I'll do a post on it.