The Snake Method (thanks Kevin)

Post your recipe requests and cooking questions in this setion. Not for general discussions.
urbangriller
Posts: 9453
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:46 pm
Location: Perth WA

The Snake Method (thanks Kevin)

Post by urbangriller »

Commander Cody wrote:now for the lesson fellow bbq freaks............. :) ........


Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

there is the method.

i used a alayer of heat beads 2/3 the way around, then layed another 1 in front of, then a layer on top of them with pecan chunks on top of that.

i used my can in the weber bead starter with 12 heat beads, lit with 2 firelighters, when all were lit i put these in front of the unlit snake of fuel. then put those pans in the middle of them....the vents were fully open. at this time

next the fun part..............food

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

now...........enjoy the photos while i write the story of this most wonderful result
ok,

now you have to believe me on this................this was a ten hour cook...............as you can see there was fuel left. i reckon maybe enough for up to 2hrs more going by the amount used for 10hrs.

notice the water in photo 4..??.. well i took this out because it was just toooo much of a heat sink. it was taking way to long to get up to temp. and being as how i injected some strongbow fused with fresh ginger, chili oil and lime juice, i thought that there is no way this belly was going to dry out..............and it was all good....

when the top temp was reading around 220f i closed the bottom to 3/4 closed and 1/2 open on the top. the temp started to drop, if you notice my tell true beside chris's duel reader, it was only 15c with a bit of a stiff breeze blowin'. so i fully opened the vents, they stayed trued around 200f>>>>>225f................no further adjustment needed.......

into the 6th hour or so i noticed that the duel reader was climbing in temp (oven ) pretty quick, and the top therm was holding steady on 220f, WTF.. :?: :?: .. this is weard, i though to myself, so i wh=ent and got some thinking juice. ( james to the rescue again ) :)

i was sitting there with my contemplative brew trying to work why this thing was climbing around the 350f mark and the top was holding true.... :? ....when i suddenly remembered the lay of the heat beads, and the positioning of the probe....i put the probe, which i thought at the time was away from the fuel..........well it was at the beginning......but it had snaked it's way directly under the probe. there was my answer...so i turned the belly around 180*. did the job, things settled back pretty quick. i took the internal up to 165f, then tented it with foil for 30mins. i kid yoes not this was probably amongst the top 3 bellies i have done...........i closed up all vents, and the last photo shows what was left.

give this a go i promise you will get wonderful results.

just one thing, but, i had my vents fully open due to temps and wind.....trying the 3/4......1/2 might be better, but, you al know your fire control, hey. :D

hope this has opened your eyes to a new possibility.

kevin
Common Sense is so rare these days it should be a Super Power!
AzJohnnyC
Posts: 170
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2012 1:14 pm
Location: Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Re: The Snake Method (thanks Kevin)

Post by AzJohnnyC »

I ran through a test of this yesterday. Just burning the coals, no food, to experiment with the technique and get a feel for it. No water pan either.
I was using my Weber 22 inch kettle, and a meat thermometer hanging in the top vent, which I verified with my Thermapen.
In about 20 minutes, the temp got up to 260F with both top and bottom vents half open. Cut the bottom vent to open just a sliver, and was still at 260F after an hour. After four hours, the temperature lowered to about 250F, so I cracked the lower vent open some. At the eight hour mark, it was running a little hotter, around 270F, with I'm guessing 2 hours left on the fuel. I was half asleep, and didn't stay up to find out.
Yes, this technique works quite well, and I'm interested in trying it more.
Kevin, thanks!
Cheers!
Johnny
Davo
Forum Administrator
Posts: 5330
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2008 2:44 am
Location: Albury NSW on the mighty Murray River

Re: The Snake Method (thanks Kevin)

Post by Davo »

Kevin..looks like a chap on the Weber bullet forum is showing off the snake method too....I wonder who he got it from :wink:

http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?35989-S ... ber-kettle

Made some nice ribs though :P

Cheers

Davo
Moderator/ Admin

Weber Q320
Weber Performer Kettle
Weber WSM 18.5
MrLucyTheBoxer
Posts: 163
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 10:19 pm
Location: Gold Coast, QLD, Australia

Re: The Snake Method (thanks Kevin)

Post by MrLucyTheBoxer »

Hi urbangriller,

That's a great looking piece of pork belly. Was the skin crackly on that? The wife and mother love the crackle crackle, and I want to try a Snake soon.

Cheers,

Ben
Card Shark
Posts: 1240
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 10:10 pm
Location: Gold Coast, QLD
Contact:

Re: The Snake Method (thanks Kevin)

Post by Card Shark »

Are there any health concerns continually burning fresh beads like that while actuallty cooking food?
urbangriller
Posts: 9453
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:46 pm
Location: Perth WA

Re: The Snake Method (thanks Kevin)

Post by urbangriller »

Card Shark wrote:Are there any health concerns continually burning fresh beads like that while actuallty cooking food?
There are no nasty chemicals given off by BBQ Briquettes as they ignite or burn................the smell that is associated with burnung beads is the firelighters, not the briquettes.

Chris
Common Sense is so rare these days it should be a Super Power!
Lovey
Forum Moderator
Posts: 297
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2012 7:15 pm
Location: South Coast NSW

Re: The Snake Method (thanks Kevin)

Post by Lovey »

Just wondering if anyone has had any success igniting the snake/fuse without a pile of lit heat beads, maybe by using a looftlighter or gas torch?
Many thanks,
Steve.
urbangriller
Posts: 9453
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:46 pm
Location: Perth WA

Re: The Snake Method (thanks Kevin)

Post by urbangriller »

Lovey wrote:Just wondering if anyone has had any success igniting the snake/fuse without a pile of lit heat beads, maybe by using a looftlighter or gas torch?
Many thanks,
Steve.
I light with the Looft, but I put a little pile of charcoal at the start and light that.

Chris
Common Sense is so rare these days it should be a Super Power!
Card Shark
Posts: 1240
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 10:10 pm
Location: Gold Coast, QLD
Contact:

Re: The Snake Method (thanks Kevin)

Post by Card Shark »

urbangriller wrote:There are no nasty chemicals given off by BBQ Briquettes as they ignite or burn................the smell that is associated with burnung beads is the firelighters, not the briquettes.

Chris
Wondered what that smell was.. thank you UG.
urbangriller
Posts: 9453
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:46 pm
Location: Perth WA

Re: The Snake Method (thanks Kevin)

Post by urbangriller »

I've been having a play over the weekend to adapt the snake to work with Redheads Charcoal, another few dry runs and I'll be there!

Cheers
Chris
Common Sense is so rare these days it should be a Super Power!
Commander Cody
Posts: 2474
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2009 8:39 pm
Location: lost in the ozone

Re: The Snake Method (thanks Kevin)

Post by Commander Cody »

Chris.

i think it will work with redheads, being as how they are compressed, also those coconut things should work to, the trick might be in the damper control

please, as you know a photo esay is called for here... :D :D

good luck

kevin
....up in smoke.....that's where my money goes.....
urbangriller
Posts: 9453
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:46 pm
Location: Perth WA

Re: The Snake Method (thanks Kevin)

Post by urbangriller »

Yes, there will be a full report. :D

It's interesting as there are a number of ways you can lay the Redheads out, and each way burns differently!

Cheers
Chris
Common Sense is so rare these days it should be a Super Power!
KRoo Killer
Posts: 61
Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2012 7:41 pm

Re: The Snake Method (thanks Kevin)

Post by KRoo Killer »

Hey guys. I have finally bought a geninue weber! (One touch) I really want to get into low and slows so I've been experimenting with the snake method (no food). I am following the directions as described but I am finding that the snakes 'body' won't catch. The preheated head burns fine around 250ish. But it doesn't seem to get the heat into the body enough so the first few heat beads just burn out. I thought maybe it was an airflow issue and I was using 3/4 closed on the bottom and 3/4 closed on the top. So this time I'm trying 1/2 on each and keeping a closer eye on the temp. Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Strider
Posts: 235
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 10:40 pm
Location: Hobart, Tasmania

Re: The Snake Method (thanks Kevin)

Post by Strider »

KRoo Killer wrote:I thought maybe it was an airflow issue and I was using 3/4 closed on the bottom and 3/4 closed on the top. So this time I'm trying 1/2 on each and keeping a closer eye on the temp. Any thoughts would be appreciated!
Don't close any vents! The whole point of the snake is that is regulates its own temperature! Leave everything WIDE open 8)
Commander Cody
Posts: 2474
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2009 8:39 pm
Location: lost in the ozone

Re: The Snake Method (thanks Kevin)

Post by Commander Cody »

i disagree on the leaving the vents fully open, you need to adjust to accommadate the weather conditions, afer a little tweaking you will get your desired temp and it should hold firm for the cook-out.

as i wrote in an earlier post. the wind is the biggest factor after food and method, when you are BBQing, each cook will be slightly different than the last, get to know your weapon and it will all fall into pace.

kevin
....up in smoke.....that's where my money goes.....
Post Reply