Super Bowl Brisket in COLD Weather


 
A

AMYoung

New member
I have a 12lb brisket that I am planning on cooking early Sun AM to be ready to eat at a party starting at 5. I expect the weather to be in the mid-20's. I have never cooked in this cool weather, and looking for advice on what I might expect from the cooker, and what preventative measures I should take to maintain the constant temp I need...

What advice can you give me?
 
I've found that cold isn't really a huge problem, it's the wind that's killer. If you typically get lots of wind, I'd say try to make some kinf of windbreak, even if it's just some plywood (or something else you may have lying around the house) that is secured in place so it won't fall on the WSM. The cold temps might make it so you use a bit more charcoal, but that should be the extent of it. I smoked in the 30s last weekend and honestly noticed no real difference. There was no real wind to speak of until after my cook, and the WSM chugged along like normal. If you don't get much wind, there shouldn't be too much of a difference.
 
Chris is right, the cold won't bother your grill, just you! Wind is another thing, if there is wind move your grill around to get it out of the wind. I've done about 4 smokes each of pork butts and beef briskets in sub zero weather, and my WSM worked just fine! I don't even think it takes any extra charcoal. I filled it in the morning an it ran for about 12 hours straight, held the temp easily at about 225, and was still going when I shut it down with some charcoal still left over.
 
Is that "mid-20's" like above zero or minus 20?
JMO but if it's below zero I like to do HH cooks, easier on the cook (me) and cooker.:wsm:

Tim
 
I ran mine in -15 last weekend. Little bit of wind. I filled the box with some royal oak. No water pan. Started 1/2 of chimney.Dumped it in and build the WSM right away and slapped my brisket on. Puuuurrrred at 190 for three hrs then bumped it up to 225 for another 8hrs.
 
Todd Phillips said:
I ran mine in -15 last weekend. Little bit of wind. I filled the box with some royal oak. No water pan. Started 1/2 of chimney.Dumped it in and build the WSM right away and slapped my brisket on. Puuuurrrred at 190 for three hrs then bumped it up to 225 for another 8hrs.
Click to expand...

Curious..
You used 1/2 a chimney of lit and you either removed or didn't have water in the pan, and you were able to hold sub-boiling temps for three hrs?
Please explain and why the 190's? I've heard of 210-225 but that's a new one for me for low & slow.
Thanks

Tim
 
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