Vent Logic / cold weather

[dogbreath]

This is for the six rack by the way. I guess I don't understand the vent. I originally closed it down a bit until smoke came out the bottom, then opened it up just enough so the flow was out the top. I've had trouble getting the box to come up to the desired temp and it seems when I open the vent up it will often warm up more. Logic tells me that an open vent would let heat escape and a closed one will hold it in, but the actual reaction seems a bit opposite. Any rules of thumb for vents?

Also, when smoking in air cooler than about 40 F...there's no way it comes up to temperature...what do you guys do? I've tried keeping the smoke heater going even though it's done smoking chips. I've slid the box over the top with a vent hole hoping that would hold some heat in. I have to finish in the oven when it's cold...it just seems like cheating to me!!

Thanks,
Dan

[West Coast Kansan]

greetings db Dan! What you describe in the first paragraph is pretty much right on... an open vent will adjust heat in the tower. As a rule open lowers temps and closed will raise temps. There are some exceptions like when you are dealing with moisture - smoking chicken with skin for example. The moisture absorbs a lot of heat energy and you need your vent open to manage that moisture, get it out of the tower. 

Please share a little more about what is happening as you try to come up to temperature.

How much time has elapsed? What type of meat and how much was in the smoker?  Did you do a preheat on the smoker and what temp was achieved during the preheat? Was there a lot of wind? Any of that kind of information will help folks here share some ideas with you.

Welcome and take care,

[nodak]

I have the original bs and had no problem smoking @ 0f,  not sure where the sensor for the digital is could it be to close to the element and shuts down before top box comes up.  What are using for a thermometer to double check box heat?  I suggest doing this.  I'm sure someone here will have more ideas.  Are you keeping it out of the wind?  wind is a killer.

[LilSmoker]

Hi Dan, well i don't have the digital, i have the OBS but with any BS sometimes getting temps up can be a bit tricky.

So these are things that i have tried and have worked for me when the weather is colder:

Always get whatever food you're cooking up to room temp before putting it into your preheated smoker.

Preheat the BS over the actual smoking/cooking temp that you're looking for.

Use hot water in the water bowl instead of cold.

Preheat the smoker with a couple of bricks in the bottom of the cabinet, the bricks will hold the heat.

If the weather is very cold, i use my BS in the garage with the window open, although after a while this makes the garage smell like a full size smokehouse  :o but that doesn't bother me.

When doing big loads of food, the cabinet temp can take a while to creep up, but as that food starts to warm up the cabinet temps will hold better, even after opening the door every so often, because the food is now generating heat, although opening of the door should be kept to the bare minimum.

Takes a bit of getting used to, coz with the BS it's always low and slow, in fact i'd say the only thing associated with the BS that's fast is the eating!  :o ;D

Hope some of this might help.

LilSmoker

[Habanero Smoker]

Welcome to the forum.

Just wanted to add, in colder weather you may have to smoke smaller loads. As long as you use the same method of low and slow, it is not cheating to finish in you kitchen oven after you have applied enough smoke.

[Malc]

These guys know their stuff.  I also smoke in the garage.  I just leave the back door open.  Make sure you pull your wife's car out before you do that, though. ;D ;D  Found that one out the hard way.  Also, the preheat is crucial as LilSmoker mentioned.  Cold weather should not really be a problem, but as Hab said, once you are done with the actual smoking, the BS is just an oven anyway.

Malc

[icerat4]

Habs has it right.Enough smoke. then off to the convection oven to finish off.I do that with all my ribs no problems at all.My smokers are in here and its cold even in the barn.But there both working overtime lol.

[iceman]

I do the oven finish all the time when the snow is blowing up here. It turns out great. :)

[NePaSmoKer]

Hi DB

I have used a solar blanket, you know the silver noisy ones you can but at wallymart. It works pretty good just dont cover the vent.

I use my raptor/guru and my temps are right on too.

nepas

[coyote]

Hey DB ,
         Just about all of my smoking is in cold weather. After my first smoke , I never put meat right out of
the fridge straight to the BS. let it warm up first.or it'll really cool the BS down fast.An open vent lets the moisture out. Close it and you may flood your  unit. Trust me on this ::) , I could've killed the electronics.
That would have been a shocker  :o  Have fun and welcome DB.
                                                                                                 Coyote

[Mr Walleye]

Hi DB and welcome

The only thing I would add to Coyote's comment is to my knowledge the DBS doesn't have any electronics in the bottom of the tower unit like the OBS. You still don't want to build excess moisture in the tower either so proper adjustment of the vent is still important. There just isn't anything electronic down there in the DBS.

Mike

[dogbreath]

Thanks to all for the input. I've been playing with the vents...usually just open enough to keep the smoke from coming out the generator hole seems to work pretty well. More open in the beggining for extracting moisture when necessary. I made Habanero Smoker's Pastrami out of a whole bottom round I got for .99/lb. Got rave reviews at work...only have a bit left now. Also made his Canadian Bacon. I'd like a little less salt taste in the bacon, but it's got great flavor.

The whole winter thing is over here in Texas so I will revisit the cold temperatures next November. Got my garden in already...I may have to try Bradley Dried Tomatoes this year. I'll have a lot of cayenne peppers that I may dry in the smoker as well. I also have four pork butts, two briskets, four chickens, & a couple of loins I got on a bunch of sales last couple of weeks. I need to get busy! By the way...at work there are now three smoker guys...I'm the only Bradley guy, but the results helped them jump into the world of smoke.

Dan

[West Coast Kansan]

Thanks for the follow up dbd. nice to know how some of these threads finish  :) keep in touch on the forum  ;D

[Habanero Smoker]

Dan;

Try soaking the bacon for a second time, that will draw out more of the salt.

[dogbreath]

First, thanks for the recipes, Habanero...you da man.

I have four briskets that will go in the smoker after work Thursday midnightish. Got them for .89/lb, and with limit one had to make four trips, but it was worth it. Should have them done Friday evening and plan on some good meat eatin then. I'll just leave everything on automatic until I get up Friday morning. I have workers installing piers on the foundation (Texas clay soils) so will bribe them to do a good job with meat. They'll get to smell the smoking while they're working. I'll report on the temp holding ability...plan to set the digital to 220 and put in about 6 hours of bisquettes.

Dan