Sigh. End of regular season.

[Mosca]

No, not the end of cooking. That happens when there’s a foot of snow and I can’t reach the cookers. But it’s cover time.



I run uncovered from spring until, well, about now. We’re looking at heavy rain Friday and Saturday, then highs in the 30s and lows in the 20s, and the covers won’t be pliable and they’ll be a pain in the ass to work with.

This means the Weber is done until spring. Anything that I would uncover the Weber for, I can do easier on the BGE, and cleaning out the BGE is also easier. The griddle is simple, and it cools down very quickly even now with temps in the 50s, I’m going to use the griddle until I can’t get to it.

[Attjack]

The end of the season sucks.

[LA Pork Butt]

Go south young man! LOL Of course, you will sweat a lot more.

[Jfrosty27]

Yeah I was think about this today also. Going to be upper 60’s today, low 70’s tomorrow, then BOOM. 30’s for the high going forward. Sigh. Happens every year but that doesn’t mean I like it.

So Vortex wings tonight on the kettle, a smoked chuckie tomorrow, then hit and miss as weather allows. At least all my cookers are in the garage.

[Huskee]

So this is what responsible people do with their cookers. Hmm.

[Mosca]

When I've left them uncovered they've taken a real beating, especially the BGE. Nothing gets ruined, but it's hard on the wooden table. If I'm going to do one, I might as well do them all.

[58limited]

Mine stay covered when not in use - too much rain and fog. I live near the coast so rust is an issue in this damp climate.

[Michael_in_TX]

I never thought about the covers not being pliable. That is utterly outside my experience.....

[jfmorris]

Mosca the Weber brand covers are crap, and I know exactly what you mean about how stiff they get. They also crack after a couple of seasons.

I replaced my Performer cover a couple of years ago with this one, and it remains supple and pliable all year round, and has resisted cracking much better than the Weber covers ever did:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M6U15ZL

[Attjack]

These go on sale frequently for about $17 (I post them here when they do). I have purchased 3 and they are pretty darn good. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Mosca]

Nice, thanks!

[Jerod Broussard]

I've always had a covered area for my smokers, I wish everyone could enjoy that. Kinda the first thing I check for when moving, running water and sewage can wait.

[MBMorgan]

Mosca - Just for the heck of it, here's another after market cover manufacturer that stays reasonably pliable during cold Colorado winters and the one I got for my gasser lasts much longer than the original Weber cover did:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HCR89W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Mosca]

Excellent, thanks!

[Alan Brice]

I am in. Got a waterproof tan over brown 70L x 24D x 48H. $25.72 Thanks

[Finster]

End of regular season for me means only cooking on weekends.
Too dark to cook outside by the time I get home from work.
Have tried rigging portable lights a few different ways, but it just isnt workable for me...
maybe in my next life I'll have an optimal outdoor setup..

[mrteddyprincess]

Sorry your situation means an end to cooking for a while. Maybe you'll get some 70 F weather in December, January, or February. I'd keep some meat on hand just in case :-)

[CHNeal]

I have a very nice outdoor “ cook shack” I built several years ago so I don’t need to worry about covers. I do however roll 3 or 4 of my spare kettles and my wood / equipment rack into the garage in the winter months so its much easier to shovel the snow when it blows under and drifts in my shelter.
As for end of season, I cook year round. Granted a bunch of that is done in Carhartt coveralls but I light at least one kettle 4 times a week at least.

[Richard Chrz]

I will be covering my wsm and my 22 and storing them under our gazebo this weekend, also taking the tv down and bringing it in. shutting off water, refrigerators, freezers, everything will get covers put on. I do wheel the 26 kettle and bring the smokey joe 14 around to the front and store in garage for the periodic nice days. I just hate this time of year now. Once snow hits the ground, I basically do not leave the house, I get stuck in snow too easy.

[jfmorris]

Sounds like a drill you've been through before, but just be sure to let the freezer and fridge air out and dry out before you close them and cover them for the winter. I made the mistake once of unplugging a fridge in the garage, but not doing that. All the condensation inside meant lots of mildew when I came back to it a couple of months later.

Now you got me wondering if I need to bring in the TV I just hung in my pavilion a month or so ago!

[Richard Chrz]

Jim, I’ve learned the closed up lesson. I won’t even completely close up my wsm. I think air flow and the opportunity to dry is the only way to go.

[Mosca]

BGEs are notorious for getting mildew. In the summer it can happen if they don’t get used for as little as a week. I prop the lid open about an inch with something like a piece of wood. Of course, the solution is to use your BGE a lot.

[rlozinak]

My cookers are always covered when not in use. Between the rain and the snow. Need to keep them covered. Actually I do cook less outside in the winter. Smoking I do do year round tho

[Richard Chrz]

I cover mine and all of our kitchen anytime it is raining. I find I think my cookers are happier when it is not raining to even prop lids up or off, not closed up. A dry grill is a happy grill.