I have a confession to make: I'm a coal banker.
On most cooks I like to push the coals to the back as a quick and easy 2-zone setup. This was actually the initial reason I decided to take a closer look at the SnS - to protect the inner sidewall of the grill. It would provide a heavy stainless steel shield to protect that inner wall from the extreme heat of the charcoal and above average use that it will see in my backyard. I did have the luxury of checking out a 22" version at
@Troy's place a few months ago and was impressed by the heavy construction so that made biting the bullet and ordering a bit easier...
Construction:The SnS is
very solid... 7lbs worth of 16ga 304 Stainless. It's one of those items that as soon as you pick it up you realize you are holding something of quality. It's not a cheap, mass produced tin accessory - this thing is hand made and means business!
Fitment:The fitment against the sidewall of the grill is perfect, but I found that the heavy rods of the charcoal grate caused the SnS to high center slightly so it didn't quite sit flat or feel stable. A super easy fix yo this is to simply flip the center section upside down (See below). The lower support wire is not as heavy gauge so the SnS now sits flush and is sturdy in place.
Initial Impressions:This thing really works. I had seen photo's so I knew it was capable of high heat searing... what I did not realize was how fast it accomplishes the task! The steaks below were placed over the heat zone (lid closed) for about 45seconde to a minute and it created some deep sear marks that I was previously unable to obtain:
Final Note:After a few more uses and some dialed in technique the Slow 'N Sear will have a permanent home in my grill. At this point I've only had the chance to cook steaks so I will report back down the road once I try out some of the other uses.
[emoji106]