Longer cooks on the SnS - Ash Management

[gmascolo51]

So I've used my SnS several times now and food has turned out great each time. My question is this, when you are doing longer cooks and have to add coals to keep temp or at the end where you may need to add so you can sear something else how have you been handling the build up of ash? Have you been trying to poke some of the loose ash through the holes at the bottom or do you just leave it alone and keep adding new coals to the top? Reason I ask is that towards the end of the cooks I am struggling with nice hot coals and have tried to poke down some of the spent ash but also feel like airflow may be getting blocked. Any suggestions are appreciated on techniques folks have been using, if you've experienced something similar? I have been using Kingsford blue bag and also the Kingsford Professional (all natural charcoal, Costco special sale). Thanks

[Polarbear777]

When you need to, just put some foil over the meat ( to protect it from flying ash), then use a poker or something to stir the coals and push all the ash through the SNS and into the bottom of the kettle, then use the sweepers to completely remove all the ash. Add more coals and you are good to go.

Its key key that you remove the meat or just cover it lightly to keep flying ash away.

If you use a dripngridle pan or or you cover the non-SNS pet of the charcoal grate (under the meat side) with foil (which you should do anyway with the SNS so all the incoming air goes to the fire), you only need loose foil over top of the meat when doing this cleaning step.

You can can pretty much run a kettle with SNS continuously this way.

[Huskee]

I just lift the kettle lid and set it over top of the meat, just so that the SnS is exposed, then I will stir the coals with my tongs until the ash falls through, then sweep it to get rid of it, and I'm good to go. If I need to add more coals then I'll scrape the current ones to one side and add new, put the lid back on and pretend it never happened.

[FishTalesNC]

I did exactly that 2.5 hours ago Huskee! My only ? was then re: the smoke I was generating after refueling. It was back to billowing white smoke before settling back into the blue smoke, and I was concerned it would affect the taste (my tastebuds are more discerning the more I do this, and the more I learn from you guys). It’s still on the smoker tho, so haven’t tried it yet and don’t know!

[Huskee]

FishTalesNC personally I don't notice any downside to the taste from the fresh smoke caused by a reload. I figure it's such a small fraction of the total time it's really insignificant. Your mileage may vary.

[RonB]

I pretty much do as others do, but I do sweep first so that the ash in the SnS has an easier time dropping through the grate. When done, I sweep again.

And if using a temp controller with a fan, I unplug the fan while fiddling with the ash. Don't ask me why I do that...

[Thunder77]

HAHA! I think I figured it out, but I won't rat you out!

[Polarbear777]

Yeah. I forgot to mention that. :-)

[jfmorris]

I have the standard SNS without the grid in the bottom, and ash buildup in my Performer has not been much of an issue. I usually sweep the ash out of the bottom of the kettle a couple times during the cook using the kettle blades. For cooks longer than 6-8 hours, I rake all remaining coals to one end of the SNS and add more charcoal to the rest of the SNS. If you have the SNS Plus I imagine you will need to do that too but make sure you rake the ashes out the bottom holes. I’ve cooked for up to 18 hours with the SNS with a couple of refills in this manner.

[JeffJ]

The last time I cooked ribs it took longer than I anticipated and I had to add coals. With a grill fork I gently knocked some of the ash away and still had good breathing around the vent so I left it at that and added some coal. Worked just fine.

[gmascolo51]

Thanks for the responses will definitely do this next time.

[Danjohnston949]

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[gmascolo51]

I have a Weber as in your attached photos. I like that little upgrade you have, I am going to look into it. Thanks