WINTER SMOKING QUESTIONS


 
S

Scot W

New member
I have yet to smoke in the frigid Chicago temps of 15 degrees, but think I am going to take a shot this weekemd.

As I have felt my sessions have just made it, bfore the heat ran out, just wondering if any suggestions are out there?

Also wouldn't mind some suggesons of keeping heat longer?

I usualy fill the ring on my 22.5 and dump a burned down chimney on top of it. Keep te vets on the sideaou 1/2 open and the top full open.

Get about 4 1/2 hours on 225,
 
Scott in the cold, remember the oven!
Smoke abut or brisket for 6 hrs , pan or foil & finish in the oven.ribs only need bout 2 hrs smoke.
 
I am one of your neighbors to the west, Des Moines, and have done several smokes this winter. Wind seems to be the biggest factor so a wind break is one suggestion. Next, if the heat starts to drop and fuel is starting to be exhausted, add more fuel.
There is something almost mystical about a smoker puffing away in the cold and snow. So monitor the dome temps and the fuel consumption and give it a try. And if all else fails, I agree with John in that it is OK to use the oven.

Mike
 
I smoke/grill all year long and being in NW Iowa, we get plenty of cold and wind. Wind blockage is the biggest issue. I also use charcoal versus lump in that I get longer burn times. Also, I use temp probes so that I'm not taking the lid off as often. And like John said, you can use an oven to finish off. The worse part is standing around in the wind.

Last year it snowed enough I dug out a wind break for my 22.5 that lasted until April.
 
Scot, i'm 90 miles north of you, the temps you get are the temps we get.
And smokin' in the cold is easier than you think.
Your biggest concern is the wind. Find a place out of the wind (or make a windbreak) and you'll be fine.
I've smoked and grilled in temps well below zero with little noticable fuel useage.
In my opinion, a heatblanket is not required.
If it's snowing out while you're cookin', find something to block the snow from settlin' on your smoker/grill.

Actually, if it's a decent day butt cold, hangin' around the WSM while it's working is quite enjoyable.
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Good luck!
 
I'm from just south of Chicago myself and I've only had my WSM since November, but I love firin' up the smoker when it's ridiculously cold out! My best smoke to date was during the Bears v. Pats game and the wind chill was in the negative. I agree with everyone else that said wind is your biggest enemy. Just make sure it's out of the wind and you have warm socks/boots on and you'll be good to go!
 
Hey Scot, ditto what everyone else has already said. One little trick I use if it is not too windy, is to completely close the bottom vent that is facing the prevailing wind and then adjust with the other two. Sometimes, I do notice a little more fuel usage in winter, but I have been using Cowboy, which is not considered to be among the best, so I wonder if the charcoal I am using is just as much to blame as the cold. We can see the Chicago skyline from the beach at the Indiana dunes here. I'll be watching for the smoke this weekend! Good luck!!!
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Thats odd that you only get about 4 1/2 hrs @ 225 on a full ring of fuel on the 22.5 WSM.
I usually get 8-9 hrs on my 18.5 WSM @ 275-300 with a full load of RO lump and a minion start.
I know everyone's WSM runs a little different, but that doesn't add up to me even in this wonderful weather.
I would start with 1/4 or 1/2 of that lit, dump it, assemble, add meat, than let the smoker come up to your target temp.
Likewise block the wind and you should be good to go.
Stay warm!
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Tim
 
I've run my 22" in -15 degrees Fahrenheit for five hours at 250 degrees on 6 pounds of cheap briquettes, with water in the pan. No problem. No wind, though. Keep the wind away from the WSM! it's the most important factor when you want to use your WSM during winter times.

A WSM running at such temps, all vents open- almost like magic:

112086_s.jpg

Picture taken during full daylight, 3.PM
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It's dark at 4.
 
I did a 9 lb brisket last night (Jan 7). Temps in Central Iowa were around 20F with a 10-15 mph wind. I used a 3 sided wind break. Most, not all, of an 18 lb bag of K. My 22.5 wsm held between 215 and 250 for about 10 hrs. I used 2 fist sized lumps of apple for smoke. Started with 2 vents closed completely and 1 pne about 20%. I started with 2 gallons of hot water in the pan and toward the end added 1 more gallon. After a couple hours though, I changed to all 3 open anywhere from 20-50% with minor adjustments throughout the cook. The meat istself was a lower quality but it turned out pretty good and I couldn't have been more pleased with the cookers performance.
 
I'm right in Niles.. you should have no trouble. I always seem to forget how i set up the coals.. i think i do a full chimney (about 90 coals) hot in the ring and then jsut about top off the ring with cold coals. 3-4 chunks of wood.

I think a couple weeks ago i used the newer water pan and i filled it with hot water. About halfway thru i tossed in 10 or so cold coals.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Geir Widar:
I've run my 22" in -15 degrees Fahrenheit for five hours at 250 degrees on 6 pounds of cheap briquettes, with water in the pan. No problem. No wind, though. Keep the wind away from the WSM! it's the most important factor when you want to use your WSM during winter times.

A WSM running at such temps, all vents open- almost like magic:

112086_s.jpg

Picture taken during full daylight, 3.PM
icon_smile.gif
It's dark at 4. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> Can i print that pic and frame it? That looks REALLY neat!!
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