How Do You Set Up a Fire for Slow and Low - Weber 22"Kettle

[Opa Tejas]

I kinda feel silly asking this question, but I gotta know. Sounds arrogant, but I have pretty much mastered slow and low on my Weber 22"kettle using a snake. Controlling/adding charcoal and manipulating vents, I have been able to maintain temperatures for slow cooking briskets, pork butts, and both beef and pork ribs (10+ hours if necessary).

But how do you set up your grill if you want the coals on one side and cook on the other? With a snake, you have to make sure you move your meat so the burning coals aren't over whatever you are cooking (and charring the tip). Plus it is a lot of hassle to add coals to the snake, especially in the dark, not to mention the significant temperature drop that then needs to build back up.

Just curious on how to even begin. How many coals do you start with, how often to add, and how many to add? I've cooked many of things indirect, but never tried to maintain an average temperature of 225 degrees over 10 hours in the indirect mode (other than a snake). How do you pros do it?

Thanx

[klflowers]

Slow N Sear.

https://abcbarbecue.com/product/slow-n-sear-2-0/

It is a beautiful thing.

Not a pro, though. Barely an amateur.

[Nate]

Beat me to it

[Thunder77]

+1 on what those guys said. 😎

[scottdware]

I've got two of them, and absolutely love them!

[Dick Anderson]

I have a hard time adding charcoal to the SnS, after I knock the ash out of the bottom, and I have a hard time controlling temps after that. I lose a lot of temp, too. The ol' snake ain't too bad. But I'm no pro, that's certain.

[klflowers]

I just did my first long cook on the SNS. I partially covered the meat in foil, lifted the part of the grate over the sns, banged the basket a few times, used the bottom vent handle the get some of the ash out (I had the dng in, so no ash came up through the bottom), moved the lit coals to one side and refilled the sns basket. Reset the vents to the marks I have per the sns instructions and let her ride. Temps spiked for a minute, but they calmed back down pretty quickly.

[KarchyBBQ]

The low n slow is a great accessory. I use it for most of my low and slow cooks. However I’ve also had success with just banking the coals against one side and adding a few bricks against the stack o’ coals to create a heat barrier between fire and food. To light, start with a small stack of a dozen or so coals built around a starter cube or in a chimney. Once they’re going, add the rest of the coals across the grate on the side your banking coals on. (This is cheaper, but also seems less efficient in my cooks.) I’ve found that covering the rest of the charcoal grate in foil (or drip pan from slow n sear or, as I’ve done it, a cut up pizza pan) helps ensure that air flow is properly directed through the coals and not leaking elsewhere, and you are able to maximize control over temp. Note that I’m running the 26” kettle but I don’t think it’s any different on the 22”.

[HouseHomey]

Huntington Beach welcomes you and your kettles.

Seriously, you need the Slow n Sear. Master the other side off the cook. I have a 22 and a 26. The SnS is mandatory.

So so I guess that makes me +3.
buy it and don’t look back.

[LA Pork Butt]

I’ve only used the snake method I’m my son’s 26” Weber. I never needed to add charcoal to do a 12 hour cook. I started it with twelve hot coals and used chips on the snake. I never had a problem with the meat burning, but I can see how it might be an issue on the 22” Weber. The coals were stacked two high and two wide.

[rickgregory]

I'll 4th the SNS. Well with the $99.

[Troutman]

As everyone mentions an SNS does work well. Another great upgrade that puts the kettle into a whole new smokin’ dimension is to invest in a Fireboard controller and a Pit Viper fan. Will change your whole smokin’ life !!

[ColonialDawg]

I agree with this 100%. That’s how I set up my 26-inch kettle.

[Attjack]

Snake method, bottom vent set depending on local conditions, top vent to fine tune the temperature.

[HawkerXP]

I have the SnS now but was able to do pretty much the same with the Weber baskets (if you have them) I think I started with 12 lit briquettes in a basket pushed to the side and added 3 to 6 unlit briquettes about every half hour. Yes, labor intensive but I could do indirect low and slow.

[Attjack]

You can also use the flat edge of the Weber baskets to form a wall whatever size you want. Or you can just pile the briquettes to one side. Either way add lit briquettes to one side for a slow burn. No need to add more briquettes that way. Baskets are nice but not necessary.

[Rod]

This way as Troutman said:

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/grills-and-smokers/charcoal/kettle-cookers/609951-how-to-weber-kettle-and-fan-combo

The above plus Weber charcoal can give you 16+ hours with no need to add fuel or moving meat around.

[Razor]

The Weber baskets work great and were included with my Performer.

[Hulagn1971]

Before I bought the SnS I used bricks to create a barrier between the direct side and the indirect side. Worked fine for me but having the SnS is the difference between cooking using an electric stovetop and a gas one.

[JGo37]

I have a couple 22" kettles. You can create the SnS cook with a foil baker's sheet. You can do inner or outer charcoal rings with a vortex. I don't have the ash buildup problems the SnS has with a really long cook, but I use one all the time for roasts and similar. I even have the old Smokenator - which is junk but sometimes useful. The liquid boils out immediately, so you need to use a drip pan with water as well - the SnS is a bit easier to keep full, but it goes too.

Got some reason my kettle low and slows run between 220 - 240 on the grate. I've been really lucky.

[Thunder77]

I love those side tables!

[JeffJ]

I spy a Smokenator. I had one and it served me well. The SnS just does it better though.

[TechniKal]

I recently purchased a slow and sear for use on my 22" kettle. I've noticed that I have to open the grill and knock ash out of the SnS around the 5 hour mark of low and slow cooks, or my temps will start to drop. There's still some charcoal left, but the bottom of the basket fills with ash and restricts airflow.

I'm using KBB charcoal and following the lighting instructions for low and slow. I'm covering the other side of the charcoal grate with foil, have my vent settings aligned with the recommendations, and am keeping temps in the 220-250 range. I like the convenience and extra space the SnS creates, but I have to say the snake method lasted longer without having to open the lid.

Any suggestions? The cutouts on the bottom of the SNS don't match the spacing of the Weber grate, which I think is causing the issue. There's not much space, and when it gets a little ash it's choking things down. I could remove the bottom, but I'd hate to mess it up.

[Attjack]

The snake method is great for low and slow. When I use my SNS I am sure to align the cutouts of the SNS with the spacing of the charcoal grate the best I can to minimize the ash issue. This means the SNS isn't tight against the kettle wall. But it does get clogged up.

[klflowers]

I partially cover the meat in foil, lift the part of the grate over the sns, bang the basket a few times, used the bottom vent handle on the kettle the get some of the ash out (I have the dng in, so no ash comes up through the bottom), mov the lit coals to one side and refill the sns basket. Reset the vents to the marks I have per the sns instructions and let her ride. This method works for me - I have only done one low & slow cook with the sns though.

[Attjack]

Good call on covering the meat with foil because clearing the ash from your SNS will cover your food with ash otherwise.