....of freezing weather. The FEC100 is so well insulated the grease in the holding pan turns solid, backing up grease in the down tube and into the cooking chamber floor where it could (and did for me) catch fire.
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I have the SM025, but the same thing happens to me. It has hit close to 25 around here the last few times I smoked something big and we wind up with a solid grease volcano. I am glad you posted this because I would never have thought about it going high enough to reach the inside. THANKS FOR THE WARNING! Happy New Year. I hope you recovered well!
Aluminum Pan + Baking Rack = Problem Solved
I just make sure it's on enough of a slant to drain away from the down tube before it has a chance to solidify. I've never had a problem.
Slant. Sorry, I don't follow. This is an FEC100. The catch pan slides under the cooker on guides. Flat.
Great post Larry. I hope you don't mind, I added a few words to the post to make it a little more detailed so people would know and find the cold weather problem you describe (hope that's okay, if not, let me know and I'll change it back)
When it's that cold outside I keep the drain pan empty and monitor the grease build up.
Another option would use a thermal blanket around the outside legs of the smoker to block the heat. It's the convective winds blowing across the pan that's making it cold in that pan.
I've also been know to keep a wood dowel or rod handy to poke down through the hole.
I've also head of some using a hand torch to heat up the pan near the grease (NOT trying to ignite the grease).
I'm not sure, maybe that's the aluminum pan option Basic Patrick is talking about. Putting one pan inside the other
When it's that cold outside I keep the drain pan empty and monitor the grease build up.
Another option would use a thermal blanket around the outside legs of the smoker to block the heat. It's the convective winds blowing across the pan that's making it cold in that pan.
I've also been know to keep a wood dowel or rod handy to poke down through the hole.
I've also head of some using a hand torch to heat up the pan near the grease (NOT trying to ignite the grease).
I'm not sure, maybe that's the aluminum pan option Basic Patrick is talking about. Putting one pan inside the other
I haven't tired this but how about using a heat lamp under the grease pan?
I put a foil pan with apple cider and vinegar in it under my pork butts. The cider evaporated, and the pan caught all of the drippings off of the pork. The drip pan under the FEC was clean save for a few ashes. This won't work if you are cooking a full load and can't dedicate a rack to a foil pan, though.
What I do when the temps get low is take a 500 watt halogen lamp like they sell at Home Depot, and put in some blocks where the guard just touches the pan. Seem to keep the grease liquid just fine while temps getting down in the 20s. If it's going to be colder than that, use two.