Cooking on the BBQ in winter is possible! (What you need to know and how to prepare)

It's often said that BBQs are a year-round activity. So just because it's colder outside and there's snow doesn't mean you should stop yourself from doing some!

In fact, I'll even give you some tips so you can do it in the winter without any problems.

First, the difference between BBQing in the summer and in the winter is the temperature outside . Other than that, it's pretty much the same. There are just charcoal BBQs that, strangely enough, require a bit more adaptation, because they will heat up more. Since cold air is of better quality (in the sense that it is more oxygenated, therefore better for feeding the fire), the heat can rise very quickly in this type of BBQ without you realizing it.

Otherwise, there is no need to worry about a propane BBQ. Personally, I have never seen a gas BBQ stop working because the temperature caused the fuel to freeze. The only thing that could be a problem is if the tank is half empty or there is ice in it, but… “that’s it”.

The space

To enjoy cooking on your barbecue in winter, however, you should prepare your BBQ area accordingly. The important thing is to protect your BBQ from the wind and, above all, to ensure good air circulation around it.

To do this, some people put their BBQ in a kind of small temporary shelter, but this is not the best thing to do (especially if there is a lot of smoke stuck in there; that is really not good). The ideal is to place the BBQ in a place where there is a hard roof (it is very practical to prevent snow from falling on the grill), a hood for outdoor cooking, where the air circulates in mass, and where there is nothing that can catch fire quickly. An outdoor light to illuminate the BBQ is also a "must".

In short, you want your BBQ to be easy to access and be able to open it easily, even if there is 40 feet of snow.

You can also simply cover your BBQ with a cover to protect it from bad weather, water, etc. (If you don't already do it, it's a good habit to get into, even before winter arrives.) Just make sure your BBQ is cold before putting the cover back on it so it doesn't melt. 😉

What to expect

As for what you need, it's really warm clothes. At BBQ Québec, we have that too; we have toques , warm sweaters/coats... Oh! And also plan for more fuel in winter. Have at least 1 bag of charcoal or 1 spare propane tank. And... obviously, a shovel, to remove the snow around your grill.

Choosing a suitable BBQ

Knowing where to position your BBQ for the cold season is important, but it is also essential to know what to look for when you want to buy a BBQ that will serve you all year round.

Things to look at are:

• The tank; a double-walled tank (a "box" style tank with an air chamber between the walls) is really a "must";
• The lid; you want it to be very tight;
• The burners; they must be very efficient;
• The igniter; you want to take a BBQ with a reliable igniter to be able to start your machine at any time;
• Lights; if there are any inside the BBQ it's always a plus;
• The cart; you want one that is sturdy (this is very handy if there is snow!); and
• The wheels; they must be solid and not break in the ice.

Otherwise, if you were asking yourself the question "do I get cast iron or stainless steel grates (or any other product)?", cast iron is "better" because it holds heat better, but it also takes longer to heat up, so it's really a matter of preference.

Be careful though! Stainless steel is much easier to maintain and has an unlimited lifespan, unlike cast iron, which can rust if not properly maintained. Although you can “bring the latter back to life,” after a while, the rust may be harder to remove. By properly maintaining your cast iron products, however, you will have no problems and will love the unmatched heat transfer that only cast iron can provide during cooking.

Cooking in winter

Once you're all set up, all you have to do is use your BBQ to cook. Are there any foods that are better to cook in the winter? I don't know if there's really a scientific fact to explain this, but I find that the fact that the weather is more humid gives a little something to the food. Since it's more humid, I have the impression that my meats come out of my BBQ as if I had sprayed them the whole time they were cooking because they are so juicy. Seriously, the best pork shoulders I've ever eaten, in my life, are the ones I made in the winter (ok, it wasn't -40°C outside, but it was snowing!)! So, to get back to the question, I would say that this is the season to take advantage of it and cook large cuts of meat: pork shoulders, briskets or whole chickens, for example.

And what about cold smoking? It works great in the winter, but make sure to “monitor” the temperature of your food often because it can freeze. Yes, take the temperature of your meat as often in the winter as in the summer.

There you have it! That's pretty much all you need to know to be able to enjoy your BBQ at all times.

On that note, I wish you all a great BBQ!