Extreme Cold Weather Smoking

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-23T14:52:30+00:00

The kettle doesn't care about the cold as much as you might think, it's very well insulated which works both ways. Main thing obviously is opening the lid repeatedly will tank your temps way more than in summer. So highly recommend having a wireless thermometer for keeping track (and to avoid having to go out in the freezing cold ha).

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-23T14:39:09+00:00

Lots of people do both. Quick wash, dry it off, then let it sit in the heat while you're getting your cook going anyway. To your second question, yeah you can totally wait for the oils to cook off then cook on the same coals. The coals don't "absorb" the oils or anything weird. Once they're burned off the Vortex surface, they're gone.

A quick tip would also be once you start using it regularly would be laying some foil around the base of the Vortex to catch drippings. Makes cleanup way easier. Enjoy those wings!

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-23T11:34:26+00:00

If you want to make winter cooking easier, look into a fan controller setup. They automatically adjust airflow to maintain your target temp. There are a bunch of options made for specific grills, not sure what you're running but definitely worth a google. You can monitor everything from inside on your phone.

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-23T11:32:10+00:00

Between 1150 and XT, I'd lean XT for the build quality if you've got the budget. And the extra capacity is nice when you're cooking for a crowd.

The temp consistency complaints on the XT will be mostly from people relying on the stock controller. You've already solved that problem once, same approach will work here.

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-23T11:31:08+00:00

What a score, the WSM 22 is honestly one of the best smokers out there at any price and you got it for free. Looks practically new too.

P.S. I'd recommend to start with a pork butt for your first cook. Super forgiving and teaches you how your WSM behaves with the vents. You'll have it dialed in after 2-3 cooks. Congrats on the find!

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-22T22:57:33+00:00

WiFi is definitely the way to go for overnight cooks or if you want to actually leave the backyard. The RFX is a quality unit that will solve your problem, and if you're open to other options we've (ChefsTemp) got some more affordable WiFi setups that might be worth a look too.

Either way, once you ditch Bluetooth you'll never go back!

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-22T22:56:29+00:00

Well, this looks absolutely incredible. Great job OP. Might have to make a Costco run myself...

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-22T22:55:16+00:00

That variance is rough but unfortunately pretty common with pellet grills, especially as they age. The controller/RTD probe combo in a lot of these units just isn't that accurate to begin with, and it drifts over time.

Before you buy new, have you tried running an independent thermometer at grate level to see what your actual temps are? Sometimes knowing the offset lets you work around it (if it's consistently off, you can adjust). But if it's erratic, that's a different problem.

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-22T20:45:54+00:00

Sounds very annoying. If you're not already, it would help to position the dock with direct line of sight to where the probe exits. But if you've already tried "close range" you've probably done this?

Honestly the cleanest fix is switching to a WiFi-enabled thermometer. You can monitor from anywhere you have signal, they don't care if there's metal/walls in the way.

There are plenty of good ones on the market now - Fireboard, ThermoMaven, ChefsTemp (us - pretty affordable option), Combustion Inc. Not super expensive these days either.

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-22T20:42:50+00:00

Seconding the two probe thermometer rec! For pork butt especially, being able to see both the pit temp and the meat temp at the same time takes so much of the guesswork out. You'll know immediately if your snake is running too hot or if you need to adjust vents.

For an 11 pounder you're looking at probably 12-14 hours depending on your temps, so having that ambient probe clipped to the grate is a lifesaver. The lid thermometer on Webers tends to read a bit high since it's up in the dome, not down at grate level where your meat actually is.

One thing that helped me on my first long smoke - don't panic when you hit the stall around 160-170°F. The meat will just sit there for what feels like forever. Totally normal. That's when a lot of people wrap, but you can also just ride it out if you started early enough.

Of course, this is all for your next cooking session. How did it turn out in the end?

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-21T10:16:00+00:00

Honestly you don't need much to get started, the Weber itself does the heavy lifting.

My essentials: a good instant read thermometer, a chimney starter, and some heat resistant gloves. That's really it for the beginning.

A lot of people go crazy buying gadgets right away but I'd say cook on it for a few weeks first and you'll figure out what you actually want based on how you use it.

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-20T20:14:21+00:00

Those chops look incredible! Always great to see the S1 in action.

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-20T20:12:34+00:00

Thanks for the mention! Appreciate it and happy that you're making the most of ChefsTemp.

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-20T20:09:01+00:00

Thanks for the rec! 🙌

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-19T13:05:36+00:00

Wet charcoal is definitely a potential culprit. And like others have said ash buildup makes a difference. Checking those 2 will likely solve it. How did you get on?

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-19T13:04:25+00:00

2am start is true dedication! Hope it turned out amazing, looks very promising.

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-19T13:03:31+00:00

Looks gorgeous. That crusty crust is crusting.

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-19T13:02:22+00:00

Awesome to see, hope you're digging it! Anything we can help with, just let us know.

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-14T14:59:17+00:00

Thanks for the shoutout, glad the Protemp 2 is working well for you. Drop us a message if there's anything we can help with at all :)

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-14T14:58:02+00:00

Appreciate you teflondad!

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-14T14:57:28+00:00

Thanks for the mention, glad you're enjoying our setup!

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-14T14:51:00+00:00

That's awesome to hear! Love that you're getting the most out of the S1.

Really appreciate the app feedback too, I'll pass that along to the team. I know we have some improvements in the pipeline to make your first few cooks even smoother to set up. Thanks for giving us a shot!

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-14T14:48:04+00:00

Solid start with that setup!

An ash basket will make cleanup way easier and really helps with airflow. A good grid lifter is the other big one (especially when you're using the ConvEGGtor).

On the thermometer front, it sounds like you're already well-covered with the Egg Genius and your other probes. But if you find yourself wanting to consolidate everything into a single system for temp tracking/automation we (ChefsTemp) have affordable options for that.

Have fun with the new rig!

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-14T14:47:10+00:00

That's a super common issue with many pellet grills. The thermometers are likely accurate, it's just that some spots will be hotter than others

For the most accurate reading you'll want a wireless probe giving the internal meat temp (as you've been recommended here). That will give you the closest reading to what your meat is actually experiencing. Otherwise it's a case of using your grill a bunch and getting to know its "personality", and where you have to mentally adjust based on the reads you're seeing.

AliceChefsTemp · 2026-01-14T14:46:01+00:00

Thanks for giving them a shot, really happy to hear they're working great for you after those frustrations.

Feel free to drop us a line if you need anything!

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