I have been using the cheap Weber charcoal rails on my 22" kettle with foil water pans and a Party Q for a couple of years with really great results. I'm always amused at the consternation of folks with much more expensive/fancy rigs when they taste my amazing meats. My question is, will something like the Smoke N Sear really make a substantive difference in the quality of my BBQ, or, does it just scratch a gadget itch? When I say substantive difference I'm talking about something like the quantum leap an ATC like the PartyQ provides.
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I think so.
I did the same thing for a long time before getting the SnS. I find the SnS has made it MUCH easier and have had a GREAT improvement in my results. And I'm REALLY not a gadget guy!
As always, YMMV, but that is my experience. -
frenchtown, For 35-40 Years I have cooked on a 22.5 Weber Kettle first with Grill Racks that hooked on the coal grill and then with the later version Weber came out with. I did not have any form of temp control like your Party Q. I acquired a New Weber Performer Deluxe on a Cart with a Propane Ignitor the first part of Sept. and I bought a New S 'n S to go with it! I am still having a little problem with the amount of charcoal to use and Vent Settings (Temp. Control), Inspite of this I think overall my Q is better! ðŸ‘ÂðŸ‘Â🦃ðŸ‘Â👠Eat Well And Prosper, DanComment
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I don't know how I lived without a SnS. It is a BBQ tool that works well and offers great control. For $79.00 in the world of BBQ, that's practically free.Comment
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I used My weber charcoal rails for a while, then smokenator, then back to rails. Then I got the SnS.....My weber rails and smokenator went into the trash after the first SnS cook.Comment
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I've used my Slow 'N Sear once, my Smokenator probably a hundred times. My Smokenator will most likely not see its 101st use. The ease of use and level of control that the SNS provides is off the charts when compared to the Smokenator. After filling it with 3/4 of a chimney and tweaking the vents a bit I held a rock solid 225 dome temperature over the entire course of a 5 hour cook. Adding wood to the Smokenator was always a pain, I'd have to use a hatchet to cut them down so they'd fit in the openings. Not so with the SNS, just lift the grill grate and drop them in.
I also have an 18" WSM but I honestly don't see myself using it much anymore, the SNS is that good.Comment
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I just got the Slow 'N Sear about 2 weeks ago. If you got a Weber, it is a no brainer...Comment
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I have a Slow N Sear on my Christmas wish list. I am guessing that once I use it my Smokenator will go bye-bye.Comment
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There is no comparison in either charcoal rails or the Smokenator to the Slow 'N Sear, either in build quality or performance.
The Slow 'N Sear (SnS) was designed with other accessories' weak points in mind, and successfully overcomes them. And it's built like a tank, not thin mailbox steel. Once you put your hands on it and pick it up you realize it's the real deal. Easy to light, maintain and refill, and a large water reservoir that's both a thermal buffer (w/ water or empty) and large enough to perform like it should. Plus, a key advantage the SnS has over the competition is the solid charcoal basket wall- it forms an airspace barrier between the coals and the kettle's outer wall. No coals up against the kettle wall itself means less heat will bleed through the kettle wall into the environment, but instead what bleeds through the SnS's charcoal basket wall will naturally go into the kettle where it belongs.
SnS is good stuff.Comment
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I've never used the rails but I've seen people's comments liking them and also managing to put out good product with bricks, etc. also. I think the key though is that the SnS makes your smoking more efficient and more effortless. Put in X number of unlit coals and some chunks, then the lit coals and some water, adjust the vents appropriate during the first several minutes, and then walk away for hours. And, while the jury is still out for me on wings (vs the Vortex), everything else I've done with my SnS is way better than it was with the Vortex or the Smokenator.Comment
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I've got all of the toys for a Weber 22" Kettle which is one of my all time favorites... I've got baskets, rails, fire bricks, a Smokenator and a Slow n Sear. In the brief time that I've had the SnS it's become my goto heat management device for my Weber. I like it... I like it a lot...
Now I consider myself to be a fairly competent pit master and I can deliver excellent Q regardless of what I'm cooking it on... HOWEVER... some tools just make it easier to do and the SnS is one of those products.
Will it make a difference in the quality of your food? I dunno... if you want to send me a brisket or something, I'll be glad to try it and let you know!
I now consider the SnS to be an important weapon in my arsenal...
Last edited by Hondo; November 25, 2015, 06:57 AM.Comment
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The SnS is on my Christmas wish list. I will be using the Smokenator tomorrow (it produced a great bird last year). I strongly suspect that once I get the Slow N Sear the Smokenator will be relegated to the trash bin.Comment
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For some of you guys throwing away the "old tech" send something my way! I just got a Weber 22.5 kettle and am using it for my intended purposes which are use for anything that the CampChef pellet grill/smoker cannot handle. Things like steaks / searing mostly. If the pellet grill could sear it would be hands down my choice. I do have to say however that I am very intrigued by the kettle and want to expand my horizions as the wallet allows. Unfortunately, I have just found out I'm losing my job if I don't move............... that sucks. I cannot sell my GA house so I'll be paying for housing in TX and GA for a period of time. Therefore the goodies are limited. ​Don't worry for me though. God always provides.......... life and Q.Comment
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Feelin for you morganjim. We might have some open box SnSs for sale soon. Would save you a few bucks and it'll pay for itself as charcoal is cheaper than pellets and a kettle will be easier to move to your new place.Comment
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Yeah, I need to find an apartment that allows both pets AND grills & smokers. Maybe I'll get lucky!
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