SNSK First Cook - A Play by Play

[HouseHomey]

Excellent thread Jim. I far to lazy to make a post like this.

[RickyBobby]

Awesome thread, jfmorris !!! Can’t wait to hear your final thoughts and see the finished product!

[RickyBobby]

jfmorris , “
8:00pm
Pit 262, butt 172. Tempted to go open all vents wide and crank it, as I want to go to bed in 2 hours!

9:00pm
Pit at 263, meat at 178. Opened bottom vent to full. Left top vent at 2.” ......
Keep the faith, brother!!!! Stay the corse!!!!

[jfmorris]

Haha. Well, right now I feel like its a long slog, and I am reminded why I USUALLY start cooking a butt or brisket at bed time, for dinner the next day! I am pushing to get this pork off soon, pulled, and into the fridge.

[Andrrr]

You made a comment on the bark formation and I have to agree that while I love kamado cooks I think I get better bark formation with my kettle/SnS.

[Henrik]

Great post, thanks! As for the bark comment: I agree, this is a thing with kamados. I never use a water pan in a kamado for this reason, and I cook at 10-20 deg higher temps compared to a ‘regular’ grill.

[Baltimorelger]

Awesome job! Pork looks killer.

[STEbbq]

Hey Jim, are you finding certain vent settings match up with certain temps or are you essentially gradually closing the vents to near closed when it reaches your given temp to hold it?

[jfmorris]

Hey Jim, are you finding certain vent settings match up with certain temps or are you essentially gradually closing the vents to near closed when it reaches your given temp to hold it?

Hmmm. Good question.

I find that the vent settings for kamado mode vary from the vent settings for SNS "turbo slow" mode, but aside from that, I start with the vents wide open, then cut to about halfway on both about 100 degrees below my planned cooking temp, then about 25 to 50 below, go to the final setting. I’ve found that it is fairly predictable to get the vent settings for 225, 275, 350, etc. You just gotta be patient though and not try to chase it too quickly. Tiny changes can result in gradual climbs or drops over a period of hours, but it really is pretty stable.

the printed manual included covers some pretty good vent settings for different temp ranges, now if I could just find where I put the thing…. They don’t put it as a download on their website unfortunately.

if you have not read it go check out this reference:

https://www.kamadoguru.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=80777

[STEbbq]

Hmmm. Good question.

I find that the vent settings for kamado mode vary from the vent settings for SNS "turbo slow" mode, but aside from that, I start with the vents wide open, then cut to about halfway on both about 100 degrees below my planned cooking temp, then about 25 to 50 below, go to the final setting. I’ve found that it is fairly predictable to get the vent settings for 225, 275, 350, etc. You just gotta be patient though and not try to chase it too quickly. Tiny changes can result in gradual climbs or drops over a period of hours, but it really is pretty stable.

the printed manual included covers some pretty good vent settings for different temp ranges, now if I could just find where I put the thing…. They don’t put it as a download on their website unfortunately.

if you have not read it go check out this reference:

https://www.kamadoguru.com/applicati...t.php?id=80777

Yeah, I was curious because it recommends adjustments by top vent only pg 15 while Meathead says leave top vent wide open and adjust bottom vent only.

https://amazingribs.com/more-techniq...-or-smoker-dry

1 starter square seems like too much so far so I need to try for a smaller fire and work the bottom vent only the next time. Setting bottom to 1 and adjusting via top vent puts the fire at 310 or so with no control.

Akorn’s manual suggestions are a little strange but suggests bottom vent control too so that’s my plan for next time.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/19...84373312002118

[jfmorris]

Yeah, I was curious because it recommends adjustments by top vent only pg 15 while Meathead says leave top vent wide open and adjust bottom vent only.

https://amazingribs.com/more-techniq...-or-smoker-dry

1 starter square seems like too much so far so I need to try for a smaller fire and work the bottom vent only the next time. Setting bottom to 1 and adjusting via top vent puts the fire at 310 or so with no control.

Akron’s manual suggestions are a little strange but suggests bottom vent control too so that’s my plan for next time.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/19...84373312002118

I just read through that Kamado Guru guide this weekend myself. SNSgrills tells me different vent settings for both vents, and I've been adjusting both bottom and top. I had never read Meathead's advice before you pointed it out, but leaving the top vent WIDE open to me would be an issue on a kamado - that advice seems more tuned to generic charcoal grills, most of which are not as tightly sealed as a kamado.

The general guideline I've found to be true is that you if closing the top vent down to an extent can cause temps to rise, at least briefly, as you are letting less heat out the top of the kamado. And opening the bottom vent up more can also increase the temperature of the fire. Obviously BOTH wide open leads to the hottest fire, but it takes a while to get there. I am talking about little tweaks if you are trying to get locked in at 225 for example.

I would try and follow the Akorn guide at least initially. Myself, I will probably on the next cook try the suggestions in the Kamado Guru guide next cook, where they leave the bottom vent about halfway open once the fire is going, and adjust with the top.

[STEbbq]

Does the SNS have a spring-loaded hinge or air hinge? I didn’t see any mention of one on the website or review.

[jfmorris]

If you look at a couple of the images on this page that show it with the lid open, you can see the springs back in the hinge area:

https://snsgrills.com/collections/kamado-grills/products/deluxe-kamado

[jfmorris]

You shopping for a new cooker?

[STEbbq]

jfmorris you know me buddy. I love to research them to death. I am really enjoying the Akorn and am very happy with the food coming off it, so it matches up great with the MB560. I just find it fun to see what my next potential kamado upgrade could be down the road.