# How cold is too cold to smoke



## lemans (Feb 11, 2016)

It's going to be 9 degrees sat. Is it too cold for my wsm


----------



## lemans (Feb 11, 2016)

I wanted to do a pork butt.  But I think it's just too cold


----------



## gary s (Feb 11, 2016)

I've smoked when it was in the teen's

Gary


----------



## ak1 (Feb 11, 2016)

Below zero is doable... but boy do you go through charcoal.


----------



## dirtsailor2003 (Feb 11, 2016)

Get yourself a welding blanket to wrap around your WSM. It will help with your fuel consumption.


----------



## b-one (Feb 11, 2016)

I think wind would be your biggest issue welding blanket as suggested or at least a way to block the wind.


----------



## lemans (Feb 11, 2016)

I think I will make chilli in the house and wait til next week. I don't want to use three bags of kings ford for one butt


----------



## b-one (Feb 11, 2016)

You can always do that but I never even used two loads of coals for a single smoke.I also have a garage that's filled with things other then a car and can smoke in the corner so wind is never an issue I can even close the door with my foot under it and lock it so the top stays open for a perfect vent.


----------



## dirtsailor2003 (Feb 11, 2016)

I doubt you'd go through 3 bags of charcoal, but you'd definitely use more than normal.


----------



## mike5051 (Feb 11, 2016)

I did a 10 lb butt on Tuesday, with temps in the mid 40's and windy.  I know it ain't the cold you're talking about but I had to add a load charcoal after 12 hours and after 18 hrs of smoking the IT was only 195.  I would have had to add more charcoal and then allow the WSM to recover again.  I finished in the oven.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






   I removed the butt at 195, took two pics and wrapped it in foil for finishing in the oven.  The temp dropped to 189 by the time I got it in the oven.  

Mike


----------



## hardcookin (Feb 12, 2016)

It's about 4 degrees here this morning. If I was going to do a cook I would do something like chicken or ribs...a lot less cook time than a pork butt.
Stay warm!!


----------



## smokeymose (Feb 13, 2016)

I love to smoke, but man that's just too cold to be fun. I guess I'm a sissy, but I'm happy to let the Mrs make her beef stew while I play around making Hot Italian sausage with a fire in the fireplace.
Good luck!
(Chili sounds good.)


----------



## seenred (Feb 13, 2016)

Lemans said:


> It's going to be 9 degrees sat. Is it too cold for my wsm


I've done some cooks when it was pretty cold...maybe in the 20's...but I can't remember smoking when it was in the single digits.  For one thing, we usually don't have such cold spells that last very long around here.  Now if I lived somewhere like some of you guys up North...well I'd have get a lot tougher first.  Then I guess I'd be doing some smoking in single digits...  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Red


----------



## cliffcarter (Feb 14, 2016)

Lemans said:


> I wanted to do a pork butt. But I think it's just too cold


I will be cooking a butt starting tomorrow at about 6AM, air temp in my piece of Maine will be about -7°. I plan to use the usual amount of charcoal for the snake in the kettle and do not anticipate adding more.... but it may happen.

FWIW  I will be cooking said butt at 300°-325° without a water pan, cherry chunks for smoke.

I also have a small beef roast for burnt ends, my wife's request, that will be going on the CharGriller a little later in the morning.

I'll post a thread for each.


----------



## bluewhisper (Feb 14, 2016)

I have 3F this morning. With the offset, I have more problems with wind than cold.


----------

