Cold weather smokin'

Greetings, list. Long time lurker, first time posting.

With Christmas fast approaching, it's a safe bet that I'll be getting a WSM from SWMBO as a Xmas present, rather than the VW Westfalia camper that was the only other item on list (the fact that the Westy's been on the list for five years running is irrelevent, or so I'm told). I've researched and accumulated some recipies and techniques, and know what the first meal is going to be.

And therein lies the problem. Living, as I do, in the nether reaches of the Western portion of NY State, real BBQ weather won't be here for, gosh, another five months. I simply can't see my new WSM sitting in the garage, assembled but unused, from December till late April . You experienced folks wouldn't tolerate it, right?

So, if there's anyone here that has some modicum of success with cold-weather smokin', I'd really like to hear about it. What were you smokin'? Was it necessary to add more charcoal more often to keep the smoker temp where it needed to be? Did you wind up smoking in the garage (beside the Macanudos )?

Thank you. Great list, hope to learn a lot.

Alan

Welcome Alan!!

I think Chris has a section at the site here about cold-weather smoking.

All 15 of my years' smoking have been done in the Upper Midwest. You are fortunate to have the venerable WSM to work with. It will hold and retain heat even in unseemly conditions. I have cooked in weather so cold, that my Polders have completely iced over and stopped functioning!

Here are a few pointers..........

The enemy in the Winter months is more the wind than the temp. For that reason, you must protect against the wind. You can do that in a variety of ways.....wrap a welders blanket, moving blanket, water-heater insulation, etc around the smoker. I did that for years. Now, I have the space to set the smoker in the garage. Just inside the overhead door, out of the wind. KEEP THE DOOR OPEN!!! This is much easier!

When you go to light the charcoal, if you use the Minion method, use a FULL CHIMNEY of lit briquettes. Then let the smoker come to temp and add your meat at that point(I usually add my meats when I add the lit briquettes).

Another thing you can do is to eliminate water in the water pan. This may NOT be needed, but if you cannot get to temp, this is a solution. Remember, the water pan's function is to help regulate the heat, if you have no heat to regulate, you don't need a water pan.

Other than these 2 things, you should cook exactly how you would under warmer conditions.

Hope this helps! Keep us posted!

Stogie

Just a couple of pointers to website topics related to Stogie's post:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>


<LI>Cold Weather Cooking on the WSM

<LI>Firing up the WSM & Minion Method info

[/list]


Regards,
Chris


[This message has been edited by Chris Allingham (edited 12-07-2000).]

Stogie - Notes taken...thank you for the advise. Keep ya posted.

Chris - Thank you too. Missed the cold weather section of the site the first couple go-rounds.

Alan
Can't wait to Q...