Looking for some snake info.

[Travis]

Hey fella's. Over the fourth I got "the call" to do the grilling for the day. My buddy has a gasser so I asked if I could pack a couple kettles. I took the Fleetwood 26r and an EI code (97') black.

I wanted to try the snake method on the 26, so I decided to use a 2x2 method.
All vents open, 12 lit coals carefully placed on one end of the snake. I put an oven thermo in the middle.
I gave it about 30-40 minutes then checked and the temp was around 200ish. I decided to go ahead and load the grill down and crack the lid to see what would happen, but it never got above 200 again.
I gave it about an hour and decided to pull the grate and rearrange the coals to achieve a 250-275 temp that I was shooting for. I
arranged the coal how I normally do them and then it held for the duration.

My question to everyone is, should I have started with more of a 3x2 and maybe a couple more lit?
I did this method once before, trying to achieve a low temp 230ish with the 2x2 snake and had to leave the lid of the Fleetwood cracked.
I would like to use this method again since so many swear by it.
Any advise will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys!!


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[WNC]

Hey Travis, you've just got to make a bigger snake.

I learned that the first time I tried to run a snake in my 26er. It's just a larger volume of space to fill with heat so it just takes more fuel.

I couldn't tell you how many because I just pour coals around a ring I have or the vortex.

[1buckie]

@Travis 

Is it an older daisy wheel  (think I remember that's what you've got?)......likely you're already onto your answer.....a few more lit & a slightly bigger stacking to have some more fuel available as it moves along the line.....

Here's a brisket set & I could have gone thicker...if I remember, it was all vents open throughout.....



Added another pile to finish....



Here's the full cook:

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/bbq-food-pics/select/msg157566/#msg157566


These style kettles are much less likely to run amok with high heat as far as I can tell.....more likely to fall a bit short....there's the larger air volume AND also much more metal to heat to keep a stable base heat going....I've also taken to lighting things sooner & letting it run a bit longer BEFORE any food goes on to have the bowl heated better first.....

Also, if you have some shake from lump charcoal around, don't throw it out, just sprinkle along the row for a bit hotter, more continuous burn.....

[pbe gummi bear]

2x2 is too small for a 26. Most run at least a 2x2x1 or 3x2 snakes in a 22.

[Jon]

I just pour charcoal right out of the bag around the kettle. Then clean up what rolls away by hand. Then start the snake. I make no attempt at the neat 2x2 or 3x3 or whatever. I'm not going for some domino knockover world record. What I end up with is an oversized snake. Then it gets started with a dozen or so lit charcoals. A snake is just a stretched minion.

The vents control how quickly the charcoal burns. Just make sure that you have enough charcoal going to support the temp you want.

[Big Dawg]

Hey Travis, you've just got to make a bigger snake.

I learned that the first time I tried to run a snake in my 26er. It's just a larger volume of space to fill with heat so it just takes more fuel.

I couldn't tell you how many because I just pour coals around a ring I have or the vortex.

Similarly, I use a charcoal ring from one of my 22.5 WSMs:








BD

[MikeRocksTheRed]

I usually do a 3x2 and have no problem hitting 225-250.  Top vent wide open, bottom vent(s) barely cracked open.  I'd stick with 10-12 to get it going...maybe add up to three more.  It's always tougher to bring temps back down if you overshoot than it is to add a coal or two to raise the temp.

[Travis]

Alright fella's. Thanks for the advise. I'm gonna do a butt on my next set of days off. I'll add more unlit, keep the same starting amount and probably add some small junk lump like @1buckie  suggests. I have never Found a use for that crap, but can't bring myself to throw it out either. Always just sprinkle some on every cook just so it gets used.

Thanks for the help boys! I'll get back with an update in a few days.

[Travis]

Alright fella's, I set up the Fleetwood with a 3x3 snake wrapping around almost the entire bowl using a Stubbs briquettes. I also added small lump pieces over the top as @1buckie suggested because I wanted to run 275 for the cook. I run beef ribs at a higher temp and @swamprb says this is the new low and slow in comps, so I figured I would run it there.

I lit them at 6:30am, food on by 7:30am, and this ran at 275 with the top open and bottom 3 wheelers about 1/2 until I shut it down at 7:30pm. There was still around 4" of the snake left to burn.

I pulled off the beef ribs at 5 hours and threw on porksteaks after since pulled pork wasn't happening that late. I let the pork steaks go for 3 hours, no pics, but were delicious.

The ribs were unbelievable, the butt juicy, but not the best I'd done. It was a Kroger brand butt and although good, not like a high quality pork butt. I really believe in order to have a great end product you must start with one.

I was really pleased how that snake ran and how effortless it was.  Thanks for the advise, fella's. It worked much better this time.

Does anyone put down foil when you run these snakes? I didn't cause it was only the middle section that it would have covered, but I do have a mess in the bottom. I don't think air flow would be affected, but I don't know how much good it would have done anyway. Thoughts?

Here are some pics














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[Jon]

That looks like a great cook. The snake is a good method.

I don't put down foil. I put down a razor scraper the next day.

[captjoe06]

That looks like a great cook. The snake is a good method.

I don't put down foil. I put down a razor scraper the next day.

LOL!

[jamesnomore]

I 2/2 snake in my Fleetwood constantly and usually have 1 daisy closed, 1 open 1/2 the 3rd all open. I get 225-250. Did 2 8lb butts recently that were perfect after 12 hours and still had a another hour in coals. Here's a link to my baby backs that show my snake and a couple of pics, I try and get the coals in tight and tall for max heat and I'm always chincy with wood using small chunks.





Original post: http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/bbq-food-pics/baby-backs-on-mr-fleetwood/

[DarrenC]

Holy cow I've got a lot to learn...This snake method is all new to an old-school guy like me but very intuitive - Can't wait to give it a go!

[shock_me]

@DarrenC, it's unbelievable how stable you can keep your temps in the Low and Slow range with the snake method. It feels like cheating LOL!

[DarrenC]

I did very well for a lot of years with the top-down Minion method - This looks like the same basic fire science but way cooler!