Using The WSM In Windy Conditions


 
Rusty James

Rusty James

TVWBB Emerald Member
I guess this has been asked many times already, but what is considered too windy for using the WSM without protection?

I need to smoke some meat Sunday, and the wind is supposed to reach at least 10mph. Do many of you smoke at this wind speed without a wind break?

I have a reflective screen that fits around my smoker, but the dome is still exposed.
 
That's a breeze, anything over 25 I would call windy.:)
Turn your top-vent down wind and close the bottom vents facing the wind.

Tim
 
timothy said:
That's a breeze, anything over 25 I would call windy.:)
Turn your top-vent down wind and close the bottom vents facing the wind.

Tim
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Sounds good.

I was almost embarrassed to ask the question considering the lack of trees in many places to provide a natural wind break. We have plenty of trees here, so that helps to slow the breeze down a bit. Still, 10 mph winds can create problems with temp control, so I guess I'll use the reflective wrap. I only wish it was about a foot higher. That stuff is expensive.
 
I use the air intakes that's away from the wind, and usually use a few old road signs leaning against the body to block direct wind from blowing into the intakes. Havn;t bothered to block off the whole cooker.
 
I smoke under my 2d floor deck. I hang an 8' x 8' welding blanket (folded in half) from the rafters in the shape of a square AND use 4' walls to block the wind.

The recommendations on closing upwind vents works well too.
 
Geo S said:
I use the air intakes that's away from the wind, and usually use a few old road signs leaning against the body to block direct wind from blowing into the intakes. Havn;t bothered to block off the whole cooker.
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I have four cow fence panels cut to size for the 18.5" smoker (makes a 4' x 4' square space to hang a covering from), but they are too bulky for the 14.5" WSM, so I used the 29" high reflective screen I mentioned earlier, and I was able to keep temps at or above 275° for hours on a full chimney load of briquettes (fully lit) and a full water pan. I followed Tim's advice and turned the top vent downwind.

I smoked four pounds of Jimmy Dean sausage patties, a pack of Hofmann dogs, a pack of Boar's Head knockwurst, and two packs of Johnsonville breakfast links. As for the dogs, I've never seen this brand around here before. They make the best burnt hotdog I have ever seen so far...

http://hofmannbrands.com/index.html

Here's another good brand of dogs that are new to me, too...

http://www.sahlen.com/
 
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