How cold is too cold to cook on the BGE?

Grumpa

I live outside of Chicago, we have tons of snow and its in the teens in the evenings when I want to cook. Has anyone used their BGE in such cold weather? If so what did you do to make the BGE work better? How cold is too cold?[p]Thanks for your help. Bob

BBQfan1

Bob, If you find that the metal tongs are sticking to your fingers, you may want to consider putting cook off for another day (or just get some gloves, if you're really in the mood for que!)
Seriously, the Egg seems to have a higher tolerance for cold weather than the chefs involved. There has been some postings regarding the occasional cracking of fireboxes and the correlation between cracking and cold air rushing into the high-temp atmosphere of the Egg. Whether the introduction of extremely cold air during a winter cook, versus the moderate outside air of a spring-summer-fall cook creates a greater chance of firebox cracking is up for debate. Personally, I'd say that the Egg qualifies as an all-season, all-conditions smoker/grill.
BBQfan1
ps--This post is from a frost-bitten Canadian Egger who has used the Egg throughout the winter months, with no adverse affect to the Egg, or chef for that matter.

RhumAndJerk

BBQfan1,
During the Cold Cooks, use the peek and run method. Quickly peek at the egg and run back into the house.[p]Or you could cheat like KennyG does and move the BGE into the Garage and just cook near the open garage door.[p]BBQFan1 has it right, the BGE takes the cold better than the chef.[p]If this does not keep you warm, then try this.
RhumAndJerk
I am in Cleveland awaiting the next Snow Storm.[p]
[ul][li]Hot Buttered Rhum[/ul]

MickeyT

<p />Bob,[p]I don't think it's ever too cold.
:>)
I have cooked a dozen times the last 3 weeks and the egg really does a great job. [p]MickeyT.

Nature Boy

MickeyT.,
Nice pic. Is the snow meant to keep the beer from freezing??
Happy Holidays
NB

BBbrew

Bob,[p]I have only had my BGE for a couple of weeks now and have cooked on it four times in ambient temperatures ranging from about 2 to 20 degrees F. Windchills were in the -20 to -30 degree range during most of the cooking episodes. From my experience I can tell you that the Egg will cook just fine in ANY weather. Basically, the question is, "How cold can you stand it?".

KennyG

RhumAndJerk,[p]Cheating?? Naaaaaw, I like to stay in the garage to keep my PBR from freezing with these recent wind chills. I've got to try Mickey T's "Illinois insulator".[p]K~G

RhumAndJerk

KennyG,
HehE
R&J

Mr Beer

<p />Bob,
As the folks here have said - there is no problem cooking with the BGE in the cold.

Mop

Bob, Siberia might rank as too cold.....other than that light er up!....[p]I`m in Ontario Canada and it`s cold......My new Egg works flawlessly![p]Mop!

ChefRD

Bob,
When you can't stand the cold.
I live 60 miles from you (across the lake) and I have used mine for several years with the temps in the single digits and the only problem i had was digging out the egg so i could open it and fire it up.
So, from my experience if you can take the cold, so can the egg.
Later,
ChefRD