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Newbie with care questions for cold weather

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Griff2w2
Griff2w2 Posts: 53
in EggHead Forum
I recently found a dealer who is going to give me a great price on a demo egg package.  My main concern is climate up here in North Dakota.  While summers a very agreeable, winters have the potential to dip down as low as -40 *F.  Are there any additional considerations I need to worry about with storing/using my new shinny green toy?  Any advice is very much appreciated
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  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
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    Haven't gone to minus 40, but I've had many a day belo zero. Cooked steaks at minus 4 this past winter with no problem, with an uncovered LBGE. May take a bit longer to get to temp, but once there, Egg functions just fine. Our friends from Canuckistan will probably weigh in as well.
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
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  • Monty77
    Monty77 Posts: 667
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    In my area we get temps as low as -25, but in all honesty, those are days I tend to avoid the outdoors and just cook indoors or order take out... But I have had my egg going in plenty of -10 or colder days and have had no issues, might take a bit longer to get to temp, but nothing else seems to be bothered by the cold in my experiences. 
    Large BGE 2011, XL BGE 2015, Mini Max 2015, and member of the "North of the Border Smokin Squad" Canadian Outdoor Chef from London, Ontario, Canada

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/monty77/
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  • Griff2w2
    Griff2w2 Posts: 53
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    Wonderful! Thanks for the info.  I really don't plan on doing a lot of cooking in the dead of winter but glad to know the egg will be safe out there.  
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  • stevesails
    stevesails Posts: 990
    edited May 2014
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    Was that minus 40 C or F?

    I've always wanted to ask that question.
    XL   Walled Lake, MI

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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
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    There are some folks from the Peg, Saskabush and Tar Sand Country, they have lots of experience with cold cooking. I am a wuss, I may shovel snow in Birkenstocks, but I don't egg much below 0ºC.
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • Griff2w2
    Griff2w2 Posts: 53
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    F. But let's be honest... Cold is cold at that point 
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  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,824
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    Griff2w2 said:
    F. But let's be honest... Cold is cold at that point 
    I think he meant celsius.
    NOLA
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
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    There have been a number of Canadian Eggers who have used their Eggs in the temp range. The lowest I've used mine was -17F. I've run into 2 problems. If the gasket is damp when the temp drops below freezing, the dome can be frozen shut. The fix can be as simple as tossing a few chunks of burning lump into the bottom vent, and letting the heat get to where the gasket unfreezes. I've also left the Egg uncovered, and found it crusted shut in ice. I use a torch to start mine, so I just had to melt the shell off. So, I try to keep mine covered during the snowy months. If water gets into the Egg, that can be bad. As the ice forms and expands in volume, it can break the ceramic.
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  • MJG
    MJG Posts: 598
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    stevesails said:
    Was that minus 40 C or F? Nice! I think the author above knows this but C and F "meet"/are the same @ -40. I've always wanted to ask that question.

    Large Big Green Egg in a nest. North Shore of Boston.
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  • stevesails
    stevesails Posts: 990
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    YEP. That was an albebra/temp conversion problem I had in science class I'll never forget -40F equals -40 C
    It is cold though.
    XL   Walled Lake, MI

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  • Monty77
    Monty77 Posts: 667
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    gdenby said:
    There have been a number of Canadian Eggers who have used their Eggs in the temp range. The lowest I've used mine was -17F. I've run into 2 problems. If the gasket is damp when the temp drops below freezing, the dome can be frozen shut. The fix can be as simple as tossing a few chunks of burning lump into the bottom vent, and letting the heat get to where the gasket unfreezes. I've also left the Egg uncovered, and found it crusted shut in ice. I use a torch to start mine, so I just had to melt the shell off. So, I try to keep mine covered during the snowy months. If water gets into the Egg, that can be bad. As the ice forms and expands in volume, it can break the ceramic.
    The covering of the egg in ice and snow is helpful, nice advice on this one, I have had to carefully de-ice mine before.  Your comment on the gasket being wet and freezing the lid to the bottom, I have personally never experienced this in the past three harsh winters we have had here, but friends of mine will place small wedges of wood or wood skewers in a few places along the gasket to keep the egg from fully closing to avoid this situation.  They claim it helps a ton, I can't personally validate it though. 
    Large BGE 2011, XL BGE 2015, Mini Max 2015, and member of the "North of the Border Smokin Squad" Canadian Outdoor Chef from London, Ontario, Canada

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/monty77/
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  • stemc33
    stemc33 Posts: 3,567
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    I'm in Wyoming and I know we don't usually get as cold as North Dakota, we still experience extreme weather and my egg did just fine this winter. I leave mine out in the weather uncovered. People with other BBQ's such as the pellet feeders can't believe I cook in below zero weather. They have problems holding heat with them thin things. Don't know personally, just going on what the pellet feeders tell me.
    Steven
    Mini Max with Woo stone combo, LBGE, iGrill 2, Plate Setter, 
    two cotton pot holders to handle PS
    Banner, Wyoming
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  • BigGreenKev
    BigGreenKev Posts: 253
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    I live in Minneapolis and we don't get quite as cold as you do in NoDak, but we get plenty cold and snow.  I cooked on mine 2-3 times a week this winter and past winters.  No issues leaving it uncovered.  I did have the top freeze shut once this winter but a small piece of wood in the door heats it up enough to life.  The wood wedge is a great idea. 

    If you want it to heat up faster in the winter, I take a small 5 inch clip on fan from like Target and blow that on the lump for a few minutes an that gets the fire going quicker.  All in all I would not have any worries if I was you. 
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  • trooper
    trooper Posts: 7
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    I'm also in ND so I'm glad you asked this question. I just got my egg and am on my second cook as I type this!
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  • Griff2w2
    Griff2w2 Posts: 53
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    Very cool. I had no doubt this would be a great source for help. Thanks again
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