Cold weather brisket

[Njgolfnutt]

Hello All - I'm planning on doing a brisket on Christmas morning. Early morning temp is supposed to be in the single digits. I've never used my PBC in such cold temps. Any tips for a successful cook in such cold weather, or should I scrap the cook entirely? Thanks.

[mrichie1229]

No, don't scrap your cook. A Christmas brisket sounds great! I have done many a cold weather (even below zero) cooks of brisket and other meats on my PBC or Weber Kettle with great results.

Some tips: Keep it out of the wind if possible, put the intake down wind, add extra charcoal every hour or so (along with smoking wood). Move the meat around when you open it to add wood and charcoal.

I also recommend wrapping when you hit the stall and putting it back on the PBC or in the oven to finish.

[KuKuPuffs]

cold isn't the problem, it's wind. your cooker will eventually get to it's stable temperature and it'll be fine. get something warm to drink and fire it up!

[jpsep]

I bought the PBC after a disastrous Thanksgiving cook in cold, wet, windy conditions on a vertical propane smoker. I've never had an issue with temps in the pit barrel. Just got a pellet cooker, looking forward to testing that out. So far it's been able to reach 350 easily in near-freezing temps.

[STEbbq]

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/charcoal-drums-barrels-and-bullet-smokers/oklahoma-joe-bronco/1346982-cold-weather-advice

[agill99]

For Thanksgiving a couple of years ago I built a wind-screen to put around the PBC - cut 3/4" plywood just long enough to fit around the cooker and just taller than the lid handle. I connected two of the plywood pieces, to form two L-shaped freestanding units.

The cooker heats the air between the plywood and cooker so you don't loose it all to the outside and preheats the air going into the cooker so the temps are more stable. I haven't collected data on the temps for the air between the cooker and plywood, but from cook time experience, it seems to moderate the temps and the time for a cold weather cook isn't much different from a spring or fall cook.

Good luck

[smokin fool]

This^^^^

[RustyHaines]

Years ago I had the same worries using my PBC in cold Wisconsin temps. I bought a welder's blanket to wrap the PBC for really cold cooks. I used it twice. Both times it turned the PBC into a Titan Rocket . . . . temps were out of control high. Never used it again to wrap the PBC. The PBC chugged along without the need for insulation.

I have however drapped the blanket on my kettle a few times in really cold temps and used it as a wind break for the PBC and the kettle.

[HawkerXP]

Like said above. Keep it out of the wind if you can and carry on! Of course, we'll need to see pictures of this cook!

PBC, PBC, PBC!