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Winter is coming. Can I still . . . . .

This will be my first winter with a BGE. Mine is stored outside but well under a covered porch. I plan to get a cover for it shortly. My real question is: Do I need to be concerned about firing it up at any point this winter regardless of outside temperature? Risk of cracking or any other damage? I know to what for band tightness but didn't know about the rest. Thanks for your time.
I cook. I eat. I repeat. Thornville, Ohio

Comments

  • This will be my second winter with an Egg completely exposed to the elements.  I didn't have any problems last year but will be paying closer attention this year.  I would say that I wouldn't attempt to go from stone cold to searing temperatures as quick as possible but as long as you give the ceramics time to warm up you should be fine.
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    One tip for cold weather. If you find the Egg frozen shut, put a lit oil soaked paper towel or starter cube in through the bottom vent. Will thaw out quickly and you will be ready to cook in no time. Love cooking in the snow - keeps the Tito's cold
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • This will be my 2nd winter with my Egg never had any trouble with the Egg even in 38 inches of snow the Egg worked like a champ doing low and slows the Egg is a amazing peace of equipment as a matter of fact I think it's easer to do low and slow cooks in the winter then in the heat of summer I love Egging in the cold and so does my Egg 
    2 Large Eggs and a Mini 2 Pit Bulls and a Pork shoulder or butt nearby and 100% SICILIAN
    Long Island N.Y.
  • BOWHUNR
    BOWHUNR Posts: 1,487
    I've cooked many a meal over the last few years in the single digits.  Dress warm, fire her up and cook away!!

    Mike 

    I'm ashamed what I did for a Klondike Bar!!

    Omaha, NE
  • sumoconnell
    sumoconnell Posts: 1,932
    I've  lived in Texas for a while now, and the cold weather alerts I still find funny.

    We report wind chill when it's still above freezing, etc.  I got a *severe* weather alert today.  Light frost may come tonight.  


    The good news is that our hipster population has been wearing scarves and fedoras since summer just in case this day came... 

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Austin, Texas.  I'm the guy holding a beer.
  • It gets pretty cold here in Ottawa and I have been egging since 2008 and I use my two eggs throughout the winter.  The only cold weather issue I have encountered is having the lid stick on me and last winter I started using three-inch lengths of pipe strapping that I place at four points along the rim before closing down the egg.  I have had no issues with shutting down the egg and the egg opens without any effort every time.

    Tom

    Tom

    Charles is a mischevious feline who always has something cooking

    Twin lbge's .. grew up in the sun parlor of Canada but now egging in the nation's capital

  • I had to be careful walking back and forth from the house to my egg last night as there was ice on my deck.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
  • Happy to here that I can continue to use my egg. Expecting eight degrees tonight. I live at 5300 feet on the side of a mountain so the weather can be pretty severe. I do have a problem with black bears. I have an eight lb. pork butt sitting in the freezer that I didn't get smoked before the bears got active and now I have to wait until they hibernate or I risk a tipped egg and fire on the deck or worse yet a stolen butt. I don't think I can make it all night baby sitting.
  • 500
    500 Posts: 3,177
    The first thing I do when it snows is clear a path on the deck to the Egg.  Cooking in the snow is kinda cool.  You can Egg in any weather.
    I like my butt rubbed and my pork pulled.
    Member since 2009
  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,008
    I know it's placebo but egged food tastes the best when it's negative something and snowing!
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
  • I had to be careful walking back and forth from the house to my egg last night as there was ice on my deck.
    I know you are just "visiting" (and we are glad to have you) but real Canucks just wear skates.....  :))
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • revolver1
    revolver1 Posts: 372
    edited November 2013
    Never had a problem after 5 years.  I keep mine covered most of the time and just fire it up and go for it.  

    Dan, Columbia,Mo.
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    No problem - don't worry! Coldest I ever have egged was a minus 11 degrees - not wind chill!
    image
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • I had to be careful walking back and forth from the house to my egg last night as there was ice on my deck.
    I know you are just "visiting" (and we are glad to have you) but real Canucks just wear skates.....  :))
    Been "visiting" for over 12 yrs. now and I can honestly say that I can count on one hand (and I don't even need all 5 fingers) the number of times I've put on a pair of skates!
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
  • Hibby
    Hibby Posts: 606
    Thanks for all the responses. So glad to hear all is well!
    I cook. I eat. I repeat. Thornville, Ohio
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    Bearlodge said:

    Happy to here that I can continue to use my egg. Expecting eight degrees tonight. I live at 5300 feet on the side of a mountain so the weather can be pretty severe. I do have a problem with black bears. I have an eight lb. pork butt sitting in the freezer that I didn't get smoked before the bears got active and now I have to wait until they hibernate or I risk a tipped egg and fire on the deck or worse yet a stolen butt. I don't think I can make it all night baby sitting.

    Bear in your egg... Pimp slap that biatch...
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • Tjcoley said:
    One tip for cold weather. If you find the Egg frozen shut, put a lit oil soaked paper towel or starter cube in through the bottom vent. Will thaw out quickly and you will be ready to cook in no time.
    Had that happen last night at -4 C here (first winter with the egg) couldn't get the top open and puzzled me for a second, but the bottom  opened fine and the steaks got cooked after some unusual heating of the egg like you said.
    Brampton, Ontario



  • rcone
    rcone Posts: 219
    I have used the egg all winter long in Wisconsin; when there is a huge snow drift next to the egg, it makes it easier to hold a temperature. I would just avoid using a weed burner as a lighter. 
    "Feed me, or feed me to something; I just want to be part of the food chain" Al Bundy

    LBGE, SBGE, Carson Rotisserie, Blackstone Griddle  

    Milwaukee, Wisconsin 
  • YEMTrey
    YEMTrey Posts: 6,829
    I love egging in the winter.  I find great joy in cooking steaks and ribs in the dead of winter while my neighbors are all hunkered down in their houses waiting for spring.

    I used to be the same way as my neighbors. 

    The Egg has made the winter months around here much more enjoyable.
    Steve 
    XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio

  • rcone said:
    I have used the egg all winter long in Wisconsin; when there is a huge snow drift next to the egg, it makes it easier to hold a temperature. I would just avoid using a weed burner as a lighter. 
    I have used my weed eater without issue, even on those -25c days (-13F).  Mind you, I make sure I am pointing it at a good stack of lump.

    Tom

    Charles is a mischevious feline who always has something cooking

    Twin lbge's .. grew up in the sun parlor of Canada but now egging in the nation's capital

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    Another advantage of egging in the winter is there is always a handy spot to keep your brewski cold!
    image
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • robnybbq
    robnybbq Posts: 1,911
    I hate cooking in the winter - then again I hate winter.  I can't stand the cold and it gets worse every year.  We used the Egg a few times last winter.  More for longer low n slow cooks then quick ones as I dont like the cold and dont want to be outside flipping burgers, steaks, chicken etc.

    Now that my propane heater broke it will be worse this year.

    I need to move the FL.

    _______________________________________________________________
    LBGE, Adjustable Rig, Spider, High-Que grate, maverick ET-732, Thermapen,


    Garnerville, NY
  • MaC122
    MaC122 Posts: 797
    If your egg does crack, which mine did in Florida of all places, don't worry! The bottom shell cracked after 4 months of use and all I had to do was send some pictures to the Ace Hardware where I purchased it from. I just received the call that my lower egg replacement is in. Awesome customer service and they stand by their products. I'm an egger for life now. Hope this eases your mind and enjoy your green buddy
    St. Johns County, Florida