The Bullet Smoker Braves the Winter Chill

There's nothing like stepping into a Brisk morning air and catching the aroma of a Hickory Smoked Pork Butt.

This was my first over night cook in freezing weather. Temps were in the teens through the night. I put Mr. Pork Butt on at 7 p.m with a full ring of "K" using the minion method (20 Briquettes lit). In a short time it was obvious the Bullet was going to need more O2 than normal. With all 3 bottom vents open about 25%, temps were steady at 235 until I went to bed at 11 p.m. By 6 a.m, the smoker was loafing along at 190 with very little fuel to spare. Mr. Pork Butt was at 158.

I added the remainder of a 20LB bag (partially lit) to the mix, but by 10:30 a.m with the vents fully open, temps were dropping again! So, Charcoal bag #2 comes open and in goes another 3/4 chimney lit! Now, there's plenty of lit, but vents had to be fully open to drive and hold temps at about 238. This last bit of fuel was enough to get this 7LB Pork Butt up to 190 by 1230 p.m

A 17.5 hour smoke. I should have gotten my Butt out of bed around 3:00 a.m to check on the smoker.

Black and Whites - Busted!

So at about 1:00 a.m on a cool and damp Pacific Northwest October night, I ventured out back to make some adjustments to the smoker and to check on Mr. Pork Butt.

Not more than 10 feet away in the shadows, two very plump Raccoons were putting the raid on our plum tree. I snapped about 30 pictures while banging around with the smoker lid and getting tangled up with my Therm's. You would have thought I was in their yard. These guys could have cared less - No Fear.

As I went to bed the thought crossed my mind. Man! that butt smelled good on the smoker and would those guys be so bold to put the moves on the Weber Bullet?

No worries though, by morning the little 6LB Butt was all barked up and ready for foil.