What do I need to know for using my egg in the colder temps??

1911Man

Title pretty much says it all.

I'm planning to smoke a turkey tomorrow (starting in the early morning since I need to be OTD at 11:30 for Thanksgiving family time). We're looking at a daytime high of about 18F tomorrow, with tonight getting down to about 9F.

Simply looking for any advice long (or longer) time egg users can provide. I'm already planning about a 30 minute "get to temperature" time. I'm thinking of putting the platesetter/indirect cook item, into the egg after the charcoal is going for about 10 minutes to get that up to temperature sooner. I'll remove it in order to add the flavor wood and then put it back in so that I can start using it. Remote probe thermometer will be in the turkey breast per normal methods so that I'll know when it's done. I might put the second probe next to it (has a piece to be off the grate) so I see what the chamber temperature without looking at it.

I'm finding that a more "hands-off" approach is a LOT better when smoking turkey or turkey breast sections.

My plan is to get it up to 300-325F as soon as possible so that the turkey is done at a decent time.

BTW, I have the medium BGE. I think I have the vent combination figured out for getting to my target temp (for indirect cooking). Any advice there would also be appreciated.

Also, this will be a second turkey for consumption tomorrow. Mom is getting a bird in the 18-20# range that will be done in the oven. Mine is about 13# (can't go above 14# for smoking in the medium egg). I did find out that the turkey comes out a LOT better when I smoke it in the 300-325F range. Which is NOT something I could have done in the old smoker I had. I also couldn't have fit an entire turkey (of any size) in that thing. So going to the BGE was a major upgrade.

Fred19Flintstone

I live in Michigan and egg year round.  I notice very little extra time needed to egg in the cold.  The fire heats the egg pretty quickly and the ceramic holds the heat.  What I'm saying, is I would cook using normal procedures.  Egg on brother!

I love the 1911, by the way.  I inherited my Dad's Colt M1911A1 Government Model.  I love firing that thing!

HendersonTRKing

Wear a coat?  Less ice in your brown water?

Seriously, I've not noticed any material difference in the cold.  Like @Fred19Flintstone says, Yabba Dabba Doo . . . little extra time needed and the ceramic does its job w/o having to futz around with it.

toolndie7

I'll be out ther with ya, got a high of about 20° forecast for tomorrow as well.

Stoogie

When using my egg in colder temps, I find that -

- I use more lump due to starting from a colder ambient temp
- I drink my beer faster so it doesn't freeze up

Otherwise, it's business as usual.

ColtsFan

I like to get the egg going an hour before I plan on start cooking just to let things settle and stabilize. Throw the platesetter in 15-20 minutes after the you light the lump. Layer your smoking wood in with the lump and you won't need to remove the platesetter to add smoking wood. 

AlbertaEgger

No issues at all. I use them year round, I find no difference, and I have used them in some pretty cold ass temperatures.

1911Man

I was hoping this was the case. With the thick ceramic lining inside the egg, I didn't expect it to be any issue while cooking. More a matter of how much more time to get it up to temp.

I'll probably put the indirect cooking piece on something that won't cause thermal stress to it (once I pull it from the egg where it will be getting warm). I had thought about heating that in the oven, but I'm not sure if that would be a good idea.

I have some very good gloves to wear when handling these things, so that won't be any issue. So probably one of the sheet pans with something to put between it and the platesetter thing. More to act as a barrier than anything else.

It's going to be sofa king good to have the smoked turkey at least warm on the table. Otherwise it would be cold and I just didn't want to go down that path. Anything that's not eaten tomorrow, or taken home by others, comes home with me. Of course, I'll still get another turkey breast section to smoke this weekend (most likely Sunday) for sammiches next week.

ColtsFan

1911Man said:

I was hoping this was the case. With the thick ceramic lining inside the egg, I didn't expect it to be any issue while cooking. More a matter of how much more time to get it up to temp.

I'll probably put the indirect cooking piece on something that won't cause thermal stress to it (once I pull it from the egg where it will be getting warm). I had thought about heating that in the oven, but I'm not sure if that would be a good idea.

I have some very good gloves to wear when handling these things, so that won't be any issue. So probably one of the sheet pans with something to put between it and the platesetter thing. More to act as a barrier than anything else.

It's going to be sofa king good to have the smoked turkey at least warm on the table. Otherwise it would be cold and I just didn't want to go down that path. Anything that's not eaten tomorrow, or taken home by others, comes home with me. Of course, I'll still get another turkey breast section to smoke this weekend (most likely Sunday) for sammiches next week.

Sounds like a good Holiday plan.

Don't forget to post pics

northGAcock

Will take a few minutes longer to heat up.....will cool down a few min faster. 

1911Man

Of course I'll post pics...

I do love how the smoke just jets out the top of the egg when it's going (flavor wood smoke)...

I might try to get to the grocery store on Friday (or maybe today) to get some beef to smoke on Friday to make a batch of chili. I smoked some for the last batch and it came out damned good. Good amount of smoke flavor which is exactly what I wanted.

Legume

Only comment I would have is leave plenty of time to stabilize temp.  30 min from start to turkey on may be too quick, you don’t want to be chasing temps with the bird on and it only costs a little more lump to start earlier to get temp locked in.

1911Man

The only issue I've seen with getting the temp where I want it, once putting the setter in, is due to the temperature of the setter. Which is why I'm planning to put that in once the thing is running for ~15 minutes (as posted above). Aim to light around 6:30am (or so). If things go right, I'll be putting the turkey on around 7am and then pulling it before 11:30. I'm 20 minutes to where I need to be tomorrow, so that's no issue. Figure 10 minutes to get it packed into the cooler for transport and into the truck is a good time frame. IF I get lucky, it will be done before 11:30 and I can head over sooner.

I also plan to pull the skin off, saving it, before slicing it up. That will be used in turkey soup later. I'm almost out of turkey soup, so a batch needs to be made ASAP (maybe Friday so I can make chili either Saturday or Sunday).

I'm glad I have a chest freezer these days.

chard

I egg year-round in Minnesota and the only thing I really notice is that I have to open the vent on the bottom a bit more to get the same temp versus the summer.   I'm talking 1/8 of an inch or so - not much but there is a slight difference.  And I leave the top vent the same.  Like others have said, it may also take a bit longer to get to temp but once you are there things will roll along as usual.  Good luck.

lousubcap

Regarding cold weather and shutting down the BGE-I use a layer of foil strips along the gasket surface to preclude any issues with opening the BGE the next time.  FWIW-