Using the Bradley in cold weather in Canada

[canadiansmoker]

Hi everyone. I am considering getting a Bradley smoker but I have a question regarding how well it will work in colder climates. I live in Calgary, Alberta where it can get pretty cold up here in the winter. I was wondering if I would have any problems keeping the smoker at proper temperatures if the outside temperature was around 0 degrees farenheit or colder?

If so, what is the lowest temperature I could use the smoker and still have have the IT up around the 200-250 mark (which seems to be what most people are suing for a low of smoking.

I don't imagine I would have any problems using the "cold smoke" method up here in the winter time  ;D

I was also wondering if operating the smoker in temperatures this cold would be bad for the smoker itself (electrical connections, etc.).

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Tenpoint5]

You shouldn't have any problems as long as you let everything warm up. Which you will be doing during your preheating of the smoker. Sombody should be along shortly that can explain it better.

[beefmann]

welcome to the forum canadian smoker,

Cant help you with colder temps i have heard both good and bad.. I am in southern calif . about the coldest it gets here where i am is around 35 to 40 f and  never had a problem...

others that live in colder climates will be better to help you .. and on anther note .. Bradley smokers aare made in cananda.. so I do believe that they  would take colder temps in mind

[Mr Walleye]

Hi Canadiansmoker and welcome to the forum from a fellow Canuck! I'm from Saskatchewan so I feel your pain!  ;)

When it comes to running the smoker in cold climates the biggest issue is wind. Same thing as with a grill in a cold climate the wind can cause havoc at times. Shortly after I purchased mine I built it into my detached heated garage so I really don't have that much experience dealing with the cold weather. Another comment I would make as well is if you store the unit outdoors I would remove the smoke generator portion and store it inside to alleviate any potential problems. Some people use a plastic storage tote to store the generator indoors and still keep any odours at bay.

Here is a couple of links to pictures of my setup if your interested.

This is my original setup.....
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=6075.0

This is my current setup.....
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=7616.45

Mike

[canadiansmoker]

Thnaks for the information Mike. I do plan on keeping the smoker in the garage (attached to house) when the smoker is not in use. My main concern is if I will be able to have the smoker hold a warm enough inside temperature when the outside temperature is as cold as I indicated.

I do agree that wind is one of my biggest concerns as far as losing heat, but hopefully where I will position the smoker outside will be fairly well shielded from the wind. I am a little concerned that the 500 watt element inside the smoker might not have enough power to warm up enough, and I don't want to do any modifications to it if possible.

By the way, your setup looks first rate!

Stephen

[Smokin Soon]

I think the only thing I would do in extreme cold is not try to finish cook in the Bradley. You get that puppy hot, pour on the smoke, finish in the oven and you can't loose. And like the folks here have said, wind will not only effect cooking, but also draft all the smoke right out of the thing. There some plus sides to finishing in the oven for cold weather cooking. The smell is "priceless"

[westexasmoker]

There some plus sides to finishing in the oven for cold weather cooking. The smell is "priceless"

Lets see Glade come up with that kind of candle!  ;D

C

[Mr Walleye]

Stephen

I agree with Smokin Soon. If the weather is causing havoc with you, you can always move it into the oven after the smoke. A lot of people do this even in warmer climates.

Some other things you can do to help in cold weather, as already mentioned a really good pre-heat including the smoke generator, using a brick or two in the bottom of the unit to act as a heat sink to help in temp recovery, leave the smoke generator on even after the smoke is complete, use the hottest water you can in the water bowl.

Mike

[stillsmoking]

Hi Canadiansmoker, like you I live in a little cooler climate than some (Southeast Alaska).  Outside temps and wind definitely add a little more to the planning process.  I smoke and barbecue year round and always have, I have also lived in the mountains of Colorado and a few other extreme places.  Warm up your smoker ahead of time, pay attention to the vent and enjoy the fact that low and slow is not a problem at times.  I find that wind is a bigger factor than outside temps but when it is in the 20's teen's and below you will have to watch your smoker and temps and be flexible about dinner time.  At times I find it really tough to get above or even to 220-250 depending on the amount of food in the smoker but I rarely smoke at temps above that anyway.  The weight, density and temps of the food in the smoker will all affect times as much as the outside temps.  That may not help much but I think most folks would tell you that experimenting with times and temps is half the fun.

[FLBentRider]

W E L C O M E  to the Forum canadiansmoker!

I can't be of much help, (I'm in South Florida) - but the others have you set up.

[Smoking Duck]

Welcome, canadiansmoker!

As I do some smoking in cold weather, I understand your concerns.  About the only things I worry about in cold weather is the puck advance system (I pull my smoke generator indoors after smoking) and keeping the temp.  However, in extreme cold weather, I will often set my smoker up 2-3 hours prior to loading to get it preheated.  I load the water bowl with boiling water and put 2 bricks in to act as a heat sink.  If I want to smoke at 210, I generally preheat to 270.  The toughest problem (outside of the wind) is if you have a large load.  It will take it quite a long time to recover once the load is in.  However, when I set out smoking, I'm in it for the long haul.  The only times I open the door in extreme weather is to change the water after the pucks have extinguished.  If it is something that call for spritzing to keep moist, I simply substitute that with draping bacon above the meat so that I don't have to keep opening the door.  You can most certainly switch the meat indoors after the smoke has stopped because at that point, the Bradley is nothing more than an oven.  However, I have kept the meat in the entire time and it gets done quite fine.  When I set out to smoke, slow and low is the omly way I go and realize that I'm in for the long haul anyways.

SD

[canadiansmoker]

Thanks for all the replies. This forum is great. I really appreciate all the suggestions you have come up with. I look forward to trying this out!

[bflosmoke]

Welcome Canadian
Thank you for the question the answer helps me to being from Buffalo. Thanks all for the info.
BFLO