Winter-time KK Cooking

[djami]

Denis,

Just wondering ... is it safe to do regular KK cooks in the sub-freezing winter time?  An extreme may be KK getting up to 500* or so when it is 25*F outside.  I am worried about cracking some of the ceramic and other components.  What say ye?   I trust you will say not to knock off the ice on the KK and then cook.

           djami - Virginia

[tony b]

I live in Iowa and we get pretty damn cold here in the middle of winter, but I still cook. My only temperature cutoff is not because of the KK, but because of ME! When the windchill hits negative numbers, I don't cook outside. I've cooked during snowstorms, as long as the temps stay above zero, I'm good. 

[Tyrus]

Shouldn't have any ice if you keep that baby covered. Neither rain nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail and frigid temperatures too, shall keep your KK from delivering a perfect meal. Seems I've heard that before. 

[5698k]

Just be mindful of bringing up your temperature, as Dennis says, “you can’t escape physics”.


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[Cheesehead_Griller]

First off, keep it covered. That seems to be the most detrimental for the grout/tiles. Moisture gets behind or under the tiles and the freezes. Not good. 

As for cooking in the cold, I've cooked in -20F last year. No problem. I had an icicle   forming from the condensation coming out of my bottom vent. Lol.  In the winter I look most forward to using my KK. Nothing better than firing up the KK for an overnight cook during a wicked snow storm. Note, I do have my KK under a covered porch. 

Edited October 18, 2023 by Cheesehead_Griller

[djami]

Everybody -- thanks for your comments.  Will do -- will keep 'er covered when not using.  I have one of Dennis' fantastic covers.  It is a few years old and still looks new.  For beau coup years I have cooked during cold weather and the snow using an aluminum or steel grill.  Was worrying about the extreme winter temperature changes when cooking and its affect on the KK ceramic and tiles.  Y'all convinced me to fire up the KK year-round.

              djami

        I luuuuuv the smell of BBQ in the morning ...

[C6Bill]

The KK isn't ceramic so i wouldn't be as worried about it as I would with a thinner ceramic cooker. I love setting a controller and letting things cook overnight when it's real cold out. Pork butts are great for a blizzard feast lol

[remi]

On 10/19/2023 at 1:55 AM, Cheesehead_Griller said:

First off, keep it covered. That seems to be the most detrimental for the grout/tiles. Moisture gets behind or under the tiles and the freezes. Not good. 

As for cooking in the cold, I've cooked in -20F last year. No problem. I had an icicle   forming from the condensation coming out of my bottom vent. Lol.  In the winter I look most forward to using my KK. Nothing better than firing up the KK for an overnight cook during a wicked snow storm. Note, I do have my KK under a covered porch. 

I live in Melbourne, where the weather is generally mild, and it never freezes. As such I've chosen to keep my KK uncovered... the tiles and grout look as fresh as they did 2.5 years ago. My outdoor area, and our pool also have tiles and grout after all.

 

My issue with BBQ covers is that they inevitably get dusty, and also potentially full of spider webs etc. Given their large and floppy nature, they are not always so straight forward to wipe clean- and with the folds/ creases that form, rain often doesn't wash the cover clean completely. My KK gets a bit dusty if it hasn't rained for a bit, but then is sparkling clean after a good downpour! Also- our KK sits right outside our kitchen window, and I prefer looking at the KK than a cover!

 

I also wonder whether the few issues that people occasionally have with mould in their KK could be influenced by putting a cover over the KK, which I presume would limit airflow through the open vents to some degree? 

Edited October 20, 2023 by remi

[Paul]

When it comes to cold weather worry more about your temp gauge than the hopefully covered KK.

Temps below full span of the thermometer can throw it out of calibration.

[MacKenzie]

True about the thermometer so many of us take the thermometer inside when the weather turns to winter white. 

[tony b]

I'll 2nd the above. I've had to re-calibrate the thermometer on more than one occasion when I forgot to bring it inside. It's easily done, but why have to do it, when it's so easy to avoid it?

[djami]

Thanks guys for the comments about calibrating thermometers.  Never thot cold weather would throw them out of whack.

How do you recalibrate them?

               djami

I luuuuuuv the smell of BBQ in the morning

[MacKenzie]

I just put the tip in boiling water and it should read 212F in my area. If it doesn't turn the nut on the backside of the thermometer. Dip the tip back in the boiling water and see if you corrected it enough. You might have to do it two or three times to get it to read 212F.

[tony b]

Yeah, before I started bringing it inside on super cold days, the first time I realized it was off (temps didn't make sense for the vent setting). I checked it and it was 50 degrees off on the low side! 

[DennisLinkletter]

Best demonstration of how well a KK is insulated..

[jonj]

These are the photos which informed and confirmed my decision to buy my first Komodo Kamado in 2016. Nice to see them again.

[BOC]

I’m in Michigan and use mine often in winter. If the pictures Dennis added didn’t give you all of the confidence you wanted, I’ve used it sub zero a couple of times because we have a Christmas ribs tradition. Usually something similar for Super Bowl, and last year I actually did pizzas for Super Bowl when it was below freezing. I haven’t ever had any issues. Takes longer to get to temp of course, but same stability as always once there.

I’ve also never brought in my thermometer…so far it hasn’t required a change. But now that I’ve put that on the forum, no doubt this will be the year .


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[DennisLinkletter]

Two more with an early 23"  but note the snow is not melting except the lower part of the damper top where the hot air exits.

[tony b]

FYI - that's my KK in those pics above - notice my hop plant in the background! 

@BOC - for sh!ts & giggles, put your thermometer in a boiling pot of water and see how it reads?

[jonj]

@tony b, I thought I recognized it!