using egg in cold mn WINTER

Unknown

I AM INTERESTED IN PURCHASING AN EGG BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT USING THE EGG DURING THE LONG WINTERS. WILL IT HEAT UP? CRACK? HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO COOK WHEN IT IS FREEZING OUTSIDE?[p]COULD ANYONE IN MINNESOTA GIVE ME SOME FEEDBACK?[p]THANK YOU

Smoked Signals

Darren from Minnesota,
I cooked with outside temp a -5 F for 12 hours at 220 F and one load of charcoal. No problems, no cracks, no chips nothing but great pork butt. [p]Ms. Eggy stayed warm all winter with many low and slow cooks.[p]
ps CAPS is Shouting.[p]

GoodEgg

Darren from Minnesota,[p]I've had mine up to 700 degrees when it was well below freezing in Massachusetts without any harm at all.

Unknown

Darren from Minnesota, Unlock your cap key, caps is considered yelling on forums...and don't be worrying bout no cold weather before the time comes...just kiddin...I've seen a lot of people here comment that they perform just as well as in warmer weather...Can't say for your sub zero weather for sure cause I hadn't cooked any below around 30. Oh yea , I have heard some complaints about cooking on em and them sweating and freezing the lid together.

stike

Darren from Minnesota,
i did a lo and slo overnight during the worst storm this winter (near Boston).
got 30 inches of snow, with howling winds and snow drifts.[p]i left the egg going when i went o bed and got up at 6 in the morning.
it was still at 220 degrees, no issues.[p]the cook times for things are unaffected by the outside airtemp.

Unknown

Darren from Minnesota,
Nothing like a Christmas turkey roasted on a BGE. We love Egging in all weather. The Egg loves it, too.
Cheers,
Gretl (in central Pennsylvania, the Land that Time Forgot)

The Naked Whiz

<p />Darren from Minnesota,
Those other cookers need help in the winter. The egg doesn't.
TNW

WooDoggies

<p />Darren from Minnesota,[p]Before.[p]

WooDoggies

<p />After.[p]No problem.[p]John

Steve-B

WooDoggies,[p]Did the dog help?

Julie R

Darren from Minnesota,
I live in northwest Iowa and have never had a problem with cooking in the winter at any temp. My biggest problem is getting my wimpy self outside to use it. My BGE sits uncovered on the deck year round with the only problem being the felt gasket freezing together after one of our lovely snow storms. As far as heating up time, it might take a little (1-2 minutes) to heat up since it's starting at a lower temp, but keeping at whatever temp I want is no problem. Keep in mind that it is warrantied against cracking or breaking due to use in extreme heats (up to 2000 degrees) or colds. Buy one, you'll never regret it!
Julie R

Mike in MN

Darren from Minnesota,
I've had one on the deck for 2 years. Cooked in ALL kinds of weather...worst was about -10 with a 20-25 MPH wind....no problem. Woo Doggies pictures ptetty much sum it up.[p]Biggest problem with freezing/winter weather is on a rare occasion, the dome will freeze shut. The answer is to light from below and let it thaw itself out. No forcing required, or allowed. If the egg was covered, it probably wouldn't be an issue. [p]Mine has never been covered. Looks fine...if I'd wash it. I think a gritty looking grill adds character. I've only torn it apart a couple of times for "deep cleaning." I figure the gunk on the interior is a form of seasoning, like cast iron pans.[p]Here's something to think about...the egg heats up faster than a gasser. Wind has no effect, other than it will help it draft better, thereby heating up a bit faster. (temp has very little effect) Rain has no effect, unless it is pouring so hard it is going through the top vents....but there are ways around that problem (heck, tin foil works)[p]This is hands down the best piece of equipment for BBQ'ing in Minnesota all year....it's even doing fine this spring![p]Mike in Brooklyn Park, MN

WooDoggies

<p />Steve-B,[p]Yep, he helped me eat the critter that came off the egg.[p]John

Chuck

Darren from Minnesota,[p]I guess you get the idea but I thought I would add a photo or two.[p][p]

Steve-B

WooDoggies,
Great photo!!! He looks very at home in the snow.[p]

WooDoggies

Steve-B,[p]Thanks! He's the most 'at home' in the snow.
I found him, or he found me, as a stray in the Alaska Range mtns near the Denali wilderness in SE Alaska.
We've been together nearly 16 years and have traveled all over North America together...... what a pal.[p]He likes the cold and vittles from the egg.[p]John

Unknown

Darren from Minnesota,[p]The egg works juts fine in cold weather...[p]It could be dangerous though..here's a story that the Stump posted a while back...beware.[p]LB[p]Name: StumpBaby
E-Mail: paul@syncinc.com
Subject: You mockin me ?
Body of Message:[p]Ahh..what a sad day it was today my friends..overnight..14 inches of lovely snow fell in the Manadnock region of New Hampshire...and me..being the planner that I am..had done my grocery shopping at the piggly wiggly yesterday. I bought bacon..and hamburgers..among other things..figuring I haven't done hamburgers in a while and it might be good for dinner tonight...notice the use of the word "might"..such a sad word..right up there with the word "maybe"...most of the time one or the other of these sad words can be found in good use by the Mrs Stump..who over time..has become an expert in their use..most of all when it pertains to something I almost always want..but hardly seem to get...not because it can't be found..cause unless it has moved..(and I've no reason to believe it could, although I'm pretty sure there are some things it can do that I haven't been privy to..try as I might to discover them...even one time coming upstairs with just a miners helmet on..and all I get is a "sorry no miners allowed"..least she could have done is to take a single look at my helmet)its usually in the same place..well hidden..apparently afraid of the light during the day..and afraid of everything else during the night.[p]But anyway..back to my little problem...so come round 4:00, I decided I'd better get my butt out there and get that egg going to cook them burgers..this is when I started to suspect that my wife and my medium egg..not to mention many other inanimate objects.. are in cahoots to drive me insane...just as I was getting out to that egg....I heard a snapping noise..and I realized in an instant, that the umbrella over the egg..was in the process of not only snapping..cause that probably wouldn't quite be enough torture for me..but also in the process of dumping all it's snow directly on top of me...I suppose I should have been glad the umbrella itself didn't land on me...but that snow sure was cold as it rolled down the back of my neck...I took this opportunity to kick that umbella like you read about..throwing out a single loud cus word in the process..not because I didn't know more..but I figured I'd used up enough of them earlier this morning trying to start my snowblower...this day was going so well...I figured I better start conserving...but...right about the time I made contact with that umbrella..my left foot came out from under me...which prolly wouldn't have happened if I'd been able to shovel a proper path out to the egg..but since my shovel was now considerably shorter..since earlier this morning...it inadvertently suddenly slammed into the side of the snowblower..resulting in a painful ringin in my ears loud enough to drown out the long string of cus words I was using at the time...which I suppose since I technically didn't hear them..can and most probably would...be legal for reuse before the day is out..I took this opportunity to use one more as I was getting myself up out of the snow..and dusting my behind off..which..I might as well mention...took this opportunity to alert me..in it's own special way..that as I fell...it lost control of somethin it so dearly wanted to hold onto but couldn't. I don't need to go into any more detail than that..except maybe to say..I used up a few more wonderful words on the way back to the house...looking for a change of clothes..and a new right hand glove.[p]Finally....almost a full hour after I intended to start the egg..I was back out there..walking by the umbrella..since I was still mad..I decided to conserve my voice and use my middle finger too get my point across..which I did probably 4 more times than the poor thing deserved..but I figured they're cheap..why not make use of them...Finally....I get to the egg..and low and behold..the darned thing is frozen shut..it ain't budging..even though I put both my pink gloved right hand (my wifes glove....I figured why should I be the only one suffering for the meal...stretching out her right hand glove was the least I could do...this did ...I should point out..though little it may sound..server to calm me down..for the entire walk from the front door till I saw that stinking umbrella..at which point I think I could have been wearin both her golves and her underwear..wait scratch that...her gloves and her pants..no wait...scratch that..ok both her gloves..and it STILL wouldn't have kept me from using that middle finger four times in a row)and my blue gloved left hand..on the lid and pulled with all my might.[p]Nothing..I ran inside to get a firestarter, figured I could slide it in the bottom draft door..and get the lump going that way...on the way back...I used two middle fingers on that umbrella..then..seing as this didn't seem to calm me down..I stood there..shaking all my fingers at it..screaming at the top of my lungs "here's a whole friggen bouquet"..don't know why..but that did seem to cheer me up a bit... I walked back into the house..at which point the wife promptly asked me if the burgers were ready...she sure did look at me funny when I just stood there..wiggling my fingers back and forth and laughing an evil laugh..but I got me one of them firestarters..walked back out there....wiggling my fingers at the umbrella as I walked by...dropped it on the end of my lawn ranger grill lifter flippin firestarter holdin device for frozen eggs thing...lit it..and slid it in the draft door...slipping back into uttering swear words with a complete disregard for the limited amount I had left.[p]Back into the house..showing my fingers to the umbrella from hell yet again as I passed...in to form the burgers..which took me about 5 minutes..and I figured by the time I went back out to that egg..i'd be able to open it up..but could I...no..noo...no...the firestarter was almost out...and the darn thing was still frozen..back to the house..this time showin all my fingers to anything I passed..and quickly running into the bathroom..slammin the door..and screaming out 2 maybe 3 choice words..before calmly coming back out...slowly walked back to the egg..kicking the umbrella from hell as I pass...slipped the second firestarter in..back to the house to wait....waving frantically and swearing loudly..at everything I pass on the way...walk into the kitchen..waving my hands over the hamburgers..swearing at them vehemently..the wife and kids are now upstairs..I think huddled in the corner of the master bedroom...5 minutes..back out to the egg..kicking, swearing..and waving at the umbrella from hell as I go..back to the egg...nothing..nothing nothing..firestarter is out.[p]I feel defeated...back into the house...pull out an electric pan..steam the hell out of the burgers....every five minutes running back to the door..flinging it open..and waving all my fingers at the egg...and the umbrella from hell...and twice running out to the garage... and kicking the damned shovel breakin..cus word hoggin..fourteen hundred dollar..snow blower ..just cause I can. Ahh...fifteen minutes..steamed burgers are done..house is silent..I'm sitting at one end of the table..rest of the family waaaayyy down the other end..starin at me..their eyes wide open....eating their steamed burgers..and telling me in detail how great they are.[p]Finally...belly full of steamed burger..and more than one beer...I'm ready to calmly go try again with the egg....I'm doing well..walking past the umbrella from hell without even an urge to either swear..or lift a finger, or kick the darned thing...I get to the egg...and I see the damned temperature guage now reads 350..and I reach over..and lift the lid right up..no problem. Now...here I was thinking I wouldn't be using any more swear words..but something like that happens..and if you don't use just one..not more than one..just one..you just may explode...so I lifted my giant steam cooked burger eating cranium up to the sky and shouted out just one single cus word..and that's all..I slowly walked back to the house...numbly searchin for another beer.[p]Ahh..the life of a Stump..