First cook with a Slow 'N Sear

[1bottlerocket]

Hi all,

I am going to be visiting the states this fall to see family. While there I am going to get a few things for my 22" Weber kettle, among them a slow 'n sear. (sns)

I am also looking at a temperature control fan to use with a sns. Has anyone tried this? The fan is new to me so I need to do more reading about it. So far, the Partyq looks to be nice.

I have been using a Smokenator up until this point with good results. It seems I have gone down rabbit hole with regards to types of woods, smokes, cookers..the list goes on and on. I have smoked a lot of meats so I am familiar with temperature control, and I have a Thermoworks Smoke to monitor the temperature.

I have been doing a fair amount of research reading up on wood suppliers, brands of charcoal, when and how to add wood, which leads me to my questions.

My plan is to try out the B&B oak briquettes and smoke with oak or pecan wood chunks.

When reading how to use a sns I noticed that people place a few lit briquettes and a bunch of unlit. Does this seems about right for a long cook? Do most of you just put your wood on the top and let it catch throughout the cook with a sns?

I am looking at these suppliers for wood:

https://shop.vaughnwoodproducts.com/main.sc

https://carolinacookwood.com/

Is anyone familiar with these places? Are there any other places you would recommend? Since it is going to be a short trip, about 3 weeks, I will not have the time to travel, so I am looking for places that will ship to Michigan.

Long term I am looking at getting an offset, but that is a topic for another thread.

I realize there is a lot to unpack in my post, and I would like to thank you all in advance and I appreciate any help. The plan is to do as much leg work before we travel so that I can maximize the cooking time.

[Henrik]

I can’t help with the stores, but you’re gonna love the SnS. Yes, place a few lit briquettes and a bunch of unlit. Abc barbecue has plenty of YouTube videos illustrating how.

I use the FireBoard + Pit Viper combo for full automation, works great. But there are many options out there that do the same thing.

[1bottlerocket]

With the Pit Viper/Fireboard set up it looks like you have to purchase everything separately:
Pit Viper Fan: 43.99
Universal Adapter 25.00
Fan Cable 79.00
Fireboard 189.00

Unless there is a package deal I am missing.

[Troutman]

That's pretty much it 1bottlerocket. One Thing to keep in mind, once you make that purchase, all you need are additional adapters for your other cookers and the fan control setup works on them all. Once you have it, you won't know how you lived without it !!!

[1bottlerocket]

Thanks a bunch for confirming. It is super exciting to be moving forward with this.

[Huskee]

Use 10-12 well-lit briquettes in one end and the rest of the basket full of unlit. Be sure to gently stir/tunk the coals at about the 4 or 5 hour mark to remove ash buildup, you'll notice your temps dropping if you don't do that.

I just place maybe 3 or 4 half-fist sized pieces right on top, one on the lit coals to start and end to end from there.

Heard good things about Vaughn Wood Products, also one I use is Fruitawoodchunks.com. Their "U pick 'em" is a good deal IMO, especially if you want to try a couple different kinds.

[1bottlerocket]

Thanks for the specifics. I am looking forward to trying this out.

[klflowers]

+1 on the Fruitawood guys. I like their products.

[1bottlerocket]

I can’t help with the stores, but you’re gonna love the SnS. Yes, place a few lit briquettes and a bunch of unlit. Abc barbecue has plenty of YouTube videos illustrating how.

I use the FireBoard + Pit Viper combo for full automation, works great. But there are many options out there that do the same thing.

Wow, I watched a couple videos and that thing is very stable. I think I may go that route instead.

[RustyHaines]

On my Weber I also went from a Smokenator to SNS about 2 years ago. The SNS makes it much easier to manage long cooks. Last year I added a PartyQ fan. I now easily run 7 hours at 225-250 without touching the cooker. And then all I do is clear the ash and will get about 3 more hours at steady temps. You will really like your SNS.

[ColonialDawg]

I have the medium pit viper fan and Fireboard for my 26 inch kettle and SNS. Great setup. You won’t be disappointed.

[jfmorris]

1bottlerocket I have the Slow 'N Sear, a PartyQ, and the Smoke for monitoring temperatures. If I hadn't had the Smoke already, I probably would have gone with a Fireboard to monitor and control the cook. As it is, I find that the PartyQ works well for control, and with the right hardware charcoal briquettes (Weber in my case) I can get 12 hours of unattended cooking. With lower cost charcoal I will get 8 hours, which is plenty to let you get a good nights sleep while smoking a butt or a brisket.

The main thing with the PartyQ is that it runs from AA batteries (4 of them). I get about 2 cooks out of a set of batteries. If that ever becomes an issue, there are ways to adapt it to AC power, by using a couple of wooden dowels cut the length of an AA battery, and a 6V AC to DC adapter. That said, I bought the PartyQ because I liked the idea of not having to be near an AC power outlet while cooking, and most of the other fan controller solutions require that.

[1bottlerocket]

Thanks for the tips. I didn't realize the wasn't battery powered. This could be an issue for me.

[jfmorris]

1bottlerocket the PartyQ *is* battery powered. The Fireboard uses batteries, but when you buy that additional fan cable they charge extra for, one of the things it adds (included with the cable) is an AC adapter that has to be plugged in, in order to power the fan. For this reason, if you cook away from AC power, I think the PartyQ is much simpler and foolproof.

[Anton32828]

I switched from the Smokenator to the SnS. You're going to really love the difference. Smokenator was a good introduction to smoking. SnS is similar, but much better at controlling heat. Two recommendations:

1) Watch the videos. They are good.
2) The one thing the instructions should really emphasize is to USE BINDER CLIPS ON YOUR LID. Get some large binder clips from the office supply store. Use them to clamp your kettle lid shut. This makes the airflow much more consistent, and thus makes temperature regulation easier.

My kettle used to pour smoke out of the lid rim. The binder clips stopped this completely.

Sorry, I don't use a fan, so I can't comment on those. Good luck with your shopping excursion!

[1bottlerocket]

My Weber is getting to the point where smoke is starting to come out of the sides. I think mine is about 5-6 years old now and been through many a cooks. Thanks for binder clip idea, again, that never would have occurred to me to address that.

I'm really looking forward to visiting. Buying meat that doesn't cost me a small fortune is going to be great for that alone!

[klflowers]

1bottlerocket, ABCBBQ also sells binder clips with amazing ribs on them, I think.

[JeffJ]

The Smokenator served me well but the SnS is just better. Also, don’t lose sight of the fact that the SnS improves the kettle as a 2-zone grill.

[1bottlerocket]

Yes, I was hoping that would help out with the 2-zone cooking. Right now, my big rabbit hole is making sure I get good smoke for the long cooks. The plan is to smoke a couple pork butts to begin and then a brisket.

[Huskee]

1bottlerocket Please resist the urge to add too much wood. IMO 2 fist-sized chunks, or 3-4 half-fist-sized chunks, are comparable to a stickburner burning all wood at 225-275 for a typical rib or brisket/butt cook. I have done a few side by sides in this regard so I could help folks with just such advice. But as always, YMMV.

[1bottlerocket]

Thanks, Huskee for the advice. I have been learning over time about wood use. It has been a journey, for sure. Getting the smoke just right has been something I have been focusing on as of late. I am also seriously looking at stick burners.

My biggest problem here is finding properly butchered meat for decent prices like they produce in the states. For whatever reason it appears marbling is frowned upon and the cuts you can find are prohibitively expensive.

[JimLinebarger]

I use Vaughn and am very pleased with their selection and pricing. Their price includes shipping, or at least that has been the case for the past couple of years. I live in Wa. and it is cheaper to us Vaughn than any of the companies from my state. The only thing that they do not carry anymore is Alder because of the cost for them to get it and then ship it.

[klflowers]

The SNS is the best BBQ accessory I own, hands down. It will take you to another level.

[mountainsmoker]

I tend to disagree the SnS extends 1.5 inches further into the kettle than the Smokenator. The Smokenator forums suggested for a larger water pan was to get a larger loaf pan and place it over the coals. You can then get 60-80 coals in it.

As for wood I use Maine Grilling Woods, approximately, 3x3x1.5 chunks that last about 1hour at 275 degrees.

I smoke bacon and hams at 160 on the Smokenator. Makes the best damn bacon and hams I have ever had. Sorry Meathead I don't consider this cold smoking as it above the temps where most bugs are killed and I take the meat to 150.

[mountainsmoker]

I still have a flip phone to. LOL

[1bottlerocket]

Yes, I have had good luck with my Smokenator. It is not that I totally find it useless. I am looking to try out the SnS, as my in-laws love steak and it would be cool to try it out to see how it goes.

[klflowers]

1bottlerocket, try David Parrish cold grate method on the steaks. I did it with some pretty thick porterhouse steaks, and the better half said they were the best steaks she had ever had.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U722RZahzzU

[JeffJ]

The biggest difference for me between the Smokenator and the SnS is the versatility. The Smokenator is designed exclusively for smoking and it does a good job of it. It also leaves a bit more real estate on the grate for more meat. That's where the advantages end. When I used the Smokenator over the first four hours I'd have added water 4 times and knocked the ash off with that little rod twice. With the SnS over the first four hours I do nothing save for maybe a couple of vent adjustments but that was the case with the Smokenator too. As a smoker with the SnS it runs longer before needing to refuel and refueling is much easier than the Smokenator.

Now, here is the really important part, at least for me: The SnS also excells at 2-zone grilling. I don't know about the rest of you but I do a lot more grilling than smoking. Now, you might say, 'That's what the charcoal baskets are for.' I suppose. A couple of problems with that though. One, the baskets are designed to build a fire on both sides with the meat in the middle. I've found the kettle cooks better with the fire at one side and the food at the other and put the top vent opposite the fire. Also, because the SnS channels the heat from the fire directly up it creates a nuclear hot sear zone, which is optimal. Some higher end gas grills have an infrared burner for the same purpose.

[Huskee]

Very well said. If I didn't know better I'd think you were on the SnS design team!