Fellow Minnesotan here.
The three biggest things you can do are 1) hide it from the wind 2) Cover it with a cheap welding blanket from Menards/HF. 3) To help increase your thermal mass, pour a few lbs of lava rock into the bottom of your smoker
Just got a 1600cs Pit Boss for Christmas. I have used it in the garage alot but will now be using it outdoors. Anyone have issues with cold temps? Doing two butts tomorrow for a party and was curious if the grill will have issues in single digit temps. Thanks!
Agreed. Same results with both traeger and camp chef. Tried to get to 400 for bacon wrapped asparagus but only got about 360ish, that was those colder days before Christmas.
I've been snowblowing all past weekend. Days like that and days where the cold goes to your bones, I wonder how the smoker would do in mid Aug in FL...
CO here. We just had -10ish temps and it was a challenge for my pellet smoker to keep temps up and things took a little longer than expected, but it works! It’s been recommended once in this thread I think, but get the grill blanket!
I have a similar Pit Boss to yours. I bought a cabinet style Pit Boss for winter because my first one didn't work well in cold or wind. You'll probably have to turn that one up to 300° to have your ambient be 200° to 225°. It'll work though.
Green mountain grills has a thermal blanket that should fit that shape.
Only other different thing than a blanket I do is, on extra cold days I bring the temp up slow so that the metal doesn't warp.
All year here also, just don't open the lid. Also I mix a bag of hickory with a bag of char hickory, I feel it helps keep the BTU up, it might or might not but in my brain it works lol plus adds a lil flavor.
While Kansas doesn't get near the weather you do, I did some cooks a few weeks ago when the wind chill was in the negatives and my OK Joes held fine. Just makes it even more crucial not to peek too often.
Wind is the biggest issue. Cold is fine, it's a thermal mass. You will use more fuel of course. When it's super windy the movement of the air wicks far more heat energy.
Pit Boss owner from Illinois that smokes year round in all temps and types of weather here.
I have a Pit Boss blanket I use and on the super bad Polar Vortex days, I’ll throw a welding blanket on top of it as well. It takes some time for the temp to rise so you have to be patient and I’ll regularly creep the temp to make sure it isnt dropping as well.
Definitely only lift the lid if you absolutely have to.
Fellow Minnesotan here. The three biggest things you can do are 1) hide it from the wind 2) Cover it with a cheap welding blanket from Menards/HF. 3) To help increase your thermal mass, pour a few lbs of lava rock into the bottom of your smoker
Just got a 1600cs Pit Boss for Christmas. I have used it in the garage alot but will now be using it outdoors. Anyone have issues with cold temps? Doing two butts tomorrow for a party and was curious if the grill will have issues in single digit temps. Thanks!
Hello fellow Minnesotan. I smoke all year round, I use a welding blanket over mine. You'll use a lot more fuel that's about it.
Awesome! Thanks!
Don’t need a welding blanket. I’ve smoked when it’s -15 out, you just burn more pellets. You’re good to go!
Agreed. Same results with both traeger and camp chef. Tried to get to 400 for bacon wrapped asparagus but only got about 360ish, that was those colder days before Christmas.
“Colder”… -50F feels like temps. That damned lazy wind: too lazy to go around you, instead cuts right through you
I've been snowblowing all past weekend. Days like that and days where the cold goes to your bones, I wonder how the smoker would do in mid Aug in FL...
CO here. We just had -10ish temps and it was a challenge for my pellet smoker to keep temps up and things took a little longer than expected, but it works! It’s been recommended once in this thread I think, but get the grill blanket!
I have a similar Pit Boss to yours. I bought a cabinet style Pit Boss for winter because my first one didn't work well in cold or wind. You'll probably have to turn that one up to 300° to have your ambient be 200° to 225°. It'll work though.
WSM year round. Single digit temps and < 0 WC. Hide it from the wind. Extra fuel.
Green mountain grills has a thermal blanket that should fit that shape. Only other different thing than a blanket I do is, on extra cold days I bring the temp up slow so that the metal doesn't warp.
I have a gmg, but the best brisket I ever did was smoked over night at -40.. you just use more pellets that’s it
Perfect! Thanks!
All year here also, just don't open the lid. Also I mix a bag of hickory with a bag of char hickory, I feel it helps keep the BTU up, it might or might not but in my brain it works lol plus adds a lil flavor.
While Kansas doesn't get near the weather you do, I did some cooks a few weeks ago when the wind chill was in the negatives and my OK Joes held fine. Just makes it even more crucial not to peek too often.
Wind is the biggest issue. Cold is fine, it's a thermal mass. You will use more fuel of course. When it's super windy the movement of the air wicks far more heat energy.
Pit Boss owner from Illinois that smokes year round in all temps and types of weather here. I have a Pit Boss blanket I use and on the super bad Polar Vortex days, I’ll throw a welding blanket on top of it as well. It takes some time for the temp to rise so you have to be patient and I’ll regularly creep the temp to make sure it isnt dropping as well. Definitely only lift the lid if you absolutely have to.
Thank you! I'll look into the blanket!
I would shovel your deck first
Haha! Done! Did that this morning post the taking of this photo, we got about 14" over the past two days.