Cold weather

[wildcat18]

Looking to do some pork belly this weekend.  Outside temps will be in the teens.  I don't have any problem cooking in those temps but, I'm concerned about lighting the joe in those temps.  Any chance of cracking the ceramic due to cold?

[Jack.]

Many of our members cook in very cold winter environments.  I've never heard of any ceramic cracking due to cold.  I say go for it.

[JeffieBoy]

I would start out with a low, controlled fire that allows the ceramic to heat up gently.  You will be fine!

[keeperovdeflame]

I  totally agree with the comments above. We had a guy here years ago who lived in Wisconsin and had lake effect snow. His kamados were out behind the house in a gazebo designed to hold them. He walked through an iced over  trench in the snow that was well above his head with crampons on his feet. He talked about temps in the teens like it was summer weather.  All winter long he cooked like a mad man. We also have folks from Canada who giggle about cooking far below zero. Even out in Arizona, I cooked once or twice in the teens. I think your good. Like Jeffie Boy says, let your fire develop slowly over an hour or so. Ceramics are more prone to crack with rapid swings in temp. I remember one guy who cracked his diffuser by taking in out hot and setting it on a patio table that was covered with snow, he heard it crack as he was working to put a sear set up in his kamado. Happy Cooking. 

[CentralTexBBQ]

so I posted about cooking in a full blown polar vortex once and the Canada gurus wanted to get in a pissing contest and say things like "-32°, wind chills? Oh that's nothing! I cook in -80° weather while walking 5 miles to school uphill both ways all the time!" 

 

You'll be fine!

[Charcoal Addict]

9 hours ago, wildcat18 said:

Looking to do some pork belly this weekend.  Outside temps will be in the teens.  I don't have any problem cooking in those temps but, I'm concerned about lighting the joe in those temps.  Any chance of cracking the ceramic due to cold?

You’ll be fine as long as you don’t heat up the grill too rapidly by using a blower in the lower vent.  Short of doing something extremely stupid, you can’t crack your grill in the cold.

 

You’ll have to accept that it will take 10-15 minutes longer to reach temp in extreme cold weather.

 

Aside from longer start-up times & higher lump consumption, it’s businesses as usual. 
 

I normally use 25% more lump during the Alberta winter months vs what I consume for the same cooks during the spring/summer. 
 

 

[wildcat18]

Yeah, I've cooked on the Webber in the cold, just wasn't worried about it cracking.  Being this is my first winter with the Joe, I had some concerns.  I'll give it a try. 

 

Thanks for responses.

[varneyb]

On 1/21/2022 at 12:45 AM, Charcoal Addict said:

You’ll be fine as long as you don’t heat up the grill too rapidly by using a blower in the lower vent.  Short of doing something extremely stupid, you can’t crack your grill in the cold.

 

You’ll have to accept that it will take 10-15 minutes longer to reach temp in extreme cold weather.

 

Aside from longer start-up times & higher lump consumption, it’s businesses as usual. 
 

I normally use 25% more lump during the Alberta winter months vs what I consume for the same cooks during the spring/summer. 
 

 

 

Does the thermometer still read true when it's really cold outside, or does too much heat conduct from the probe to the thermometer body causing it to read lower than the actual temperature inside the grill?

[CentralTexBBQ]

I've actually never thought abut it, but I assume from experience and knowledge of the kamado materials that it is still spot on lid closed.

[jtemple]

On 2/5/2022 at 1:30 PM, varneyb said:

 

Does the thermometer still read true when it's really cold outside, or does too much heat conduct from the probe to the thermometer body causing it to read lower than the actual temperature inside the grill?

My dome thermometer seems to read the same in all sorts of weather; about 10 degrees cooler than the grate (this is specifically for the 225-275 range).

[jark87]

On 1/20/2022 at 11:45 PM, Charcoal Addict said:

Aside from longer start-up times & higher lump consumption, it’s businesses as usual. 

I cooked a pork butt over the weekend and was shocked when I had to reload charcoal. I didn’t even consider colder weather leading to higher lump consumption. Granted, it was only in the 30s and 40s here, but I loaded the basket same as I did for a long cook in the 80s and 90s. At the 8 hour mark, I was trying to raise cooking temp from 250° to 325°, but could barely hit 300°. Pulled the SloRoller and discovered that I only had a few pieces of charcoal remaining.

 

That’s what I love about this site! My question was answered before I even posted it.

[DonBB]

I have to say I've always been concerned if I'm mid-cook at full temp and it starts to rain.  I'm worried about the cold rain hitting the ceramic as that would be an instant temp change rather than a gradual one like in cold weather.

 

Anyone ever had a problem with rain mid-cook causing an issue?

[Golf Griller]

14 hours ago, DonBB said:

Anyone ever had a problem with rain mid-cook causing an issue?

The only problem with rain mid-cook is having to go out in it to either temp the meat, or to take it off.

[MikeRobinson]

I firmly believe that God once sent down to earth two Angels, named Mason and Dixon, and commanded them to draw a Line.  He did thereafter declare:  "Thou Shalt Live South of This Line!" 

 

In my entire life, I have never owned a "snowblower," and I never intend to do so. "No! Bad dog! No biscuit !!!"

[JeffieBoy]

@MikeRobinson  I used to fish in LA & TX with a friend from DeRidder.  He was about 20 yrs older than I was.  I frequently invited him to come fishing in Canada but he swore he would never cross “The Line”…. His father passed away (WW2 USAF Lt. Col. Ret) and his last wish was to have he and his wife’s remains interred at Arlington National Cemetery with all the bells and whistles.  We were invited to attend and drove down from here.  The morning of the ceremony we met up on the grounds and all walked to the interment point. Afterwards we spent some time together walking through the cemetery looking at headstones, doing the tourist thing.  In jest, I mentioned that I never expected to see him north of “The Line”.  He stared at me for a moment in disbelief and then replied “You do know where you are standing don’t you?”  Needless to say I got an in-depth history lesson that morning.  He passed away about six months later so this was my last time together with my good friend.  RIP George, you were one of a kind. 
 

…and yes, I’ve used my snowblower three times this week.

 

As an aside, I’d also like to say that you Americans sure know how to honour your dead.  That was the most amazing display of respect I have ever seen. The 08:00 fall morning sunrise ceremony, guncart pulled by white stallions, honour guard, gun salute, music at the right moment being played from a hill in the distance and so on.  I don’t think that we Canadians have anything even close to offer.