Slow n Sear Plus less than favorable results

[DynaGlide]

I bought an original Slow n Sear a few years back and took it to the family's vacation home and left it there. I've used it a few times and it worked out well, giving me ~8hrs of ~225 degree cooking without much fuss. So when I picked up a Performer I went and got the SnS Plus version with the integrated charcoal grate thinking it'd be a nice upgrade. With the charcoal grate I can lift the SnS and shake the ashes out before a new cook. So yesterday I did some ribs, it was around 45 degrees out. Followed the usual lighting instructions and had it settled in at ~225, measured at the grate. About 2 hours in the fire was choking down so I had to go move the coals around and there was a lot of ash (KBB coal). The next 3 hours I had to keep messing with it and it started to die around the 4.5 hour point going down to 200 degrees.

My first assumption is the Plus version isn't allowing the ashes to clear. I'm thinking about taking a dremel cutting disc to the Weber charcoal grate cross bars where the SnS sits. Any one else experience this? I was careful to try to line the SnS cross hatch up with the Weber crossbars to minimize any blockage.

[vwengguy]

2 things you can try..
Cover the open area of the Weber charcoal grate with alum foil and this also helps with clean up later.
Or ABC Drip'n Griddle pan in the bottom also has the same effect.
Doing one of these helps move air from the bottom vents right up the S'nS Butt and keeps air moving the best for the coals.
Yes, ash can build up a little faster in the plus.. but I really like the fact I can pick up the COLD S'nS and give it a shake and deal with the coals.
Most of the time when I do a long cook with my S'nS Plus I end up moving the coals around to push them back to the starting point and add a few more coals to keep it going. Doing this I never have problems because the bottom is now clean and ash free.
Just my .02 :-)


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[DynaGlide]

2 things you can try..
Cover the open area of the Weber charcoal grate with alum foil and this also helps with clean up later.
Or ABC Drip'n Griddle pan in the bottom also has the same effect.
Doing one of these helps move air from the bottom vents right up the S'nS Butt and keeps air moving the best for the coals.
Yes, ash can build up a little faster in the plus.. but I really like the fact I can pick up the COLD S'nS and give it a shake and deal with the coals.
Most of the time when I do a long cook with my S'nS Plus I end up moving the coals around to push them back to the starting point and add a few more coals to keep it going. Doing this I never have problems because the bottom is now clean and ash free.
Just my .02 :-)


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Already using the Drip n Griddle for that very purpose. I'll just have to adjust my expectations then and move the coals around/add more a few hours in. I got the Plus version because it mimics my Kick Ash Basket for my BGE. Not having the grate is annoying when I need to move the SnS at the vacation home.

[HoosierKettle]

This doesn't surprise me. I used to use a smokenator that had no bottom to it and kbb ash would clog air flow on the normal charcoal grate. Kbb also needs stirred more in a wsm to maintain air flow. Try lump. Less ash but won't last quite as long. Or weber briqs are much much better about ash


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[vwengguy]

@HoosierKettle is correct about the new Weber briqs.. they have at least 50% less ash then others! I forgot all about that point.


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[Firemunkee]

Stubb's produces very little ash as well. A review I read measured that it produced half the ash as KBB.

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[Bertman]

That's helpful about the ash. But I've had the opposite problem. I have the S and s plus and the temp is too high-around 300. Cooks well and creates a nice bark but a little to fast. I too use the kbb but I'll try the Weber charcoal next. Please provide any thoughts on my high temp issue. Thank you


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[Foster Dahlet]

That's helpful about the ash. But I've had the opposite problem. I have the S and s plus and the temp is too high-around 300. Cooks well and creates a nice bark but a little to fast. I too use the kbb but I'll try the Weber charcoal next. Please provide any thoughts on my high temp issue. Thank you


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I had the same issue....so I removed my work table and slide aside, and also changed my process, and the problem went away.....so two suggestions: first make sure the air leakage around the rim is not excessive (of course we all know it won't be sealed).....the other is to start with vents, top and bottom, at 1/2 open.    The instructions tell you to run the top open until grill reaches a certain temp then drop down the 1/3.....the temps always got away from me that way......much easier for me to control when I start with less flow through vents.  I start at 1/2 open adjust accordingly afterwards.

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[vwengguy]

If your running too hot on a L&S cook then the fix is easy.. less coals !
I had this with my S'nS Plus also and fixed it with common sense .. more coals = more heat and the other way also.
I don't cook monster sized pulled pork because it's just the wife and I now. At first I put the blame on air leaks, small chunk of meat or weather.
Then I just put less coals in so they were only 1 briquette under the top lip of the S'nS... hope you understand that ;-)
Now I run 250-265 for hours without having to do anything to it.
I'm sure if I did a full size pork shoulder that had 2-3 times the size then I would need more coals.


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[Bertman]

My thoughts too. Less coals less heat. I was a bit hesitant to pull too far back on the briquettes but I'll try even less next time. I have a smaller brisket in the chamber ready to go. Much appreciated!


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[Foster Dahlet]

If your running too hot on a L&S cook then the fix is easy.. less coals !
I had this with my S'nS Plus also and fixed it with common sense .. more coals = more heat and the other way also.
I don't cook monster sized pulled pork because it's just the wife and I now. At first I put the blame on air leaks, small chunk of meat or weather.
Then I just put less coals in so they were only 1 briquette under the top lip of the S'nS... hope you understand that ;-)
Now I run 250-265 for hours without having to do anything to it.
I'm sure if I did a full size pork shoulder that had 2-3 times the size then I would need more coals.


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For Low and Slow, I am really not sure how starting with less unlit charcoal makes sense. Wouldn't less charcoal means less burn time....not necessarily less heat, since not all the charcoal is lit at the same time anyway?  To me the idea is to impede the speed at which the rest of the charcoal begins to burn, and choke down how hot it gets once it does begin to burn.

Or do you mean starting with less lit coals....that would make sense.

[vwengguy]

Think about a snake method .. say 3x2 or so, as that burns down the snake so much heat is given off as it burns.
Now take that same idea but build a snake with FULL Bags of KBB at 3x2 high bags... when that puppy starts burning it's going to cook an elephant real fast.
The idea with the S'nS is a shorter compact snake that can be controlled with the air vents. You still have a volume of coals that lights and burns in the space of the S'nS.
More meat mass = more coals needed.
If you cook 2 lbs of pulled pork you need X amount of coals for so long cooking and time.
If you have 6 lbs of pork.. you need more coals for the same cook temp.


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[vwengguy]

Another way to look at it is this.
3x2 snake stacked perfect has 5 briquettes stacked high. These 5 burn and give off so much heat and burn in so much time before they light the next 5.
Up that and stack them at 4x3x2x1 = 10 total that could be all burning at the same time.
Now I'm no rocket engineer but my thoughts say that the 10 briquettes burning are going to give off WAY more heat AND burn faster than the smaller snake.

It's kind of the same thought in the S'nS space.. it burns from one point to the other at time rate based on how much coals are piled up. 


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[HoosierKettle]

You guys are chasing your tail. Nothing beats a snake for low and slow in a kettle.

I use a modified large basket that simulates an sns two zone set up. It's great for medium high heat two zone set ups. I wouldn't fiddle with it for low and slow personally.


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[JEBIV]

You guys are chasing your tail. Nothing beats a snake for low and slow in a kettle.


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I like the snake in my 26 for a long low and slow, besides I like the time it takes to build the snake while I am enjoying my favorite beverage