Too Cold to Smoke?

[smokerinchicago]

I'm thinking of smoking a couple of pork butts to eat during the Bears game against the saints this sunday. Its going to be in the teens tonight in the Chicago area. So my questions are: can i smoke when its this cold (I think yes but want to ask the experts) and can i use my maverick thermometer (ie having it sit on top of the smoker and not freeze the lcd?)

I'm thinking of starting the smoker about 10 pm saturday night and put the  meat in about 11 and then let it smoke/cook all night and probably until about game time at 2. ftc it for a couple of hours and eat near the end of the game.

Thanks for your help!
Dean

[nodak]

You will be fine, but make sure it's out of the wind that's the real killer.  I've smoked in below 0F temps.  I've never had a problem with maverick LCD.  I only worry about MY PID and run a cord under my garage door to leave that sit inside.  You may want to start them butts a few hours earlier to make sure they get done. Just FTC in a preheated cooler.

[West Coast Kansan]

Greetings and welcome S-I-Chicago.  I would spur the horse and get those butts going.  Take a look at Icerat4 postings on his butt approach and follow that.  You will be short on the rub and rest time he uses but the food will be great anyway.  FTC on butts can go a shocking amount of time 5-6 hours - and honestly that is the length i am targeting now. They seem to improve with time.  So the point is start early, give yours self some rest and opportunity to enjoy the game

[begolf25]

Welcome Smokerinchicago,

I live in PA and we get some pretty cold temps and I have never had a problem before. But like Nodak said the wind can be a problem. I think because of the wind you can lose a lot of heat through the vent. I live on the top of a hill so this becomes a problem. I am smoking today and we have wind gusts over 40 mph right now. What I did to help reduce this is build a mini chimney around my vent with some extra pavers I have. Don't know if this helps or not but seems to reduce the heat loss. I have attached a couple pics.

GL this weekend!

[Sabre]

Hi all, IM new to the forum but Ive been smoking for a while, I love all the great info on this board. Im in up state new york and I smoke in the garage in the winter. Its 15F today, I built an exaust system out of 4 inch duct work and a booster fan outside through a dryer vent, other than the occasional drip of grease on the siding (mrs. isnt to fond of that) It works great Just thought you might be interisted.

[West Coast Kansan]

Greetings and welcome Sabre.  Check out Mr. Walleye garage installation.  Looks pretty nice.  Enjoy the forum great place to share and get ideas.

[Wildcat]

Welcome to the forum Sabre and Smokerinchicago.  You have already received the input you need, so there really is nothing to add.  I have only been in Chicago once and it was winter, below O, and with hurricane force winds.  Needless to say, I have not been back.  May do so again in the summer one year.  I wish you luck with the game results, but I must root for the Saints. ::)

[owrstrich]

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

start the pig arse now... dont wait... use ftc for time buffer...

[Arcs_n_Sparks]

owrstrich,

Are you sure???

Sparkler

[Habanero Smoker]

SmokerInChicago & Sabre;

Welcome to the forum.

begolf25;

Real good idea. I was just thinking; doing the same around the vents in the generator, and leaving about a 2 inch clearance would be an additional improvement.

[Sabre]

Thanks for the warm welcome, Im having to much fun with this bs.  trying some baby back ribs today, just woried because of the cold the box temp never seems to get higher than 200f. I guess this will give me more time to enjoy my favorite brew! If my box temp should be able to go higher let me know what im dooing wrong... thanks.

[West Coast Kansan]

Sabre, welcome again.  Somemore detail about some of the issues that can effect temperature would be helpful for others to comment:

Weather conditions?
What your smoking and how much?
Type of smoker is it digital?
How long your at what temperature and what you have observed?
How is the IT of the meat tracking? i.e. what is the difference between the IT and the tower temp?

One thing to check is the size of openings of the slits on the V pan drip tray. Apparently there are some where the slits did not get formed fully and that can effect the temp rise.

More than likely though it is just a function of time and what your smoking and where you are in the smoke process. Low and slow is an advantage with Bradley in general. 

[Arcs_n_Sparks]

Sabre,

Vent opening can also have an impact on box temperature, especially if you're flowing a lot of cold air into the box. Generally, you want it open enough to avoid back-flow through the smoke generator, but not a lot more (unless you have something with a lot of moisture that you are trying to drive off).

Arcs_n_Sparks

[Sabre]

Thanks for the tips, Temp is a bit higher today as its a balmy 25 outside, I did widen the slits in the v and that may help
hope the ribs turn out, my doughters favorite meal, and we normally only get them out. Dino. bbq