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Total Greenhorn getting started

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    Total Greenhorn getting started

    Hi Everyone!
    Super duper excited to be in this community! I have been reading the free version of the website for the last two weeks and feel I have a decent grasp of the very basics. Just joined today as I am ready to move on and up.

    Here is my situation.

    I want to be able to present smoked ribs, 4 racks, for the annual family dinner on the 4th. I also want to be able to grill steaks burgers and bird for daily consumption and grow to become an accomplished backyard charcoal chef.

    I have just purchased on the Memorial Day sale a Weber kettle 22" and 100 pounds of blue bag charcoal. I already have a set of grill tongs and flipper that will work for now.

    I need help to decide what I need to purchase next in order to meet all of my goals.

    I think it is important to say up front, I don't think I will enjoy being tied to a grill that I have to constantly monitor and adjust airflow. So at this point in addition the accessories I need to purchase I also need to decide how to control the temp.

    I don't want to start small find out that I am spending too much time monitoring the grill then upgrade later on. I prefer to just get what I need for the long haul now.

    I am not clear, Will the SNS give me the temp control I need or will I need to get a fan unit with thermostat?

    My purchase list possibilities look like this now:

    ThermoPOP meat thermometer
    Smoke or Dot Grill/Meat thermomoter
    SNS
    Rib Racks

    OR should I buy the fan/controller unit and a ThermoPop and a SNS and Rib Racks.

    So confusing (bang head)

    If there are essentials I missed, or if I am way off base please add them or let me know.



    Your help and input is greatly appreciated. I would like to order the rest of the stuff this weekend and give a meatless trial run by next weekend then follow up with an actual cook with meat.

    Thanks in advance
    Brian



    #2
    You have to have the SnS to make the kettle complete, absolute must. Then go from there.

    And, welcome aboard, glad to have you with us, & have fun.

    Comment


      #3
      In my experience, th' SnS, with a properly built fire, can go many, many hours, unattended.
      I never go mre than 1-2 hours without checkin' in on mine, but that's mainly to add smoker wood, or shuffle stuff around, as needed, because most often I am cookin' multiple, disparate things....
      If checkin' yer cook fer like 5 minutes, every hour, is too much tendin', only then would I get a fan controller...
      Be fully aware that even with a controller, a LOT can change in yer cooker in one hour...mebbe good, mebbe bad.
      Don't know, if ya' ain't been checkin' it...

      Comment


        #4
        delete

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by FireMan View Post
          You have to have the SnS to make the kettle complete, absolute must. Then go from there.

          And, welcome aboard, glad to have you with us, & have fun.
          OK I'll put it on my list of for sure buys. Thanks for the welcome. :-)

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Mr. Bones View Post
            In my experience, th' SnS, with a properly built fire, can go many, many hours, unattended.
            I never go mre than 1-2 hours without checkin' in on mine, but that's mainly to add smoker wood, or shuffle stuff around, as needed, because most often I am cookin' multiple, disparate things....
            If checkin' yer cook fer like 5 minutes, every hour, is too much tendin', only then would I get a fan controller...
            Be fully aware that even with a controller, a LOT can change in yer cooker in one hour...mebbe good, mebbe bad.
            Don't know, if ya' ain't been checkin' it...
            Hmmm thats kind of the feeling I got from all my reading but I wasn't sure how much tending they need. I think 5 min every hour or two seems reasonable.

            Will the weber hold four racks of ribs using the SNS?

            Comment


              #7
              I guess I should ask what I initially was wonderin': What size kettle did ya' get?
              Yep, four racks (with yer rib rack) of BBR's is easily do-able...SLC's are much larger...
              Or, ya' can jus' do this...

              Click image for larger version  Name:	Pit Boss Weber Ribs 001.jpg Views:	1 Size:	2.15 MB ID:	327686

              Click image for larger version  Name:	Pit Boss Weber Ribs 002.jpg Views:	1 Size:	2.63 MB ID:	327687

              Click image for larger version  Name:	Pit Boss Weber Ribs 003.jpg Views:	1 Size:	2.18 MB ID:	327688

              Pics courtesy of David Parrish
              Last edited by Mr. Bones; June 3, 2017, 10:22 AM.

              Comment


              • HouseHomey
                HouseHomey commented
                Editing a comment
                Gee, you sure know how to woo a guy. 👏👏

              #8
              Great news; you've been given advice from real experts. My experience agrees with them. The SnS, using the proper lighting techniques and vent adjustments, should allow you to walk away for a couple of hours at a time. A good remote reading thermometer like the Maverick 732/733 would go a long way to putting your mind at ease. I used my Maverick for several years before the MCS bug led me to get a Fireboard thermometer. Now I can watch my temps from across town!

              Comment


                #9
                Originally posted by Mr. Bones View Post
                I guess I should ask what I initially was wonderin': What size kettle did ya' get?
                Yes, four racks (with yer rib rack) of BBR's is easily do-able...SLC's are much larger...
                Or, ya' can jus' do this...

                {"alt":"Click image for larger version Name:\tPit Boss Weber Ribs 001.jpg Views:\t1 Size:\t2.15 MB ID:\t327686","data-align":"none","data-attachmentid":"327686","data-size":"medium"}

                {"alt":"Click image for larger version Name:\tPit Boss Weber Ribs 002.jpg Views:\t1 Size:\t2.63 MB ID:\t327687","data-align":"none","data-attachmentid":"327687","data-size":"medium"}

                {"alt":"Click image for larger version Name:\tPit Boss Weber Ribs 003.jpg Views:\t1 Size:\t2.18 MB ID:\t327688","data-align":"none","data-attachmentid":"327688","data-size":"medium"}

                Pics courtesy of David Parrish
                That is pure genius. I got the 22" grill It has the ash catcher and the flip up grill surface. Just ordered the SnS and have the grill rack and MeatHead book in my cart at Amazon. Considering the chicken rotissery.

                Thermometers are next.

                Comment


                • Steve B
                  Steve B commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Get the thermopen instead of the thermopop.
                  I have both and almost never use the pop.
                  It costs more but you will be very happy with it.

                • Steve B
                  Steve B commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Oh model mk4.

                • Steve B
                  Steve B commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Jeeeze where are my manners.
                  Welcome aboard.

                #10
                I would say you are good to go and will easily reach all your goals.

                Comment


                  #11
                  +1 to LA Pork Butt 's comment, but slightly tight on time. Going to need to get a few practice runs in.

                  I'd recomment a pre-burn in the kettle with no food to burn off any mfg crud, then a first cook of pork butt to get used to the SnS and season up the kettle as pork butt is SO forgiving.

                  practice, practice and practice some more.

                  Just my $.002

                  Welcome aboard, UNK ! Great to see you here!

                  Comment


                    #12
                    UNK richinlbrg advice to do a Boston Butt is a great way to try low and slow. It is a very forgiving piece of meat. As to future purchases, I thunk you need to purchase a Thermopop or better instantread thermometer to avoid over cooking food. While the prevailing opinion in the Pit is that dome thermometers are not reliable, I have gotten good results on low and slow. If you have one built into your Weber then great. If not you need some way monitor the grill temperature - either by dropping a inexpensive one through the top vent or having one you attach to the grill with a cable that attaches to a monitor. You can do low and slow without the SNS by either using the Snake Method (look for it on YouTube) or checking out Meathead's setup on this website. Of course the SNS will make things easier. You can get a rib each or use Mr. Bones set up.

                    Comment


                      #13
                      Another +1 for LA Pork Butt ! An instant read is critical (I have a thermopen and an MK4). A dual read, or more, is also critical. One probe at grate level and at least one for your protein's internal. The dome thermometer of my 26" Weber kettle is a solid +50*F to the grate.
                      I run my probes up through the bottom air vent. This has an extra benefit. If I gently close down my intake vent until I feel it against the wire, I have an excellent airflow through the cook.
                      BTW, since I got my SnS I RARELY use my Weber Smokey Mountain smoker.

                      Comment


                        #14
                        I just got into kettle cooking with the purchase of a 22 inch weber a few weeks ago, I did a few cooks with it without the SNS while I waited to get the funds to buy it. I got the SNS Plus along with the DnG and man what a difference that made, I have done a couple cooks with that combo and it is so much easier to control than it is without it. I have to take my hat off to bbqdave and his crew for a very nice product, congrats Dave! The only thing I see wrong with it is that I did not come up with it, lol! Sounds like you are off to a very good start UNK now all you need to do is like richinlbrg said and practice, practice, practice!

                        Comment


                          #15
                          It is so easy to go into info overload here. Thanks for all the tips.
                          I'm really torn on the thermomoters.
                          The Dot with two probes (air and Meat) is 50.00. The smoke with two probes is 99. Is it worth the bang to go with the smoke?

                          Comment


                          • vandy
                            vandy commented
                            Editing a comment
                            yes

                          • EdF
                            EdF commented
                            Editing a comment
                            Yes. The dot is basically an instant read. The smoke is for monitoring the grid and meat independently.

                          • Lowjiber
                            Lowjiber commented
                            Editing a comment
                            I have a Maverick 733 & a Smoke. The Smoke is far superior in that you don't have to read the tedious directions every time you use it. The 733 works well, but its firmware, temp setting routine was designed by Daffy Duck. LOL

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