Cold Weather Limitations?

[spudfin]

Greetings
I am considering purchasing a Bradley but wondering how cold weather effects temperatures in the smoker.  I live in Northern climate and want to smoke in cold weather.  Can this unit maintain temps when it is cold outside?
Thanks
Spudfin

[Habanero Smoker]

I have smoked while the temperature was in the low 20's. The smoker is well insulated, though takes the smoker much longer to get up to your set temperature, once it is at the temperature you want to smoke/cook at it easily holds that temperature. Things you want to avoid is wind, so if you can make a windscreen that would be useful. Also avoid opening the during during the smoking and cooking stages. Adding a brick near the water pan will help with heat recovery after the door has been opened and closed.

There are a number of Alaskans and Canadians members that smoke during the winter months, I'm sure they will be along and provide further tips.

[Caribou]

Welcome to the forum Spudfin!
Like Habs has stated, I have had no problem smoking outdoors in temps around the 20's.  I make certain that I preheat the smoker at least an hour before using it and having the brick in there really helps.
Some folks do have they're smokers inside garages and shops with the smoke being exhausted outside.  Maybe someone can post a pic to show this set up.
Carolyn

[Hopefull Romantic]

Hi Spudfin and welcome to the fun,

I, as well would agree with both Habs and Carolyn and would just like to add that I fill the used bisquettes bowl at the bottom with hot or even boiling water which also helps with speeding things up.

HR

[OU812]

Welcome to the fun

I have smoked all winter with no major heat loss, as Habs said keep it out of the wind. Mine is in my shed. If you store your smoker outside in the winter make sure you warm up the cabnet by at least 40 F above your set temp before you turn on the smoke generator as the moisture in and around the puck pusher will freeze and cause the gears to strip in the motor that moves the biskets. I have the DBS6 and take my generator in side in the winter.

[Yooper Jim]

I've smoked at below 0 F temps.  Preheat and keep the BS out of the wind.  You are not going to get to 300F, but I never cook that hot anyway.

[smokeitall]

Some of my first smokes were up in WI at my in-laws house right after deer season with an outside temp of 0 F, I blocked the wind with a piece of plywood, peeked way to many times, but it eventually got done.  Now if its really cold I do the smoke process outside and when its done I move it in the garage and shut the big door, its basically an oven at that point.  Actually got a pork butt in the garage right now.  I use to bring the pork butt into the home oven to finish but now with my PID I just do it in the garage in the OBS for the whole smoke.

[spudfin]

Thanks for the info.  That seals the deal for me.  Looks like a new OBS is in my future.
Regards
Tony

[squirtthecat]

If you have a Menards nearby, these are $99 until tomorrow.



Here is the original post:

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=10995.0

Works great the protect the Bradley from rain & wind.  I just crack the doors to let the smoke out.

[ArnieM]

Nice cabinet STC.  The OBS might work well at 0 F but I don't  >:(  I've taken a quick look and I 'might' be able to fit the OBS into a fireplace for winter if I take the feet off.  I haven't checked that out yet.  I'd use some cardboard cutouts to help seal around it to avoid all of the warm house air going up the chimney.  I'm not sure if there would be enough draft for the smoke to rise but I'm willing to give it a shot.  Heck, it can't be any worse than when my wife decided to make a fire while I was out and forgot to open the flue  :-\

[squirtthecat]

The OBS might work well at 0 F but I don't  >:( 

No arguments there!   I grill year-round, but I don't enjoy it nearly as much when it is bitter cold.

Running it in the fireplace...   Interesting.    You might be able to run some pipe up the flue, with one of those inline fans (name escapes me now) to force the draft.

At least your house will smell nice in the morning!

[ArnieM]

Well, if it doesn't fit in the FP, I found this cabinet at Home Depot.  It looks like it would do the trick.

http://www.homedepot.com/Storage-Garage-Storage/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xgaZarmi/R-100120789/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

[squirtthecat]

Sounds about right...   17" deep should be plenty.

[ArnieM]

Yep.  Any deeper and the guests might thing it's an outhouse.  ;)

[NePaSmoKer]

Or you can just bump the heat up a few hundred BTU's  ;D



nepas