It's snowing like crazy outside but I need to get my brisket started!! No cover is available except for the overhang of my grill. Any suggestions out there for rigging up a solution?
Not very happy at the moment.
BB
Run the temp up to max. Use hot water in the water tray. Preheat to 260 if you can get there. If you have some ply wood, old doors card board or other heavy duty wind blocking/insulating type material, surround the BS as best as possible. Old moving blankets work great for a nice BS Snugglie. Some folks have used a plastic storage shed that is large enough to hold the whole unit as a nice little smoke house cover.
If that is not doable:
Smoke it at what ever temperature you can get, even a cold smoke if necessary. Try to stay out of the 100 to 140 deg area and either go below or above that. Below, a cold smoke should not be a problem. ;)
After the 4 hours or less of smoke is applied, put your brisket in a foil pan or a roasting pan and bring it into the house and use the house oven at 210 deg till you reach your desired internal meat temperature is, I usually go for 185 deg. Versatility to the elements is what makes the Bradley type of smoking great. The BS is mearly an oven after 4 hours (or less).
Try to build something that at the least covers (but doesn't cover up) the vent. I once did 20 pounds of butt in what I would consider a blizzard with no protection to the Bradley. Took a little longer than usual because of the wind but the Bradley got it done. Sometimes, I'll take two small 2x4"s and put them on either side of the vent and then place an old coffee can or the like on the 2x4"s to try and keep snow and moisture from getting into the vent.
SD
For now the best thing that you can do is to temporarily shield it. Do you have a garage that you can move it to?
Here was my permanent solution.
(http://thumb6.webshots.net/t/16/17/9/3/58/227590358EcKKBc_th.jpg)
(http://thumb6.webshots.net/t/14/14/9/7/2/227590702aTgtKs_th.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/car54/smokeS.png)
Brad
Duck,
The vent suggestion is a good one. I have a vent coupler from an old hot water heater that I set on top of my BS vent when it is windy to keep the wind from sucking all the smoke and hot air out.
Another area to shield from the wind is the intake vents on the puck generator. Don't block them so there is no air flow, just preven the cold wind from blowing in.
Thanks Giz. I can't take credit for it. Kind of got the idea from Mr Walleyes setup in his garage. It probably would behoove someone to make something like that if you don't have the availability to do a permanent type of cover for the Bradley. I do like Brad's setup as well.
In a pinch, a person could go to Lowe's or Home Depot and ask for a refirgerator box and cut out one side just enough for the door opening. Might need to anchor it someway if the wind is really blowing.
SD
Car54,
I love your shelter that you built for your Bradley. Is that a roof vent you used on top of your smoke shack?
I am trying to figure out some plans for my own so I can build one this spring.
Thanks everyone for the suggestions... for today I had to improvise. I took the box the OBS came in and cut it up a bit. Made myself a semi-shelter out on the deck. Unfortunately the temperature has dropped dramatically and the smoker is having trouble getting above 170 so I am going to keep it in there for a few hours then move it inside for a lengthy, slow roast.
My first brisket too... I thought that Mother Nature liked brisket??
BB
I can be of absolutely no help here. ::) ::)
It is 58.7F here.
Good luck with the snowstorm.
I used the Bradley OBS box to hide Christmas presents.
It's 13 degrees out on the deck right now... no telling what the wind chill is. :( I am just going to hope for the best and do all I can to have a great brisket for tomorrow!
Quote from: car54 on December 31, 2008, 12:33:10 PM
For now the best thing that you can do is to temporarily shield it. Do you have a garage that you can move it to?
Here was my permanent solution.
(http://thumb6.webshots.net/t/16/17/9/3/58/227590358EcKKBc_th.jpg)
(http://thumb6.webshots.net/t/14/14/9/7/2/227590702aTgtKs_th.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/car54/smokeS.png)
Brad
Any way to get the pictures bigger? Id like to see it.
I'm w/ FLBentRider, we had a high of 60 today.
But I've lived a few years in the great white north, so I know what you're dealing with.
Shelter it the best you can, but don't create a fire hazard. Fire charred brisket won't taste good, especially if you have no house to eat it in.
A long term solution--put your snow shovel and snow blower in the back of your truck, and start driving south. When people start asking what that stuff is in the back of the truck, you've went far enough to start looking for a house and job. ;D
Hope your smoke turns out, in spite of your difficulties.
drano