First slow cook on the Webber kettle with SNS

[Smokin' Ham]

Sunday I did my first slow cook on the Webber kettle with the SNS. I started with 25 lit coals and at 07:30 put on an 8 lb. fresh shank end ham that had been dry brined overnight. I filled the SNS with boiling water. Over the next 8 1/2 hours I added more lit coals about four times and added water to the SNS once. Chunks of oak were added from time to time. The temperature ranged from 217 to 277. I took the meat off at 172 degrees.

I got a very nice smoke ring and very dark brown to nearly black exterior. The flavor is wonderful and mostly the texture is ok but a little chewy in places. It doesn't taste burned at all. I had a drip pan under the meat and the drippings made a really strong gravy. I could have gotten away with diluting the drippings more. All in all, a satisfying first attempt at a real cook.

At the same time, I put a small fire in my BGE, thinking I would just warm it up a little and get my feet wet with it. That adventure is briefly described in the kamado forum.

[emil.glatz]

Nice. I've done 1 turkey with my SNS, and a few beef roasts. Wonderful contraption.

[FLBuckeye]

Smokin' Ham Just curious as to why you only used 25 briquets to start? I fill the entire chamber up (about 80 total) and put 12 briquets in the far corner. I get up to 12 hours in a single load of charcoal. I use Kingsford blue bag btw.
I don't need to add fuel, open the lid, or worry about temp fluctuations. Love my SnS!

[Smokin' Ham]

I was following some instructions I read elsewhere. For my most recent effort I followed instructions in the pastrami recipe, putting about 15 lighted coals in the SNS and filling the rest of it with unlighted coals. I slow cooked pastrami from about 08:00 'till 16:30 at temperatures ranging from 217 to 270. I did have to add coals about 2/3 of the way through. I'm not so good at regulating the temperature yet, but getting there.

had never eaten pastrami before. My friend, who visits Katz deli in New York says I got it right. I, however don't like hot & spicy, and this had way too much pepper for my taste. So, no heavy pepper rubs for me anymore, but lots of good stuff to come, for sure.

[JeffJ]

@Smokin Ham

I just made pastrami as well, although I cooked it in my WSM. It turned out really good.

As for regulating temps in a kettle, I offered the same info on a different thread: Set your bottom vents so that they are open a little bit and then make temperature tweaks with the top vent. The kettle is pretty sensitive to even minor vent adjustments. Also, be patient after making a tweak and don't fret too much about nailing and maintaining a precise temp. 220-250 is a perfect range and even if you spike higher, to say 275, you are still going to be fine. The types of meats that are cooked low/slow are pretty forgiving. Heck, some people shoot for 270-275 for the entire cook. Franklin Barbecue advocates that temperature for low/slow. Having said that, I recommend 220-250 if you don't intend on wrapping during the cook.

[David Parrish]

I, however don't like hot & spicy, and this had way too much pepper for my taste. So, no heavy pepper rubs for me anymore, but lots of good stuff to come, for sure.

The Pastrami rub, and Big Bad Beef Rub, can be too peppery for many when pre-ground pepper is used. Try course grinding the pepper next time. You can also just use less pepper.

As for regulating temps in a kettle, I offered the same info on a different thread: Set your bottom vents so that they are open a little bit and then make temperature tweaks with the top vent. The kettle is pretty sensitive to even minor vent adjustments. Also, be patient after making a tweak and don't fret too much about nailing and maintaining a precise temp. 220-250 is a perfect range and even if you spike higher, to say 275, you are still going to be fine. The types of meats that are cooked low/slow are pretty forgiving. Heck, some people shoot for 270-275 for the entire cook. Franklin Barbecue advocates that temperature for low/slow. Having said that, I recommend 220-250 if you don't intend on wrapping during the cook.

Agreed! It's important to point out this advice is relevant to a kettle with a Slow 'N Sear and not a plain old kettle or kettle with Smokenator. The SnS causes the fuel to burn very efficiently, which results in your vents needing to be more closed than they would be using other techniques or accessories.

[JeffJ]

How does the SnS cause the fuel to burn more efficiently than the Sn? My guess is that it completely envelopes the coals as opposed to the Smokenator which traps them against the side of the kettle allowing heat to bleed out along the kettle wall?

I am already beyond sold on the SnS and if I don't get it for Christmas I will be placing an order on December 28. I am just curious if you can provide a brief explanation that backs your claim. Layman's terms are preferable. ;-)

[David Parrish]

JeffJ your guess is correct. The charcoal basket acts as a barrier to radiant heat and block most of the radiant heat from hitting the wall of the kettle. This makes the kettle bleed heat out through convection, which is a much slower form of heat transmission. Since more heat stays in the kettle you need to burn less fuel to maintain a given temp.

Also, the walls of the charcoal basket are angled to cradle the briquets together as they burn and get smaller. This makes the fuel burn much more consistently throughout the cook and also aids with efficiency.

[JeffJ]

The SnS causes the fuel to burn very efficiently, which results in your vents needing to be more closed than they would be using other techniques or accessories.

I am guessing that using the water reservoir is strongly advised with the SnS when utilizing wood to create smoke. The one thing I've found with my 14.5 WSM is that if I add water at the beginning of the cook I can have the vents more open without risking temps that are too high. The added oxygen reduces the likelihood of coals that aren't burning hot enough and thus causing the wood to belch out white or even gray/black smoke.

These questions are pre-emptive as I want to hit the ground running when I get my SnS.

[David Parrish]

I am guessing that using the water reservoir is strongly advised with the SnS when utilizing wood to create smoke. The one thing I've found with my 14.5 WSM is that if I add water at the beginning of the cook I can have the vents more open without risking temps that are too high. The added oxygen reduces the likelihood of coals that aren't burning hot enough and thus causing the wood to belch out white or even gray/black smoke.

These questions are pre-emptive as I want to hit the ground running when I get my SnS.

I find water does help maintain a given temp. As a rule of thumb I use water when cooking between 225 F and 325 F. At higher temps I don't bother with it. As I recall you have a smokenator. You're going to need tighter vent settings than what you're used to with the Sn.

[LA Pork Butt]

I am curious as to why you pulled the meat at 172 and didn't go to at least 175 and better yet 195-205. I think your meat would have been less chewy if you had gone to at least 195.

[David Parrish]

He was cooking ham, not pork butt.

[LA Pork Butt]

I thought he was cooking the picnic.

[Strolan]

Last night I did my third cook on my SNS, a USDA Prime Tri-Tip. I had some temp spikes towards the end where I decided to mop it about a hour in and the coals flared up from the extra o2. Not a big deal because the SNS slowly brought the temp down to the target temp to finish out the cook.

I love this gadget. It was the hands down the best tri-tip I have ever made, let alone smoke. And this goes back to when I learned how to 2 zone cook from my neighbor in Santa Barbara. It was that much better. Next time I will probably take it off earlier in the cook, glaze it with sauce and sear it on both sides until done to give it that "Santa Maria" finish.

But three cooks in and I have yet to screw anything up with it nor have to baby sit it like my COS.

[David Parrish]

Awesome Strolan! Glad the SnS is working so well for you.

[Strolan]

Next time I will post pics. I ain't postin; pics of leftovers! (As yummy as they may be! )

Everyone that comes over and see's my offset thinks that thing is so freaking awesome. Then I pull a beer can chicken, or three racks of ribs out of the Weber and people fall over in love. It is quite hilarious TBH.

[Huskee]

Strolan, next time try a spatchcocked chicken with the SnS, and keep the beer in your hand. You'll love it! The technique's on our site ABCbarbecue.com > bbq techniques > chicken, or try Meathead's Georgia's Smoked Yardbird instruction applied to the SnS.