Smoke in the Garage??


 

Tom Stratton

TVWBB Member
Has anyone used the garage to smoke in?..... avoiding higher winds, cold & rainy weather. Thought about doing this on a concrete garage floor with the garage door about 25% open. This would be an overnite cook ???
 
Yes I've done it but you need to be sure you have adequate ventilation. In addition to the door, it would be wise to have another vent such as a window or another door. Probably also wise to remove any combustabiles such as gas cans, mowers, paint cans, etc - get some idea what my garage looks like
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I would also start my lit outside the garage. Finally, when I'm in the garage with the pit, I would have the door totally open with plenty of ventilation. In essence making it like a carport, which is where I do most of my cooking.

Keep in mind, I do live in Florida and maybe the situation would be different in other parts of the country.

Paul
 
If the garage is attached to the house, I wouldn't advise it. You don't want to take a chance of carbon monoxide making its way into the living area. Just ask Vitas Gerulaitis. Oops, you can't.

On the other hand, if it's a detached building, and you take Paul's advice to provide plenty of ventilation and remove the more hazardous contents (and you don't mind making the place smell like smoke)...
 
I have done it on rainy days however I leave the garage door open and set the cooker just inside the garage to keep it out of the elements. I also have a good fan that I turn on to keep things ventilated.

Woody
 
Tom, I have a two car garage and move my WSM in there for the winter whenever I use it I place right at the opening of the garage and leave the door wide open the entire smoke. I do light my chimney outside down the driveway. I also crack the side access door, however, I don't know if that does any good.

Of course use common sense, move the gas cans away, if you have any, and any combustible materials. I'm going on four years with my WSM and not had a problem cooking in the garage.
 
You know how your hands, hair and clothes smell after a good BBQ smoke? Well, multiply that by about 100 times and that's what your garage can smell like.

If you go to one of the old time BBQ establishments in Texas like Kruez Market in Lockhart or Mikeska's in Taylor, the smoke smell is permanently imbedded in those buildings. Disregarding the carbon monoxide issues (and who can live with disregarding carbon monoxide?), do you really want to park or store or whatever in a smokehouse.

I mean, I love my BBQ as much as the next guy, but there are limits.
 
If it's an attached garage, I wouldn't even think of it. I just put mine close to the garage and if the wind blows right, the whole house can get smokey. On a detached garage, use common sense and I don't see the problem. Door all the way up, of course.
 

 

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