Smoking in the Winter


 

Tim Layhee

New member
Hey everyone! I have been following the page for a long time and just got a new 18.5 WSM and want to jump head first into smoking. The only problem being I live in Chicago and winter is in full swing. Does anyone living in cold temperatures have a hard time keeping their smoker to temp? Any tip or tricks to help the smoke go smoothly? Thanks ya'll!:wsm:
 
Chicago, COLD? <chuckle> I'm looking at -5 F this week, and there has to be people here colder than I am. I escaped from Bloomingdale almost 13 years ago.

Your big issue will be wind, not temperature. Keep the breeze off and I'd bet you have better luck. I know with my old leaky horizontal offset that a breeze in the cool weather would play havoc with it, even with a controller on it. Something as simple as a windbreak from a 4'x8' sheet of plywood to insulating wraps (sleeping bags) have been done to help with wind.
 
Trying to do high heat can be an issue but I usually don't have that much trouble with low and slow. I do tend to stick with things that don't take 12+ hours in the winter. Turkey at Thanksgiving. Standing rib roast at Christmas. Canadian bacon. Smoked nuts. This is an excellent time of year for smoked cheese. I read somewhere recently about smoked salt. May have to give that a try next time I do cheese.

I don't even have a wind screen and tend to do okay, though it probably would help.
 
Hey Welcome to the Board Tim!
The WSM can handle cold temps, as long as you can:) As pointed out wind or wind chill is the enemy this time of year, so try to set up in a somewhat sheltered place or use a wind block.
I do HH cooks alot and esp now. Just start with more lit then what was suggested.
A good starting point for beginner recipes is here. http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/cook.html
And firing up methods.http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/coldtemp.html

Tim
 
Thank you everyone. I am going to try and smoke some ribs this weekend and this helped me feel a little more confident. Cna’t wait to go through the process and post my results! Thank you all again! This is really an awesome community. ;)

SmOkE OuT!!:wsm:
 
I asked the same question almost exactly a year ago. I have found it really isn't a big deal. Especially for shorter cooks like ribs.
If I do a longer cook like a brisket,I put in some Weber charcoal. It is by no means necessary,but it does burn hotter and longer. But it also costs twice as much as Kingsford. And it certainly does NOT burn twice as long.
I don't put water in the pan,and that no doubt helps keep the temp up. When I asked this question last year I think Chris put up links to folks smoking in Alaska,and Montana. Showing thermometers with temps that would make me stay inside.
Towards the bottom this page you will see a big thermometer reading -24:eek:
http://virtualweberbullet.com/coldtemp.html

Ooops,I stand corrected. it is Canada and - yes minus 27
 
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There must be something in the lure of the WSM which attracts us “Tim’s”
Yes, the constant information about wind being the demon is absolutely true, if you can shelter from wind, life is grand! I’m still designing my collapsible windbreak for my patio in my head. It’s getting closer to the final format but, I need to sort out a few points.
 
I cooked 3 butts in my 18.5" when it was 20 degrees and 20mph winds. As others have said, block the wind and you will be OK.
 
Well, I was about to post a new thread about it being 21 degrees, but it looks like me and my 30 pounds of pork butt have nothing to complain about!

Fire in the hole.
 
0 degrees right now in NEW CANADA MAINE...got a chicken going.....can't believe how well the smoker holds heat....
 
Cold weather is no problem. Wind is the real enemy and you may burn a little more charcoal.
 
If you are worried about high heat cooks in cold weather, buy a thermoglass welder's blanket long enough to fit around your smoker and get binder clips to anchor the blanket. The blanket can withstand temperatures up to 1000 degrees F and will work. I have smoked in weather as cold as -15 F and had not problem maintaining temperatures. It will cut down on charcoal consumption on cold days also and will also act as a wind break. The only issue is when it rains, but in that cold of temperature it will be snow and you will have not issue.
 

 

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