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Top Tips for Grilling in the Rain — The Barbecue Must Go On

BBQ, whatever the weather! The show must go on! Use whatever cliché or saying you like, but rain does not have to stop play! Here are all the tips you need to carry on cooking outdoors when the heavens have opened while keeping yourself and your food dry.

Mark Jenner profile picture
Written by:

Last Updated: January 10, 2024

Man under an umbrella lighting a BBQ in the rain.

I believe you can grill all year round, whatever the weather. Though going by many of the complaints I see in Facebook groups about rain preventing play, it’s evident not everybody agrees.

So in this article, I’m going to give you some guidance on how to master the art of grilling in the rain. It only requires a smidgen of creativity, some common sense, and a little planning.

I know you love barbecuing, and you can’t control the weather, but you can overcome the situation. The bright and sunny weather forecast isn’t always right so don’t rely on it, and always be prepared.

After taking on board the advice in this article, the next time it rains down on your grilling get together, there will be no chaos, no fuss, just a good cooked meal and a helluva good time.

Let’s start with some gear that can help you to grill in the rain.

No Multitasking Required, If You Plan for It

Have you seen someone juggling an umbrella in one hand and a spatula in the other trying to flip the burgers? Not a good idea, he could lose his balance and drop his food. Unless you’re wearing a raincoat and the rain is not too heavy or windy, you might be okay.

What kind of rain do you typically experience in your area? You want to plan for the normal weather, not the occasional hurricane.

If it only drizzles or rains straight down, you can probably get away with a patio umbrella. However, if you experience mostly gusty winds with the rain, you’ll need a more permanent solution.

All you need to grill in rainy weather are some good non-slip shoes, a raincoat and one of these five solutions.

5 Ways to Keep Rain from Ruining Your Grilling

A patio umbrella over kebabs on a low grill in the r.

Here are some ideas to protect you and your grill from the rain:

1. Patio Umbrella

This is the least expensive of the solutions. Look for the biggest umbrella you can find and make sure you can tie or weigh it down against high wind gusts. 5-gallon buckets of wet sand make good anchors for umbrellas and tarps.

2. BBQ Canopy

This is the same ideas a gazebo or shelter, only smaller and usually a material canopy draped over a metal frame that’s only just large enough to cover a BBQ, not a seating and dining area.

3. A Retractable Awning

Retractable awnings are a welcome addition to any deck or patio. Not only do they keep snow and rain off you and your grill, but they offer plenty of shade for the hot summer days.

4. A Permanent Covered Grilling Station

For anyone who loves to cook outside, a covered grilling station is an ideal cure for rain-soaked grills. This is the most expensive solution but can add value to the property when done right. You’ll want to consult a professional designer and installer to incorporate your needs and ideas.

5. Tarp Tent or Dining Fly Tent

The Boy Scout Solution. This is a camping solution that’s been around since man first began grilling in the rain. Look for a flame resistant or retardant tarp. Never use a sheet of plastic. It can easily melt and catch fire. Make sure you suspend the tarp at least 6 feet above the surface of the grill if you put the grill under it.

No matter what solution you choose, make sure the gap between the grill and the roof is at least 6 feet. The heat and flare-ups can easily cause a fire. And gas grill flare-ups are more common than you may think!

That’s why we don’t recommend structures like snow shelters for cars that have a polyethylene cover. And, most backyard sheds are too small. They will quickly fill with dangerous smoke, and the ceilings are too low.

Now, moving on: Wet and slippery weather can slow you down. Lower temperatures and windy conditions can affect your grill heat, cooking time and the quality of your food. To overcome these cooking challenges, here’s a tip.

Precook to Reduce Your Time in the Rain

Why not precook your meal while out of the rain, following tips from our guide on how to grill indoors, the reverse searing method works well for burgers and steaks. You just place them in a low oven until the internal temperature reaches 120 °F (49 °C) and then finish searing them on the grill.

No one will know you weren’t standing out in the rain the entire time and the meat will be a perfect medium rare, with a great sear from the grill.

If you know ahead of time that it will rain, why not change the menu to meat that you can cook low and slow like a brisket, whole chicken or pork butt?

This will eliminate you having to monitor fast cooking foods like steak and hamburger continuously. It’s no fun having to babysit those in the rain and miss all the social activities or the football game.

If you’re serving veggies, wrap them in foil with all the ingredients. You can start them in the oven or leave them to cook low and slow on the grill. The foil will keep the heat and flavor inside, even if you open the lid frequently.

The Wind is Your Enemy

A young crowd of 4 under umbrellas having a BBQ in the r.

If the wind is flipping the burgers for you, it’s time to make a windbreak. Patio umbrellas and BBQ canopies don’t do anything to protect against the wind. Even covered grilling stations and awnings won’t help if the wind blows from the wrong direction.

You can set up a basic wall or wind block using a sheet of plywood or similar material to stop the wind. Just make sure it is stable enough so that it won’t fall on anyone or the grill.

Better Temperature Control

The combination of wind and rain will lower your grill temperature the same way you blow on a hot spoon of soup to cool it off. If you are using charcoal, you’ll need to start earlier and add more to maintain the temperature. Charcoal absorbs moisture making it harder to light.

Gas grills are susceptible to having the burners’ blowout from strong gusts of wind. If it happens, be sure to turn off the gas, open the lid for a couple of minutes to let the gas escape before relighting.

You’ll find a remote wireless thermometer to be an indispensable tool during inclement weather. You can monitor the grill and food temperatures while you stay warm and dry. This technique works well for low and slow smoking, but for high-heat grilling, you’ll need to check your food every couple of minutes to prevent burning.

Watch your vents and see where they are facing. Is the wind or rain blowing directly into any of them? Be sure to close them or turn your grill in a different direction.

Grilling in the Rain Has Its Advantages

A rainy day means the air is humid. The humidity reduces evaporation, keeping your food moist and juicy longer.

Also, we tend to grill with the cover closed to keep out the rain and the wind. The extra smoke adds flavor to everything you’re grilling.

So, grilling while it rains is not all bad. Your food will taste better, as long as it doesn’t get soaking wet on the way to the house.

But, grilling in the rain has challenges and safety hazards too. In these conditions, you can make bad choices.

“The show must go on!’ Come rain, come shine, come snow, come sleet, the show MUST go on!”

— Cosmo Brown, in 1952, singing in the rain movie,

Play It Safe, Don’t Do The Following

It’s always a bad idea to grill inside your garage. It will soon fill with smoke which can leak into the house. But more importantly, smoke contains carbon monoxide and other components that can kill you.

Not to mention, you have a fire burning inside your garage where you probably have a lawnmower and extra gas tank with some gas still in it. One spark from a popping coal is all it takes to ruin your life.

As I said before, don’t put your grill under the garage door, overhang or tarp if it is less than 6 feet higher than the grill.

Avoid having it rain directly on the food or the coals. The rain will not only get the food wet and cool off the coals, but the wind and heavy drops can project the ash all over your food.

Here’s another good thing when you grill in the rain.

Planning for Rain Will Make You a Better Cook

A charcoal kettle grill lid, with wooden handle, covered in r.

If you love to grill and smoke outside, rain is inevitable. There is an old Norwegian saying,

“There is no bad weather, only bad clothing.”

If we apply the same positive attitude toward grilling in the rain, “there is only bad planning.”

Here are the tips to grilling successfully on a rainy day.

  • Start your fire earlier, and use more charcoal.
  • Plan for some type of shelter from the rain above and wind from the side.
  • Keep the lid closed as much as possible.
  • Use a remote thermometer to reduce your time standing in the rain.
  • Keep an eye on gas burners so that they don’t suddenly blow out.
  • Precook meat using the reverse-searing method.
  • Wrap veggies in foil and grill them at the same time. They will retain heat and moisture.

Final Thoughts

With a little preparation, you’ll be able to cook rain or shine and achieve excellent results.

Great chefs know how to improvise. Finding solutions to grilling in the rain will make you a better cook in the long run.

Professional chefs and pitmasters know how to keep things organized, monitor their food, and keep their cool while entertaining others. They prepare for inclement weather before it ever happens.

With these tips, you’ll have everything ready whenever it starts to drizzle on you. Let me know how you make out during your next wet grilling party. I love to hear about ingenious solutions to everyday problems.

Happy grilling!

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Mark Jenner profile picture

Written By: Mark Jenner

I'm a BBQ fanatic and have been barbecuing and grilling since 2005. I founded FoodFireFriends in 2017 and have extensively written for the site since.

I love cooking outdoors over live fire and smoke whatever the weather, and I currently own over 30 grills and smokers of all varieties that I frequently cook on to produce epic food.

My goal with this site is to help as many people as possible enjoy and be good at doing the same.

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2 Comments

  1. Avatar for Maureen Veto Maureen Veto says:

    I’m grilling the “traditional” tri-tip for Thanksgiving dinner, and its pouring rain! Thanks for the tips!!

    1. Avatar for Mark Jenner Mark Jenner says:

      The party must go on! BBQ…whatever the weather 🙂

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