My coldest smoke yet!

[Rob Babcock]

I have my #3 out in the front porch; it used to be a screened porch, unheated but closed in with windows and a door.  The smoker is set up at the east end window, vented outside with a range hood.  I'll have to post some pictures, it's kind of redneck-engineering but it works!  At any rate it's -5 F outside tonite, maybe 10-15 degrees warmer in the porch due to heat leaks from the inside windows.  I've smoked in some cold weather but this is probably the coldest I've ever used it.  Not too worried- it's well insulated and seems to keep temp okay, and of course it's out of the wind.  Another plus is that I'm not in a hurry.

Just for kicks I'll report back tomorrow with the results. 8)

 

[benjammn]

Sounds like a great test of the insulation of these units. Can't wait to hear what kind of temps you get during the smoke. Would be great if you list the outside temps as well as the internal temps at same reads. Would put to rest the worries that outside temps will affect the internals.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Down to -6 now!  Unfortunately I don't have the probe running into the unit right now.  I needed inside for the turkey and somehow it got "misplaced". :  Haven't been able to locate it since Turkey Day, and my guess is someone "helped me" by putting away somewhere I won't find it for a month.

I've ran her down to 20 F or so with good results, but this will be a stern test!  Just went out and felt the sides, just barely warm.  Not a huge amount of heat comes out and it's quickly radiated into the cold.  In very warm weather the sides get a little hot.

My plan is to to check the ribs (three racks cut into six ) at 6 hours or so, where I usually start checking around 5-5.5 hours.  My normal routine is to cook them to where they're still a tiny bit underdone (ie can't easily twist the bones out), let them cool a little bit, then vacuum seal them and cook them sous vide @ 145 F overnight.  I have a light-commercial chamber vacuum sealer and a couple of immersion circulators.  I do them this way so I can easily take them for my lunch every day...it does make my coworkers drool! 8)

 

[benjammn]

wow sounds like you got this smoke on lock down

 

[Rob Babcock]

Well it's been six hours but the outside temp is now -9 F.  I still can't find my probe but every time I've checked the #3 the light has been on.   I set a little zipper-pull thermometer out near the smoker (one I keep on my backpack for camping) because I'm curious what the temp is out there.

Just to be safe I'm gonna give it another half hour or so before I open the door.  I'm not worried they'll be overdone- if anything I just won't have to sous vide this batch.

 

[Rob Babcock]

Well, I got impatient and unplugged the #3 at 6.5 hours.  I let it stand with the door closed and the vent hood running for about 20 minutes (remember, my smoker is in the porch so I don't like to open the door when it's smoking unless I have to), then opened it up.  The ribs looked beautiful!  I tried one and they were just a smidge chewy- done enough to eat but they could have used another 30-45 minutes.  They were good enough though that I ate an entire half rack standing over the kitchen sink! ;D

I'd say my Smokin-It handles the cold pretty well.  Realistically it looks like that kind of cold maybe adds 15-20% to the ideal cooking time but it made plenty of smoke.  It doesn't get much colder than it is tonite with any regularity.  Two winters back it got down to -35 F but it's uncommon for us to hit -20 F.  I would say that winter temps are no problem at all.

 

[DivotMaker]

Now THAT'S a cold-weather test, Rob - and some definite Q dedication!!  We had a big winter storm roll through, with about 1" of sleet and 5" of snow on the ground, and temps dropping to -1 tonight here in NW Arkansas!  Sorry, but getting the smoker fired-up is definitely not in my plans tonight!   Pretty cool how well it performed at those extremes, though!  Glad you sacrificed yourself for the sake of science. ;D

 

[Rob Babcock]

I'm actually lucky it was so warm last night!  It's supposed to be -21 F in another hour!

 

[DivotMaker]

BRRRRrrrrr!!!

 

[Rob Babcock]

Well, it's a balmy +9.7 degrees F tonite! ;D  So I just threw in a batch of sweet italian sausages.  I'm using one puck of pressed alder dust and planning on 2 hours @ 225.  It's probably 30 degrees or so in the porch so I don't anticipate any issues.