I live in the North East and as I write this it's snowing outside. I've been wondering for some time now how to smoke and grill food when it's COLD outside. Does anyone have any thought or tricks which would allow me to do this. I do have a sweater type cover over the smoker, but I've just not dared to try in the winter.
Added 12/15/25: Well, based on all these positive replies I guess I better go and buy a hunk of meat and light her up. The smoker that is..
Last edited by TommyB; December 15, 2025, 07:15 AM.
LSG Adjustable Grill/Smoker, MAK Pellet Grill, Large BGE with Several Attachments from the Ceramic Grill Store, Weber Genesis E335 Gasser, Cast Iron Pans & Griddle, Grill Grates, Mostly Thermoworks Thermometers, Anova SV Stick, BBQ Guru Controller and Fan
I live in Minnesota and Smoke and Cook outside in the winter months, just not as much. The wind is my biggest culprit. Luckily I can usually get my cooker out of the wind pretty well and I do plan ahead and try to pick my days.
As long as it’s not below 20 degrees, I’ll use the smokers* Both do pretty well in the cold. 20 is just my cutoff because I don’t want to be out if it’s that cold….lol
I have a pop up canopy I put up if there is light rain or snow.
wind is a bigger concern than cold
A Big Green Egg or other Kamado makes cooking low and slow in cold weather work well, but grilling anything is another story. Once your fire is started and up to temp put your food on and stay in the warmth of your home. While I won’t see the lows you will get, I have done a low and slow cook at 17 degrees on my Big Green Egg. In my part of the country summertime cooking is more of a problem.
The high here today will be 13. We will be doing turkey breast for dinner tonight on the pellet grill. Know your smoker. You have already learned about how long things take. Stay inside as much as possible. It helps if you can see your smoker from a window or door. Dart out to flip or spritz, check internal temp, you may experience a little longer cook time. I already know it takes about 45 min, @ 350, so I'll add 5 minutes to the cook time. It just takes a little more fuel.
If I cooked in cold weather, I would use a stick-burner and have a fire pit nearby for fresh coals and heat. I spend most of my time near the firebox, the steel is thick, and the fire pit keeps me supplied with coals and heat. Ideally a windbreak.
I cook all year too, no matter. The wind is worse to deal with then low temperatures. When my Yoder fans are screaming I know it's cold out. Just give yourself a little more time for equipment to warm up and stabilize. I don't use my griddle in the cold, just not worth it.
Bob Hicks, from Mormon Mecca
I'm 82 years young and going as hard as I can for as long as I can.
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.
Retired
My smoker is stored just inside my garage next to the overhead door. The garage door opening faces north and our predominant winds are out of the SW. So when I use my Pit Boss vertical pellet smoker, I take the cover off and position the unit in the open door way half in/half out of the garage. This keeps it out of the wind and the smoke is drafted outward. You will burn more wood keeping up with the lower temps and your cooking time may be extended slightly, but the result you are seeking will happen. Go for it if you can keep your unit out of the direct wind in sub-freezing temperatures. 😁
I too have a welding blanket to use when it's either windy or just plain too cold for my kettle or PBC. However, word of caution, I wrapped my PBC completely once when temps were single digits and it turned into a Saturn V rocket !
I also run my pellet cooker in the garage right at the edge. I store it in there and it’s easy to just roll it out to the edge. I have a factory fit blanket for my Recteq which helps a ton. The big 40# hopper on my unit stretches all across the back of the grill so I position it with the hopper facing out so it acts as a wind break.
The biggest challenge is ME. I’ve become a whimp in my old age. 🤣
I gave up fighting the cold with my COS. Now I do my smoking in the warmer months and always do a big batch and then chamber vac enough for me to get the good taste here in January or February when needed. And a lunch at Famous Daves works too. I have never been able to make a brisket as good as \I can get there or the rib tips
I cook all winter but -20 Celsius (-4 F) is my personal cutoff. Need a bit longer to preheat the cooker but works really well for low and slow. The only grilling I do is to sear meats after sous vide. I couldn't last the winter without spatchcock chicken or pulled pork. I have a gasser, a pellet grill and a Weber kettle. I am out of the worst of any wind and do not use any blankets to retain heat.
Good grief. -4 Fahrenheit for a cutoff. We occasionally see temps below zero Fahrenheit in Southern Illinois…our wind chills might be that low tomorrow morning…outdoor activities around here just stop at 15-20 Fahrenheit.
Brian_M I have cooked at colder temperatures when my meal planning did not conicide with the weather forcast. The cooking is fine it's the cook who suffers and tries to keep the time outside to a minimum.
I’m another “winter wind is the enemy” when cooking outdoors in the winter.
I use my PBC in the winter but less than the rest of the year and I always move it out of the wind. Sometimes I have made a windbreak out of OSB or even heavy cardboard.
My gas grill lives in the garage and I usually move it just outside or just inside the door depending on conditions.
Wintertime cooking
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