WSM and cold weather cooking


 
G

Gary Michael

TVWBB Pro
I Have used the WSM many times, but usually in warm mild weather. Come winter I usually use my stick burner. A friend bought his son a WSM and lives in Denver, and asked me if he needed an insulated jacket/cover for it. I said I did not think so, as long as it wasnt anything crazy like negative temps. I know people posted from Canada, Alaska where they needed the insualted jacket for the WSM. So..all you Rocky Mountain users...whats your advice? Thanks
 
I live in Salt Lake City, and have lived in Denver as well. The climate is very similar. I used my WSM last year during some pretty cold weather on some overnight cooks. It seemed like it might have been close to single digit temps outside. I built a crude styrofoam box from a 4'X8' styrofoam sheet from home depot using duct tape to hold it together. It worked well as a wind break, and kept pretty good insulation. All the other times it wasn't colder than the 20's at night, and the WSM didn't seem to care that much. It held temps pretty good.
 
Cold will just cause you to use more fuel but the cold wind will suck the life out of your WSM. I cook on the south side of my garage in the winter. The last few years I've made an "igloo" around the WSM and kettle for more wind break and some insulation.
 
I use a welder's blanket. Admittedly, the bayshore of New Jersey is not the mountains of Denver. Worked plenty well for me. The preformed jackets look nice, but are too costly for me.

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RD,

That blanket is a genius idea! I've been looking for a simple, inexpensive, portable wind screen and I think that welder blanket is the ticket! By the way, is your blanket, or any welder blanket for that matter, rain proof or resistant? Thanks for the great idea for heat and wind help.
 
It is not rain resistant. I still need to purchase an umbrella that will mount to the railing. Every time it rains, I remind myself I need to do that. My shopping list is long.
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The blanket worked well last year. I used a couple clamps to hold it in the back. All vents are open.
 
This is what I use when it rains. It also makes a great windscreen.

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It's a "Camp Shower". $23.00 from WalMart.

The first time I used this was for an overnight cook for a friends "kick off the Summer" party at his river house on the Chesapeake Bay. Saturday (the day of the party) was supposed to be perfect weather. Friday (the night of the cook) was a driving, windy rain...all night. I couldn't haul a plywood windscreen down there and was really worried about the cook. I ran across the camp shower at WalMart and thought I'd give it a try. It worked great. Plenty of room. Compact. It's perfect IMO. It won't add any sort of insulation however but I've found wind to be more of an issue than outside temperature.
 
Well, I live in Toronto, and I've never used anything special, just the ol' WSM. As someone mentioned, the real issue is wind, not cold, cause cold just means you have to watch your fuel more closely, while wind can rip through the fuel in no time at all and make your temps crazy. I'm planning a rib cook in early December and am not planning any special tricks.

Mind you, in February when it's around 0 f, it's another story, then *I* don't want to be outside.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Don Cash:
This is what I use when it rains. It also makes a great windscreen.

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</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Don does it have a floor in it and did you stake it down. Just wonder if it would stay up on my deck?

Also Don your kind of "Hot" looking, and all this time I thought you where a male.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jeff_B:
Don does it have a floor in it and did you stake it down. Just wonder if it would stay up on my deck? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jeff, Yes it has a floor and I did stake it down. Since I use it in wind and rain I'd be worried that it would act as a sail if it wasn't locked down...taking the WSM with it. I would think it would be pretty easy to tie down on your deck however. I don't think it needs to be staked into the ground. Secure it to railings and you'd be fine.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tyler McCallum:
Hey question... does that tent come with the girl you use in the winter?? (Re: Picture) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

LOL! At least you thought she was an accessory and not actually me, like Jeff_B. If she came with the tent, at $23, that would be the deal of the century...
 
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