Convince me of the upside: snake vs slow & sear

[Transit98]

All great input - and for long cooks sounds like snake wins over slow and low.

From what Im reading its a cool novelty item for short cooks.

Has any one used it along with a bbq guru? Does it allow the coals to last longer? 


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[kettlebb]

FWIW the SnS can be for long cooks. I've had a full load run 9 hours in my SnS doing a pork butt. That's a pretty good amount of time considering all the other benefits the SnS provides like keeping coals away from the porcelain, having a built in water trough, and the SS construction. You won't regret getting one if you do.


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[Firemunkee]

I've also done a 9 hour cook without any issues with the SnS. Value is in the eye of the beholder.

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[Paul S]

As I'm thinking about doing a butt soon using the SnS, could you enlighten me of your coal setup of the 9 hour cook? I've seen youtube video's but most mention the water in trough last about 4 hours and coals about 5.

[pbe gummi bear]

The snake is less sensitive to leaky kettles because it self regulates with the size charcoal cross section. The downside is that it takes longer to set up and the fire moves over time.

[FTTH]

I have the easy spin grate and remove the grate section above the SNS and can pile charcoal above the grill grate line. This can add time to longer cooks without a refill. The fact the basket is off the kettle wall means the coals are not affected by the temperature of the kettle walls.


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[kettlebb]

My setup process:

-Fill the SnS (Stubbs briquettes)
-Take briqs from one of the corners and build a small pile around a Weber lighter cube on the charcoal grate.
-light the coals and wait till they are ashed over
-put the coals back into the corner they came from
-fill the trough with hot tap water
-place drip pan on indirect side
-add hot tap water to drip pan
-put the cooking grate on
-close bottom vents to 1/4 open
-add chunk of pecan or peach wood
-put lid on, top vent wide open
-go inside prep pork butt, wait for temp to stabilize between 250-275
-put meat on

This usually gets me 8-9 hours before I'm adding fuel. When I add fuel I take the cooking grate off and place it on another grill (see, you always could use another grill). I then use my coal tings and stir all the coals and ash around to clean out the SnS, sweep the sweeps to clean out ash, then move the burning coals to one side. I add the fresh fuel, put the grate back on with the food and keep going. I cook butts by tenderness.

Personal preference. I'd rather use the SnS than the snake.


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[Firemunkee]

As I'm thinking about doing a butt soon using the SnS, could you enlighten me of your coal setup of the 9 hour cook? I've seen youtube video's but most mention the water in trough last about 4 hours and coals about 5.

@kettlebb gave excellent details. I essentially do the same thing except I light 15ish coals first, then put them in, then fill the basket. I also do not use an extra water pan. So the water lasts only as long as ABC says it will be they also say that's all you really need. I found Stubb's burns longer than KBB. I also overfill the coals so my grate is slanted haha. I don't have the easy spin, yet

[HoosierKettle]

All great input - and for long cooks sounds like snake wins over slow and low.

From what Im reading its a cool novelty item for short cooks.

Has any one used it along with a bbq guru? Does it allow the coals to last longer? 


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club

I wouldn't call the sns a novelty.  The concept is solid.  I don't have one, but I made a larger basket that simulates the cooking environment but lacks the height and the water reservoir.  I use it all the time for cooking darn near everything.  If I had an sns I would be using it frequently.

[qrczak1]

Well, it all depends on the kettle and weather conditions. Once I was cooking a brisket by outside temp somewhere at 25f and 60 mph wind. After 5 hrs I had to add coals. It was however really an exception. Yesterday (sunny, no wind, tight kettle, 60f) I've made also a brisket within 245-255 range. This is what left after exactly 9 hrs and 15 mins. The leftovers were still good for 2-2,5 hrs cooking.

[Harleysmoker]

Waste of money if you ask me. Ive been smoking/cooking on a kettle for several years now and never seen an advantage to have an SNS or a Vortex..I don't believe all the hype. Never have used water in a pan in a kettle or my WSM, so the water trough is not a selling option to me.

[GoAnywhereJeep]

Adrenaline BBQ does a good job of marketing their products through YouTube. I'm in the "I can live without them" club. Snake works fine and though I have not done it yet, I would double up the baskets before throwing cash at ABC.

I have the Weber stainless 22.5" grate and am just going to file off those little nubs that stick down from the handle that get hung up on the bowl tabs. Presto - easy spin grate.

[qrczak1]

Well, everybody has its own opinion. I'm really a SnS fan. It is the money worth. ROI (return on investment) is approx. 15 - 30 (depending on the country you live) long jobs where you simply save the money on fuel. That's it.

[GoAnywhereJeep]

Well, everybody has its own opinion. I'm really a SnS fan. It is the money worth. ROI (return on investment) is approx. 15 - 30 (depending on the country you live) long jobs where you simply save the money on fuel. That's it.

How much did it cost delivered to the Nederlands and what was your return on that investment over and above what you get from the included char baskets and employing the snake method? What does 15-30 mean?

ABC does a lot of marketing. I am not sure if I see more BBQ Guru ads or ABC ads. This is not merely an opinion.

[addicted-to-smoke]

A lot of this is all about being on a continuum. The extra thickness should help charcoal last longer, but more so than that, having a kettle that doesn't leak will save even more fuel before and especially after the cook. Want real charcoal savings? There's a Summit Charcoal grill for that, right?

But let's not kid ourselves here. Nobody buys anything to "save" charcoal, you either can afford the gadget, and appreciate it, or not.

That's why this hobby is so great. We have choices, and most of them are fairly inexpensive compared to a lot of other things out there.