Well it is cold out here. Almost too cold to barbeque outside today. There are two problems with barbequing on a day like today. One is that the gas from the barbeque sometimes does not come out of the lines when the temperature is below about -2 or -3 degrees and the second problem is that sometimes the barbequer does not come out of the house when the temperature is -7 and the wind chill is -17.
It is important that before lighting the bbq when the temperature is this cold that one touches only the wooden handle and not the medal part of the covered grill. It is ugly to have to scream for some hot water to be released from the bbq so it can be lit if ones fingers are stuck to the metal cover. With the storm windows up the sound of the screams do not carry into the house well and with the TV on, or lively chatter among the guests, a cook could be a Popsicle before they are set free.
At this low temperature it is nice if the guests like to eat rare meat because the only part of the meat that is being heated is the part that is next to the flame. There is so much wind and so much cold that the meat stays pretty much cold even in the covered grill. The gas comes out colder and slower when it is cold and as the air temperature drops the gas from the container eventually does not come out at all. All of this time the food is cooking less and less vigorously and the cook can’t really tell because the lid has to be down or the food will freeze on top. I have been bbqing and had the gas stop because the temp dropped the last degree and the gas gave up the ghost and just turned to liquid or the pressure turned to nothing or what ever and the food stopped cooking. That is not good when there are guests expecting to eat. The tank can be warmed with a blanket, or it can be brought inside the house before cooking and warmed up. A small fire under the tank is also an option, but that is a tricky play to make especially if it is snowing and windy and the person doesn’t stand right there and monitor the warming.
Standing outside in a foot of frozen snow in the wind in -17 degrees and finding that the food has frozen solid because the bbq has stopped because the gas has frozen is always a disappointment. I usually just bring in the food, stick the meat in the microwave, crank the oven up to “cremate” and after a few minutes of nuking the meat in the microwave, I burn the outside with the “broil” option in the super heated oven. People are distracted by lively talk and great hors drovers. Yes,
