Winter smoking

[scoville]

I was just wondering if anyone has any insight into using the Bradley digital in the winter, does it still perform outside in cool temperatures or do I need to insulate the unit somehow to keep it warm? ???

[squirtthecat]

The wind is the Bradley's worst enemy...   A lot of us have built/bought little enclosures to keep the smoker in.

[scoville]

 So if I keep it free of any excessive wind the cold shouldn't affect the smoker temp to much?

[SL2010]

I live in NW pa and have moved BDS into the shed to block from the wind i smoked every week  i use a foil covered brick(which i use all year) and i put old thermal sweatshirt around the cabinet it seems to help waiting on rubbermaid shed to go on sale

[GusRobin]

As stated the wind is worse than the cold. The cold comes into play more when you open the door and the temp drops and has to recover. I would also be concerned about getting the electonics wet, especially with a DBS.

[scoville]

I will probably set it up just inside the garage door to keep it out of the wind and wet.

[SL2010]

You can get dryer vent hose at home depot for bout ten bucks to direct the smoker out side my wife got me one but i have not set up yet

[Tenpoint5]

Scoville I live in Iowa and I do basically the same thing your wanting to do. During the summer months I move the DBS to the garage door. In the winter I just open the two walk in doors a little to vent out the smoke. I use a bottom section of a toolbox cabinet to make this easier on my self. Saves on a lot of bending over as well. Looks like this.

[watchdog56]

I live in Minnesota and use my smoker regularly in the winter. I have a 4 rack digital and just use it in my garage and set it next to a window and let the smoke roll out the window. When it gets below zero I will bring my smoke generator in the house until I use it.

[scoville]

Thanks for all the replies, I have it seasoning in the garage now preparing it for some ribs tonight, it is filling the house with a hint of mesquite as we speak. I have the temp set for 150 but it seems to want to hold 160 or better, is it common for them to have a 10 degree difference? As I said in my intro I am used to propane and wood smokers not the electronics as of yet.

[Tenpoint5]

Yes your DBS will have temp swings above and below your set point. Yours is doing good at +/- 10º. Mine runs in the 20º range

[scoville]

Nice set up Tenpoint5, how do you post pics on this site, I am having trouble with that.

[Indy Smoker]

I built a cabinet to keep mine out of the cold.  But I have used in the winter as low as 20F and it still worked.  It does hold the temp much better now being out of the direct elements.

[scoville]

Well, so far so good in the garage, takes a while to preheat but when it does it seems to hold the temp just fine. The outside cabinet seems fairly well insulated.