Smoking in high wind

[ibrocun]

In Februrary I'll be going to an off road race in the high desert of Southern California. The wind is something else there. It's been known to shread EZ-Ups and tents. We'll be sleeping in a motorhome.

We'll be there for three days and I'm thinking of taking the smoker to feed the crew. My smoker is a typical horizontal barrel with an offset firebox. The intake into the firbox has a damper, and so does the chimney on the barrel. Other than the basic carburation, the smoker does not have any baffels to mitigate the effect of wind. I know the effect a strong breeze has on the smoker at home, so I can only imagine what it would be like trying to smoke a brisket out there in a windstorm.

I can weld and fabricate, so I can fabricate some baffels for the intake and exhaust, but I'm wondering how well that will work? Who has tried this?

I'm also willing to start from scratch and build something new if need be.

 

[mballi3011]

You should only have to block the fire box side of the smoker. You can use the Rv to block the wind but if you cann't do that then just make shift something just make sure that the wind is blowing down the smoker from the fire bax towards the smoker box. Taht way if it helps it will help the smoker draw from the fire box.

 

[ibrocun]

you don't think that the wind whipping over the exhaust stack will create a vacuum in the barrel that will pull too much heat in there?

 

[rickw]

I would prepare the meat in advance and heat it up in a crock pot or oven.

 

[randya]

I agree with Rick. Every time I smoke I cook for this purpose. Ribs, pull pork, chuck ect: Then I put it in the food saver bags (meal size) and vacuum them down then freeze. When I am ready to eat them, place the sealed bags to boiling water (I use my turkey cooker). You will think you just took them off the grill. It works and save a lot time cooking for these type gathering's. Good luck.

 

[hog warden]

I've used my UDS in some pretty frisky winds, but probably not the extent you mention. Wind does not seem to be as big of a problem with those, unless it's cold, in which case the "wind chill" may affect stability of temps.

I've done pulled pork for 50 a couple of times and did what the other suggested. I made it ahead of time and froze it. That was back in September. I heard about that again this past weekend......a cousin still raving about how that was the best PP he had ever eaten. Brisket works the same way.