SnS vs. the Snake method

[ABCbarbecue]

@ABCbarbecue Hi Dave, always nice to hear from you. I don't think your test is missing anything. I believe it was as fair and scientific as humanly possible. I honestly don't know if anything else could be done to make it fairer.

While both methods clearly work for low and slow cooks, the test shows the SnS is far easier, more efficient and offers much more flexibility in regards to any cook. I personally have found the snake method to be awkward and less reliable way to cook. Often the fuse gets broken somehow and the fire dies. Happened to me a couple of times in the days before the SnS.

For several years now I am all in with the SnS!!

Troymeister

DUDE.  I totally tagged you by accident.  I meant TROY.  What are the chances? LOL Hope things are good with you.  Haven't seen you in the group much lately.

[ABCbarbecue]

@ABCbarbecue Hi Dave, always nice to hear from you. I don't think your test is missing anything. I believe it was as fair and scientific as humanly possible. I honestly don't know if anything else could be done to make it fairer.

While both methods clearly work for low and slow cooks, the test shows the SnS is far easier, more efficient and offers much more flexibility in regards to any cook. I personally have found the snake method to be awkward and less reliable way to cook. Often the fuse gets broken somehow and the fire dies. Happened to me a couple of times in the days before the SnS.

For several years now I am all in with the SnS!!

Troymeister

Best first post ever

YOU'RE the @Troy I was trying to tag.  Major tag failure.  I agree you should do a vid!  The more the merrier.

[ABCbarbecue]

I'd agree with HoosierKettle on the comment about the ATC. My results with the SnS have always had temp spikes as the fuel in the middle of the basket gets going and the initial fuel isn't completely dead yet.

The snake has been a more constant temp in my cooks without the temp spikes.

I like my SnS but if I really want steady temps I setup a snake.


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The SnS will hold very steady temps so I think there's two possibilities here.  1) You got leaks around the lid 2) You ran out of water.  Around 5 hours into the cook when the water runs out you'll sometimes see a temp spike, especially if you're not cooking a huge hunk of meat that's stalling and replacing the moisture that was coming from the reservoir.

[captjoe06]

I've yet to use my SnS 2.0 although I'm looking forward to doing so.  So busy with work I have it planned for January for a brisket.


I've been a huge fan of the snake method for long cooks.  I've never had one go out on me and find it's been to date absolutely foolproof for maintaining smoking temps I'm comfortable with.


I don't neatly arrange coals for the snake method, i dump a bunch of briquettes in and push them up along the side starting at about 7:30 on the dial and stopping around 3:00.


Without ever using the SNS a benefit I'm expecting is that with the amount of coals it will hold over to the side on a brisket on a 22 I'm guessing there will be zero reason to have to rotate the grate as all the coals will be in the SnS basket to the left and the Brisket will be to the right.


The other benefit I anticipate is protecting the porcelain on my favorite kettles.


It does seem like a luxury item, not a must have.  i'll report back once I've actually used it.


All that being said, after seeing a 26 with a snake method in action at the Northeast Meetup, i think that may be the best grill ever for the money.


Easily can do a packer brisket with a snake and  maintain a really long effortless cook.


After seeing that in action I felt no need to ever think about a pellet pooper or atc.


The 26 with a snake just held temp rock solid all day long.

[HoosierKettle]

Almost all of the comments in this thread were a respectful exchange of different opinions. So I don't compare this thread to all of the random hateful rhetoric found in comment sections in other social media.


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[Zinn]

The top vent setting on the snake method was 2/3 of the way open, the top vent setting on the SnS was maybe 1/4 of the way open. Not a fair head to head comparison.  Of course the snake method was gonna burn out quicker, come on Dave.

[ABCbarbecue]

The top vent setting on the snake method was 2/3 of the way open, the top vent setting on the SnS was maybe 1/4 of the way open. Not a fair head to head comparison.  Of course the snake method was gonna burn out quicker, come on Dave.

The top vents were adjusted as needed so the cookers would maintain 225 F.  Snake method requires more air because it's less efficient...  So it makes perfect sense the top vent would end up more open.

[kettlebb]

@Troy will you do your own video of this experiment and if so will you do it without the use of an ATC?

[vwengguy]

Almost all of the comments in this thread were a respectful exchange of different opinions. So I don't compare this thread to all of the random hateful rhetoric found in comment sections in other social media.


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Ok.. To everyone that has endured the pain of my rant and rave post... sorry!

I will shut the fuck up and keep my opinions to my self.


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[HoosierKettle]

Almost all of the comments in this thread were a respectful exchange of different opinions. So I don't compare this thread to all of the random hateful rhetoric found in comment sections in other social media.


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Ok.. To everyone that has endured the pain of my rant and rave post... sorry!

I will shut the fuck up and keep my opinions to my self.


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Don't sweat it. You're one of my favorite people on here. Always good advice. And even though it was respectable bashing it was a little bashing none the less. So I apologize for that to ABC


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[KettleMaster]

Good back and forth on this subject...Dave from ABC has good answers for ppl who question his testing.I would like to see someone do a Snake video in favour of it and let the fun debates continue;)

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[Twangin]

So to add to this I'm curious to know how the slow n sear compares to just using a plain ol' Weber charcoal basket on one side/water pan on other side (underneath meat) for use as a two zone setup for searing or low & slow cooks. Quite a huge price difference between the two, especially for someone like me just getting into the charcoal grill world.


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[HoosierKettle]

So to add to this I'm curious to know how the slow n sear compares to just using a plain ol' Weber charcoal basket on one side/water pan on other side (underneath meat) for use as a two zone setup for searing or low & slow cooks. Quite a huge price difference between the two, especially for someone like me just getting into the charcoal grill world.


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Forget the basket. It's too small in comparison.  Just dump a full chimney on one side and cook on the other as an alternative.


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[captjoe06]

So to add to this I'm curious to know how the slow n sear compares to just using a plain ol' Weber charcoal basket on one side/water pan on other side (underneath meat) for use as a two zone setup for searing or low & slow cooks. Quite a huge price difference between the two, especially for someone like me just getting into the charcoal grill world.


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Forget the basket. It's too small in comparison.  Just dump a full chimney on one side and cook on the other as an alternative.


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You could also use firebricks to separate the coals on one side.

[Foster Dahlet]

So to add to this I'm curious to know how the slow n sear compares to just using a plain ol' Weber charcoal basket on one side/water pan on other side (underneath meat) for use as a two zone setup for searing or low & slow cooks. Quite a huge price difference between the two, especially for someone like me just getting into the charcoal grill world.


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Forget the basket. It's too small in comparison.  Just dump a full chimney on one side and cook on the other as an alternative.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

You could also use firebricks to separate the coals on one side.

This is what I did for quite some time, before I learned about snake...then I moved to SnS.  Both are better than firebrick minion method.

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