When winter approaches, there are always people who wonder whether or not they should put a cover on their BBQ (if this is your case, I invite you to read my brother's article which talks about it, right here ).
What people don't necessarily think about is that they can also put an "insulating cover" on their device.
And here, you probably noticed the quotation marks. Yes, I put "insulated cover" in quotation marks, because, technically, it is an insulating blanket (we are just so used to thinking that what goes on a BBQ is called a cover that often, that's the word that comes out first 😅). This type of "cover" does not cover the BBQ entirely and is called "insulated blanket" in English, which is why it is not a "cover", strictly speaking.
In short, insulating blankets are very interesting, but often go unnoticed compared to covers, or at least, people talk about them less. So that they can get the attention they deserve (especially during this cold time of year!), I thought I would tell you a little about them.
What is an insulating blanket and what is it used for?
The main purpose of an insulating blanket is to make the BBQ burn less fuel by helping the appliance's combustion chamber keep as much heat inside as possible. In fact, as I mentioned, an insulating blanket does not cover the entire grill; it only covers the combustion chamber. If I can imagine it, I would say that it is exactly the same principle as if you were putting a technical t-shirt, a thin insulating garment that wicks away some of the moisture released by the body, but, in this case, made of insulated fiberglass, on your BBQ so that it retains more of its heat.
In any case, an insulating blanket is an economical tool, because it allows the BBQ to burn less fuel to reach a given temperature.
What are the differences between a cover and an insulating blanket?
A cover is really made to protect the BBQ from bad weather, sun, water, dust, bugs... It's something that we can put on our BBQ 365 days a year, but that we will remove when we want to use our beautiful machine.
An insulating blanket, on the other hand, “protects” the BBQ from the cold, but it doesn’t cover it completely. It also stays on a BBQ when it’s heating up (it’s better not to leave it there all year round though — I’ll talk more about that below —) and it allows it to cook food more efficiently. Basically, instead of requiring more fuel to heat the BBQ, the appliance needs less, because the heat is preserved, so there’s less air circulation in the BBQ and the meat comes out less dry and juicier.
In a few points, an insulating blanket is economical, ecological and effective for successful cooking. 👌
What kind of BBQ can you put an insulating blanket on?
There are only a few pellet grill brands that offer this option. The reason why is because the materials used to make these covers are not made to handle very high temperatures (they are generally designed to be used when cooking at around 375°F, max [always check the maximum temperature indicated on your cover before using it, as it can differ]). With this in mind, it is understandable that insulated covers are not very relevant for gas or charcoal grills, which can reach very high temperatures.
The great thing, though, is that the insulation blankets are magnetic, so they literally take seconds to install. They also already have the hole for the BBQ chimney, so they're actually super easy to put in place.
What should we look for when choosing an insulating blanket?
Unlike a regular cover, there aren't a lot of "features" that can influence our choice when we want to equip ourselves with an insulating cover. Basically, each cover is made for a specific BBQ (there is no "one size fits all"), and there aren't 3-4 different covers for the same BBQ, there is just 1, so the choice pretty much stops at just taking the one that "fits" our grill. There are models for Camp Chef and Yoder brand BBQs of different sizes (24", 36", XXL, competition model, etc.).
One piece of advice I would give you, though, is that if you know you want to BBQ in the winter, well, make sure there is an insulated cover for the machine you are interested in. If you want to save money, it is definitely worth it. Even super thick BBQs, like the Yoders, can have insulated covers; which may be surprising to some.
When should you cover your BBQ with an insulating blanket?
I mentioned this briefly above, but I recommend not leaving the insulated blanket on the BBQ all year round. The reason is simple: when it's hot, like in summer, the heat becomes too strong in the BBQ if the blanket is on it, so the fuel suffocates and the appliance shuts down. Another reason why I'm telling you this is because, since there is less air circulating in a BBQ in summer and there is almost no smoke coming out of the appliance, if, in addition, you put the insulated blanket on it, the meat becomes like... "steamed" and it doesn't have a nice "smoke ring" or good smoky taste. (Personally, I don't know anyone who leaves their insulated blanket on their grill in summer.)
So… back to the question, when should you use an insulating blanket? I would say that as soon as the outside temperature is below 10°C you can put it on, then leave it on your BBQ until it starts to get cool and not “cold”. In other words, leaving it on your appliance from September to April/May is ideal.
When it rains or snows, it is also particularly effective, because it insulates the BBQ sheet from the cold element (water drops or snowflakes) and allows it to better maintain its heat.
Other than that, this is a blanket that is more designed for "low and slow" cooking. If you are grilling food and your insulation blanket is placed on your BBQ, it may get damaged (as I said above, these blankets can withstand maximum temperatures of around 375 °F). So you need to consider the outside temperature when you are cooking and the type of cooking you want to do before installing your insulation blanket.
Oh! And just for your information, there is no problem with having an insulating blanket AND a cover on your BBQ when you are not using it. Just make sure the BBQ is cold before putting your cover on it. 😉
How to maintain an insulating blanket?
There is not much maintenance to do compared to this kind of cover. Personally, I wash it with the hose from time to time to remove the dust on it and… “that's it”.
There you go, it's not more complicated than that! 😉
I think I've told you everything about insulating blankets... I hope I've taught you something. 😊
Happy BBQ to all! 🔥