Cold weather cooking--looking for advice

[Colorado Smoke]

I have a nice Angus rib roast to cook for Christmas dinner on my MAK 2-Star, but the forecast is for high teens to low twenties with a chance of snow. I'm thinking of trying to lay a welder's blanket over the hood to provide some insulation, enhance heat retention and slow down pellet consumption.

Is this a good idea? Any tips for smoking in the cold?

 

[SoDakSmokerGolfer]

I don't think you will need the blanket... I have been using my 2-star in single digits with wind chill in the -20 range just fine. You might have to bump the temp up a bit and you will burn more pellets but that is better than dealing with the blanket.

Just try to keep it out of the wind if you can... that will really help keep the pellet consumption down.

 

[Big_Jake]

I ran this morning and it was 32 out side.I set it @ 240 and the unit hovered around 225.Although once the sun came up and it warmed up the machine leveled out.

 

[Big Poppa]

big jake...you still happy with the MAK?

 

[Big_Jake]

Yes sir I am.This is my first year of cooking with it in the cold so I am still adjusting but man did the ribs come out great!

 

[Big Poppa]

Makes me very happy Jake

 

[TentHunter]

Colorado Smoke, recently someone else ran into issues using a welding blanket on his MAK 2 Star.

Refer to this thread: http://www.pelletsmoking.com/mak-central-14/question-5551/


Besides, I cook with my 1 Star all the time in cold weather without a hitch.

Does it burn through a few more pellets? Yes, but it's not enough to warrant any problems I might have with a welding blanket. Besides, cold weather cooking will use more fuel whether your cooking with charcoal, wood, gas, and yes, pellets. It's just part of the cost of this addiction we have that keeps us cooking year round.

 

[Scallywag]

It gets awful cold here.. Mak 2 Star still runs like a champ. Like Tent said.. the only difference is pellet consumption. It was below freezing last night and I still managed to get 500 deg to cook some steaks.

 

[Colorado Smoke]

Thanks for all the help. I went without a blanket, in 12 degree weather, and the prime rib was spectacular. The 2-Star was a champ.

 

[smokerjoe]

It is usually below 0 here in the winter and the MAK does fine, however, for Christmas Eve it was -21, -29 with the wind child (celcius), so I did use a welding blanket and it did help.

 

[Patrick_CT]

Now that is cold... haha.. I love that there is never a question "if" we will use the MAK but how to best use it! I love my MAK and it burns all year also in the hot or the bitter cold! made some great ribs in in the snow last night

Welcome to the group!