On Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:10:56 -0500, Steve Calvin
wrote:

By R2-D2 I'm "assuming" you're talking about a WSM? I
don't know what you consider "frigid" but I just did ribs in
my WSM over the weekend and the high was around 17dF. The
biggest problem is any wind. We had 10-20mph winds Sunday. I
have a plywood wind break rigged up in a v-shape to block my
WSM from the wind.

Had no problem maintaining 250dF for the cook. Ribs came out
great. If you're doing butts/loins etc that are a longer
cook you may end up needing to add some lump depending on
your fire method and initial "load" of lump.

Cold cooks shouldn't be a problem if you can block the wind.

Also, if one has sand in the 'water pan' it might be a good idea to
bring said pan inside for a few hours (overnight?) before the cook,
so's to have it already above the c-c-c-old ambient temp.

Heck, might even heat the sucker up in the oven, IF you've got a safe
way to handle it.

I personally think that a thermal mass such as a sand-filled waterpan
is a lot of help in colder weather, *once it's reached cooking temp.*

I cooked on Saturday in mid-30s and once the sand warmed up, no
problem maintaining the 225-250 range I like to use.

"Every single religion that has a monotheistic god
winds up persecuting someone else."
-Philip Pullman
--
-denny-
(not as curmudgeonly as I useta be)