Slow and Sear Questions

[LakeviewBBQ]

Hi Everyone,

I'm just getting set up with some new gear and wanted to get some opinions from you fine folks in the pit. I am planning on buying the 26" Weber Kettle, it comes with some of those small charcoal holding baskets that keep the charcoal off to one side, in a similar manner to what the slow and sear does. I'm wondering if it's worth it for me to order a slow and sear, or if these baskets and a water pan will do pretty much the same thing?

I live in Calgary, Canada, so after I get it shipped here and pay the exchange rate it is going to be about $200 Canadian, and I'm not sure if it's worth it or not. Also, does anyone know where you can get this and other Weber accessories in Canada? I went to my local BBQ's Galore, which is the biggest BBQ supplier store we have, and they didn't have too much and weren't overly helpful or knowledgeable.

Thanks!
-Lakeview BBQ

[Danjohnston949]

LakeviewBBQ, Welcome to The Pit! I think You will find the S 'n S a better option If you do a lot of Low and Slow Cooking! A very high quality product! You might want to Check Amazon for a landed Price! Also check ABC.com, Adrenaline BBQ Co, they may have a Canadian distributor?
Eat Well and Prosper! From Fargo ND, Dan

[jharner]

I believe the slow n sear ( especially the one for the 26 Weber ) will give you better long cooking runs as well as the water chamber built in. I love my slow n sear on my 22.5 Weber.

[Willy]

My experience is that the SnS is a very nice tool. Alas, I can't compare it to "equivalent" systems as I haven't used them. As Danjohnston949 noted, the SnS is a very high quality product. Thick stainless construction--I'm thinking it'll last a lifetime.

[Huskee]

Weber charcoal baskets are open-sided, vented, and they're meant to bank coals to the sides only. It's a completely different ballgame from the SnS, which is designed to truly create a humid indirect zone, and channel the searing heat straight up, not to the side. Rowboat vs. bassboat.

[ribeyeguy]

Earlier tonight I grilled some burgers stuffed with bleu cheese and a bit of ground up habanero peppers. Poured maybe 12 unlit briquettes in the SnS along with two chunks of mesquite wood. Then got another seven or eight briquettes going in a chimney. Once they were ashed over I dumped them over the unlit coals and wood chunks in the SnS. Put the burgers on the cool side with the hood vent directly on top of them to pull the smoke over them and cooked them for about 5 minutes per side, flipped them once. Then I seared them over the hot coals for about 45 seconds per side and the result was pink, juicy perfection.

My point is that the SnS is a tool that makes the simplest to the most difficult and time consuming cooks easy. Sure, I probably could have achieved the same results using the baskets or even with just banking the coals to one side but why risk it? With the SnS I know going in that my results are going to exceed my expectations.

One last thing, I used at most 20 briquettes, 3 hours later there's still enough of them left where I'd be able to cook a nice ribeye. Yeah, I'm a fan!

[Huskee]

Well said! There are great lighting tips at ABCbarbecue.com for the main techniques/recipes, but you can do any number of techniques you want to achieve what you're aiming for.

[LA Pork Butt]

@https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/member/12009-lakeviewbbq The SlowNSear is a great tool. If you are after the reverse sear I don't think you can beat it. It will work great for low and slow, too. It you are after low and slow only and want to put off the purchase, try the snake method. You can find it on YouTube illustrated by an Aussie. I widened the snake by one ring of coals since the method was designed for the 22" I've used both the SlowNSear and the snake method on my son's 26" Weber. Both work well. In my opinion the baskets do a poor job. Happy cooking.

[LakeviewBBQ]

Thanks for the comments everyone. It look like I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and pay for the slow and sear!

[Danjohnston949]

If you know anyone coming through Fargo ND in the Near Future you could have it Shipped to my house and pick it up Here! I have an "OLD" College Roommate in Brandon MB that I can call on If Needed! If you Bite the Bullet remember the Quality will remain long after the $ are Forgotten! Dan

[cgrover60]

Bite the bullet for sure. The SNS is the best thing that ever happened to my Weber and you won't be disappointed. I was shopping for a pellet smoker to get a true slow and slow setup and decided to try the SNS with an added Grill Grate thermometer system and Lava gasket on my Weber first. Couldn't be happier, saved several hundred dollars and has totally changed how I cook which some may say is a good thing.