Smoking a Pork Butt in 11 Degree Weather - PBC or WSM?

[TBoneMac]

I'm smoking an 8-lb, bone-in pork butt at 275 degrees starting Saturday morning at about 2:30AM. The butt needs to be done, rested, and pulled at 12:30PM for a Christmas lunch gathering. That gives me 8 hours for the cook itself.


I've done this sort of cook successfully many times before, both on my PBC and WSM 18.5. However, it's going to be 11 degrees F that night, and I've never cooked outside in that low temperature.


Which of the two smokers would you recommend for a cook in cold weather like that? The PBC or WSM 18.5?


Thanks.

 

[Bill-Chicago]

I never owned a PBC

I have an older (20years) WSM, what is what, the 18"

I have two turkey breasts, I am concerned. Will be 0* to -8* game time Saturday

Trying to find moving blankets tomorrow to wrap the WSM in

 

[Bill-Chicago]

Just thought of this.


I was an ECB guy prior to the Brethren, .....


I'm going to go an get an wardrobe box from u-haul movers tomorrow. I use to wrap ECB in thermal blank and cover with a wardrobe moving box.


So....


Get yourself a box, any box, but it must fit fully over your WSM or PBC. Get a blanket to wrap around WSM/PBC. Ignite. Wrap in blanket. Put wardrobe box over PBC/WSM. Weigh down flaps from box on ground next to PBC/WSM if needed

 

[ronbrad62]

If you don't insulate that smoker, plan on using a lot more fuel because I have cooked in competitions overnight and it wasn't quite that cold, probably in the upper 30s, and I really burned through some charcoal.

 

[Harmony BBQ]

The WSM will be just fine. Block the wind, wrap in a blanket if possible. Start cooking a little earlier if you can, doesn’t hurt to rest the meat a bit. Another option is to smoke for a few hours and then finish in the oven while you get some sleep!

 

[16Adams]

I'm smoking an 8-lb, bone-in pork butt at 275 degrees starting Saturday morning at about 2:30AM. The butt needs to be done, rested, and pulled at 12:30PM for a Christmas lunch gathering. That gives me 8 hours for the cook itself.


I've done this sort of cook successfully many times before, both on my PBC and WSM 18.5. However, it's going to be 11 degrees F that night, and I've never cooked outside in that low temperature.


Which of the two smokers would you recommend for a cook in cold weather like that? The PBC or WSM 18.5?


Thanks.

I've never done it, but I've read repeatedly through the years of folks using a Harbor Freight welding blanket. No clue if it works, but it sure gets recommended a lot

 

[TBoneMac]

Just thought of this.

I was an ECB guy prior to the Brethren, .....

I'm going to go an get an wardrobe box from u-haul movers tomorrow. I use to wrap ECB in thermal blank and cover with a wardrobe moving box.

So....

Get yourself a box, any box, but it must fit fully over your WSM or PBC. Get a blanket to wrap around WSM/PBC. Ignite. Wrap in blanket. Put wardrobe box over PBC/WSM. Weigh down flaps from box on ground next to PBC/WSM if needed

I've got a bunch of large cardboard boxes laying around. I'll cobble something together. And use an insulating blanket.


Thanks.

 

[1Gradymaci]

Heavy smoke for 2 hours then stick that Butt in your oven..

 

[SMOKE FREAK]

I've used my WSM in temps like that without a wrap. Just a good windbreak. It will use more fuel but that's just the cost of doing business.

And there's no shame in an oven finish.

 

[Smoking Piney]

Mac, I don't own the cookers you mentioned. I just want to wish you success in however you do it. 11 degrees is brutal on smoking.

 

[Clasko2]

Like a few other have said, with my WSM cold was never the issue, it's the wind. If you can do something to block the wind, you'll be fine.

 

[TBoneMac]

Well, I ended up cooking the pork butt overnight on the PBC at 275 degrees with three hickory chunks until IT was 165, then wrapped in foil and finished in a convection oven to an IT of 203. It was one of my best pork butts ever. We took it to a big family gathering and it received most of the food compliments for the evening.

It was so cold (9 degrees) at 1:00AM that two birds and an owl tried coming thru my door when I opened it to go in and out. But the PBC ran just fine.

 

[Stingerhook]

Glad to hear the effort was worth it Mac.

 

[jzadski]

There's nothing like cold smoking :laugh:

 

[Curt.P]

Could have at least let the owl in.

 

[Bill-Chicago]

Well, I ended up cooking the pork butt overnight on the PBC at 275 degrees with three hickory chunks until IT was 165, then wrapped in foil and finished in a convection oven to an IT of 203. It was one of my best pork butts ever. We took it to a big family gathering and it received most of the food compliments for the evening.

It was so cold (9 degrees) at 1:00AM that two birds and an owl tried coming thru my door when I opened it to go in and out. But the PBC ran just fine.

Did you do the box trick for the wind?


I found a large box in the car hold that fit perfectly around my 18.5" or whatever WSM. Started at 225* with near boiling water in the pan, threw the box on, and took about 2 hours to clime to 300* where it sat for the 6 hours needed for two 8#+ turkey breast to come up to done.


Was like -9* when I started.



Worked like a charm.


Congrats on the successful cook!

 

[TBoneMac]

Did you do the box trick for the wind?


I found a large box in the car hold that fit perfectly around my 18.5" or whatever WSM. Started at 225* with near boiling water in the pan, threw the box on, and took about 2 hours to clime to 300* where it sat for the 6 hours needed for two 8#+ turkey breast to come up to done.

Was like -9* when I started.

Worked like a charm.

Congrats on the successful cook!

Thanks.


I placed the PBC in the corner of my covered patio, and put some storage boxes in front. So it was protected from the wind. And with my BBQ Guru ATC, it held 275 easy for hours. Credit to the PBC and BBQ Guru.

 

[ronbrad62]

Congrats on the success of your cook and the compliments.

 

[cowgirl]

Sounds great!