10 degrees, need to smoke, any pellets hotter than others? (royal oak charcoal..etc...)

[hankhill11]

So we're coming up tp Christmas, and my mom asked me to smoke some meat. I want to do a pork shoulder, but historically have not had good luck with my vertical pit boss below 35 degrees or so. In an effort to put all my effort into success, does anyone have any experience using the Royal Oak charcoal pellets in their smokers? I have seen reviews referencing that they burn hotter, which might make it easier for the smoker to work up to temp and maintain.

I don't have great wind breaks, so wind is a killer. I can't move the smoker into the garage because its around the house and through snow. So i'm stuck trying as-is essentially, the best variable I can think of is charcoal pellets.

as a complete alternate idea, cold smoke a pork shoulder for like 2-3 hours then cook it in a crock pot.. who knows, it might work!

 

[Redoctapus]

So we're coming up tp Christmas, and my mom asked me to smoke some meat. I want to do a pork shoulder, but historically have not had good luck with my vertical pit boss below 35 degrees or so. In an effort to put all my effort into success, does anyone have any experience using the Royal Oak charcoal pellets in their smokers? I have seen reviews referencing that they burn hotter, which might make it easier for the smoker to work up to temp and maintain.

I don't have great wind breaks, so wind is a killer. I can't move the smoker into the garage because its around the house and through snow. So i'm stuck trying as-is essentially, the best variable I can think of is charcoal pellets.

as a complete alternate idea, cold smoke a pork shoulder for like 2-3 hours then cook it in a crock pot.. who knows, it might work!

Hi Hank, are you cooking a skin on pork shoulder or a Boston butt?
With a butt, on the best of days after 4-5 hours your pork will have absorbed as much of the nitrates/smoke it can handle.
So, wrapping it tightly in foil or peach paper or placing it in a foil pan to finish in your kitchen oven will give you a great "smoked pork shoulder."

 

[Cowboy1955]

I’ve built a wind block from pallets and a tarp and it worked great
You can also put a blanket on it to hold the temperature
Hopefully this helps you 🇺🇸🇺🇸

 

[Mike From R.I.]

I use Bear Mountain hickory, I crank up the temperature to maintain the desired temp inside to smoke, my vertical is out of the wind pretty much and single temperatures outside are common for me in the winter. Cold never stopped me from smoking.

 

[Jimsmokes]

I haven't found the charcoal pellets to burn any hotter. They do add some charcoal flavor though.
Being from the south I cain't help on super low temps other than set your temps above where you want and feed it pellets

 

[hankhill11]

Thanks all.

I’ve built a wind block from pallets and a tarp

You reminded me that I actually have a pallet sitting around. I hadn't remembered nor thought of this. I may give it a shot if its windy enough on the day.

I haven't found the charcoal pellets to burn any hotter

Thanks for the general review. After I started looking, and watching reviews on those royal oak myself, I came to the same conclusion.

 

[Redoctapus]

I’ve built a wind block from pallets and a tarp and it worked great
You can also put a blanket on it to hold the temperature
Hopefully this helps you 🇺🇸🇺🇸

Cowboy, I spent 2.5 years in Kermit, TX and man it gets windy and cold out that way. We had all types of welder hooches, some with pallets, some with tarps, we had to preheat pipe and keep it hot until we put blankets around the pipe so it would cool slowly. I'm here in South Carolina so do not see those temperatures and wind. But if I did I would come up with somtin!
I had one of these Harbor Freight "sheds" next to my camper. Oil company provided ShelterLogic tents and we had some regular pipe tents which are very costly.
But my Harbor Freight tent lasted for my tour and I gave it to my friend when I came East.
Check this out!

THUNDERBAY Ice Cube Series Pop-Up Portable 2-3 Person Ice Fishing Shelter https://a.co/d/7UkvAz2

Check this out! ShelterLogic 8' x 8' Shed-in-a-Box All Season Steel Metal Frame Peak Roof Outdoor Storage Shed with Waterproof Cover and Heavy Duty Reusable Auger Anchors, Grey https://a.co/d/eLuDnpr

10 ft. x 10 ft. Portable Shed https://www.harborfreight.com/10-ft-x-10-ft-portable-shed-63297.html

I used landscaping logs and sand bags to anchor my tent. Sand was everywhere! Aluminum drier vent hose and a roll of Aluminumized duct tape vented my smoker.

 

[hankhill11]

Well the weather took a turn for the worse and there's a snow storm coming. So I'm going to try to do this smoke tomorrow, when the forecast is 23 and 5mph. wind chill between -5 and 5. It will be interesting to see if the ol PBV4PS2 can make it to 300.

 

[Cowboy1955]

Well the weather took a turn for the worse and there's a snow storm coming. So I'm going to try to do this smoke tomorrow, when the forecast is 23 and 5mph. wind chill between -5 and 5. It will be interesting to see if the ol PBV4PS2 can make it to 300.

It will but it’ll use more pellets
Good luck and roll that smoke 💨 🇺🇸🇺🇸

 

[Mike From R.I.]

Well the weather took a turn for the worse and there's a snow storm coming. So I'm going to try to do this smoke tomorrow, when the forecast is 23 and 5mph. wind chill between -5 and 5. It will be interesting to see if the ol PBV4PS2 can make it to 300.

Adjust the temperature up to compensate, that's what I do. (not Martha Steward)

 

[hankhill11]

I started the smoker around 5am in the outside 3 degree air, and had the meat and smoke tubes in by 5:30. The smoker was still in the 80's but so what. By 7am the temp finally stabilized. I had set temp at 340 and two ambient probes were reading 312 and 298, which is good enough for me. Luckily there's no wind this morning. I moved set temp down to 320 and its working well to maintain ~300. the pork already has a nice red bark and internal is 136. I'll seal it when internal reaches 165 and finish it in the oven. no need to waste pellets after that. Thanks all for the encouraging words to get this done! I'll just chill in the frig once cooled til Christmas. I know its a ways out, but I'm confident it'll be just fine reheated. I will leave it whole until reheated.

i see people asking about cold a lot, including myself here. Hopefully with experience, and people searching for threads like this, it'll help everyone out and we all get to cook no matter the temps.