BRADLEY SMOKER | "Taste the Great Outdoors"

Miscellaneous Topics => General Discussions => Topic started by: Stevie Y on November 16, 2014, 09:41:00 AM

Title: cold temps outside
Post by: Stevie Y on November 16, 2014, 09:41:00 AM
I new to the Bradley Smoker. Is there anything special that I have to do to smoke in the cold weather of PA. I like it cold for smoking cheese, pepperoni and eggs for deviled eggs. I haven't used for my meats yet. I have the 4 rack digital smoker. I would like to do a pork butt and I don't want to ruin it.
Title: Re: cold temps outside
Post by: dave01 on November 16, 2014, 12:26:10 PM
I guess I would just try and keep it out of the wind and you should be ok
Title: Re: cold temps outside
Post by: dman4505 on November 16, 2014, 01:31:06 PM
Quote from: dave01 on November 16, 2014, 12:26:10 PM
I guess I would just try and keep it out of the wind and you should be ok

x2
Keep the wind off her and she'll do just fine, may take a little longer for temps to rebound
I have mine out in the garage and have used it throughout the cold winters of Iowa

Don
Title: Re: cold temps outside
Post by: cathouse willy on November 16, 2014, 01:47:39 PM
I found a roll of the metallic insulation used for hot water heater blankets and made a suit for the bradley. We don't get cold winters here but I'm sure it would help.
Title: Re: cold temps outside
Post by: waycoolcat on November 16, 2014, 01:55:25 PM
Hi Stevie Y, welcome to the forums.
   I live in central PA. During the nicer months I smoke and cook the whole time in the Bradley. When its cold and windy it gets harder to keep the temps up (especially after you open the door to rotate, glaze, whatever). That in turn makes it harder to guess when dinner will be actually served.
   What I do is pre-warm the smoker 30 degrees above my goal temp because the opening the door and the cold meat in will drop it. I also keep two bricks that I washed and wrapped in aluminum foil in the bottom. Obviously, protect it from the wind as much as possible.
   When the Bradley just can't keep up with the wind and cold, I'll finish the whole smoking time in the Bradley then bring it inside and finish it in the oven at the prescribed temp. That way I can control it and know when dinner will be ready. It took a couple of 9:00 suppers until I finally acquiesced to transferring meat to the oven.
Title: Re: cold temps outside
Post by: Stevie Y on November 16, 2014, 03:08:39 PM
Thanks guys. I did a test run in my garage and it came close after 30 minutes. But to finish off in the oven never came to me. After the smoke I guess you want to just cook it slow. Great idea! Thanks
Title: Re: cold temps outside
Post by: mevswild on November 16, 2014, 03:36:52 PM
Waycoolcat said it right
I found that battling cold temperatures through the winter last year that smoke in Bradley and finish in the oven is one way to prevent the anxiety if if things will turn out properly
The bricks and boiling water help but they just cant seem to compete with what Old Man Winter delivers up here