Cold weather cooking?$

[Pecon]

Cold weather has NEVER stopped me. But when cleaning my smoker this afternoon, I got wondering.

I clean my burner box often. However due to a shop vac failure, ash had begun to build in the bottom sides of the barrel. Not a lot, maybe 1/4”. Since heat rises and is being circulated with the convection fan, would a small amount of ash along the bottom sides insulate the “oven” and help
During cold weather cooking????!

Just wondering - yes, I know Cleanliness is next to Godliness but insulation is good also.

 

[BrianWilsonTG]

Ha, I love the out-of-the-box thinking, but I'd keep cleaning that ash out. I cook year-round in the cold too, and here's what I've learned from my own winter cooks.

Ash is a poor insulator for this job. It doesn't stay put, the convection fan blows it around, and fine ash drifting onto your food is no fun. Worse, ash buildup around the firepot chokes airflow, which gives you temp swings and, in the worst case, a flameout. The firepot and barrel bottom need to be clean for the grill to breathe right.

What actually works in cold weather:

1. An insulation blanket. Fitted ones exist for most models and they're a game changer below freezing. That's real insulation without messing with airflow.

2. Preheat longer. Give it an extra 15-20 minutes to saturate the steel with heat before food goes on. Cold steel is your biggest heat sink.

3. Wind is the real enemy, more than cold air. Parking the grill out of the wind does more than almost anything else.

4. Keep the lid closed. Every peek costs you 5-10 minutes of recovery time in winter.

5. Keep pellets dry and the hopper full. Damp pellets burn poorly and you'll fight temps all day.

So keep that shop vac working and the barrel clean. Your Pro23 will reward you with steadier temps. Cleanliness really is next to godliness on a pellet grill, even in January.