MCS and Pellet Cooking in the Rain

[jhoskins]

Hey folks! I live in the Seattle area and I’m about to pull the trigger on my first pellet smoker. I have two options on places to put it, one on a second floor deck, uncovered, two on a cement pad under that deck.

I would obviously store it with a cover on, but I’m concerned about being able to use it in the light rain or underneath the deck above. Does anyone have experience with this?

ideally, I find a spot where I can run it year-round and don’t have the risk of setting the deck above me on fire.

worst case scenario, I can put it in my garage and wheel it into the driveway when I want to use it, but then I have the same light rain problem. Help!

[HawkerXP]

pbc

[Jfrosty27]

I keep mine in the garage. To cook, I just wheel it out to the edge of the garage but still just inside. So if it rains, it’s dry. Here’s a photo of what I do. I’m in Wisconsin and this pic was taken in cold weather and. Have the insulated blanket on.

[Jerod Broussard]

I've always had mine underneath a car port. Plenty air flow and plenty out the rain.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

I cook during hurricanes, no shelter... fill the hopper up before it rains or have someone hold an umbrella while you dump your pellets in. As long as you have a quality pellet cooker the weather won't really matter. I also don't cover my grill anymore, it was causing more moisture issues in my humid climate than it was worth.

You're semi-close to MAK, might be worth checking them out depending on your budget.

[Panhead John]

“I cook during hurricanes, no shelter.” ItsAllGoneToTheDogs You don’t no more cook outside during a hurricane than I’m the man in the moon….🤓 Now, myself, I don’t let a little flooding bother me…..

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

I've cooked during 3 since I've owned a MAK, 1 required me pulling out the generator the other the power only flickered.

My old gasser couldn't handle the wind but I tried using that too one time. As long as there isn't hail or close lightning, I'll cook if I can.

[dpearce]

A 10x10 canopy would work for the light rain. I had several left over from our time being travel softball parents and used them over my grills and smokers during a light rain. Worked fine, but they definitely smell “Smokey”. We have a backyard shed so that’s where they get stored. These are cheap Walmart brands. I found these to be inexpensive enough I didn’t mind if they were tossed at the end of the fall season.

[RonB]

How much clearance do ya have under the deck? If there is enough, you could buy 3 or 4 2' x 8' sheets of corrugated roof panels. Metal would work best. Nail one end of each sheet to a joist above and for the other end add a 1" spacer between the sheets and the joists to allow drainage. Overlap the panels a bit and you will wind up with an area about 8' x 8' that will stay dry. You might have to add another spacer centered in the length to keep the sheets from sagging.

Edit to add I like the suggestion above if there is enough room under the deck.

[DavidNorcross]

This is an excellent suggestion.

[Richard Chrz]

This is what I was thinking,

[jerrybell]

If you have enough room to stand under the deck you have enough clearance not to worry things getting too hot. The thing will run just fine in the rain. On my Camp Chef the pellet hopper lid is oversized and provides some shelter for the controller.

[Michael_in_TX]

In the late summer, we often get random downpours here. My Grilla Chimp has held up very well in these. (My patio is uncovered.) I admit, I was nervous as all heck during the first time it encountered rain.

On mitigating factor is that my model 1.0 Chimp, the upper part of the hopper overhangs the control panel, thus reducing the rain hitting it.

[klflowers]

Like Michael_in_TX i have cooked on my chimp in the rain with no problems. It lives on an uncovered deck. I do have a chimp cover for it when not in use.

[DavidNorcross]

I cook year round on my pellet cooker. We are under a roof but aside from that cold, rain, snow, does not matter. I would recommend under the deck for sure and if you follow RonB 's advice above you would have a great solution.

[Duanessmokedmeats]

I have 3- 5X8 canopies on my cement patio, covering my 3 Pit Barrels, 1 Hasty Bake Legacy, and an Electric smoker.
2 days ago I smoked with the Hasty Bake in a down pour.
When I owned pellet grills I had the same canopies, and I smoked in down pours and blizzards with no problems.

[klflowers]

I have to add that i cook on everything in the rain. Or snow. If I can get the fire lit it's on. No hurricane or tornado cooking though...

[fzxdoc]

Put your cooker wherever the best and closest accessibility to the kitchen and dining area are. You don't want to be hoofing food up/down staircases if that's what's required for a below deck cover. You can put a portable cover over it anywhere--one like dpearce and Duanessmokedmeats use. There's a reason why most outdoor kitchens are adjacent the kitchen back door, IMO: convenience.

Just my 2 pennies' worth.

Kathryn

[Duanessmokedmeats]

Patio door next to the kitchen, walk right in to the dining room.