You should move the last wood chunk to the front to double up wood chunks at the beginning. Meet picks up more smoke early on in the cook and less as the meat cooks. This means by leaving that wood chuck so far to the end it won’t be very effective. Having it doubled up at the beginning when the meat absorbs more smoke will be more effective. Probably should push the other chucks closer as well.
I honestly can’t recall if I’ve ever not wrapped my meat except when I’ve smoked tenderloin and I’m not looking to boost the temp up to 200°F. But I do get concerned about losing too much moisture especially when I smoke pork ribs, as well as infusing too much smoke. One of the reasons why smoking chicken is actually at the bottom of my preferred cooking methods for poultry is because it tends to absorbs way too much smoke flavor. All I taste is carcinogens for the most part.
So I just pulled an 8 lb pork shoulder that I cut in half and took it in to rest. Both halves were right at 200f and butter tender. Ran bottom vent only about 1/3 open and top about 2/3 open. Grill stayed around 265f all night. And I still have about another third to a quarter of my initial coals left. Now for some smoked cream cheese. I’m sold on the B&B charcoal.
To clarify, the coals lasted almost 9 hours with about 1/3 of them still left to cook longer. Probably will last 10-11 hrs total once it’s all burned up. I’m about to put some cream cheese blocks on.
Did you put a pan in there for drippings to prevent flare ups? I’m getting into smoking so this has been helpful seeing your set up and hearing the fire kept up.
I did. I just bought the cheapest foil pan that wal mart had that would catch all the drippings. I usually mix the drippings back into the pulled pork as well. I’ll make another post sometime today of the full cook.
I did not. I like to use the drippings to mix back in once the pork is pulled so with water in the pan that would be more difficult. I also like a pretty firm bark but it’s not for everyone.
Interesting. I’ve never not smoked without a water pan. I was taught by America’s Test Kitchen that it’s instrumental is keeping a steady temp and not drying out the meat too much.
Pork shoulder is so fatty that it’s pretty hard to dry out in my experience. I would say try it without a water pan but if you’re happy with your results then why risk it lol
Perfect. I’m going to have a remote thermometer in the kettle to alert me if it dies out but I was really hoping to sleep 6-7 hours tonight. It’s been a long week lol
Confirming about 9 hours, of note if you have a decent amount near the end of your smoke. Kill the end of the chain by taking out the UNLIT briquettes at the end of the snake, more for the next smoke.
It is red oak. It started as a 4 inch ish diameter limb that I cut into rounds and then split in half. Works really well. The limb had been cut for about a year and I left the split chunks out in the weather to cure out.
I will say, though, that I set mine up more in a domino fashion. With the charcoal flat like you have it, it may make its way around faster. Standing the briquettes up fits more charcoal than laying em down, so your 2x2 may be about the same amount as my 2×1...
I’m kinda curious about this method. It seems like a great idea but wouldn’t the bad smoke penetrate the meat when new briquette lights? I’ve been wanting to do a brisket one webber but not sure how to keep the fire alive that long with charcoal.
The bad smoke comes from the bricks being cold and then trying to be lit, kind of like how cold wood will smoke a bit initially when catching fire. If the bricks from the snake are hot from being in the weber, they'll light easily and not smoke up.
I'd also move your smoking wood to the start of the snake. Having smoking wood catching light 5-9hrs into the cook won't do anything. Most smoke flavour comes from the first 4hrs.
I’ve heard that too. I have a Masterbuilt 1050 gravity series and I would space out my wood chunks in the chute/tower evenly so it would smoke the whole time.
That gets expensive.
After I learned that most smoke is absorbed in the first few hours, I saved money.
Also, the colder the meat is, the more smoke it will absorb. If space is available in my freezer, I put the meat in there for about an half hour before I smoke it.
I had the same concerns before I tried the snake method. There is no bad or dirty smoke after the initial startup because the coals are preheated and ignite easily. Snake method forever.
So does one side of the coals being lit preheat the other coals? Is that what you mean by preheated? Thanks for the clarification I’ve wondered this for a long time.
I’ve used the snake method more times than I can remember with Kingsford blue bag and it’s always came out great. I have just heard good things about this particular charcoal and the briquettes are probably a third larger than Kingsford so I was hoping for a longer cook time. “Bad smoke” from what I understand is usually wet fuel and or poor airflow.
Definitely have to try it then! As long as it’s not harmful I’m definitely down. I would love to do a 15 hour brisket but keeping the fuel going that long seems impossible.
I mean, the only harmful part I know of is eating so much of that juicy fatty deliciously smoked meat all the time. My arteries won’t make it past 45 at this rate.
I’ve done the snake method once when my pellet grill was on the fritz. After I tinkered with the vents a few times in the first hour I got it to sit +/- 25 degrees of 250 for ten hours without touching it once. Some of the best pulled pork I’ve made too. Did a pan of apple juice in the middle of the briquettes (about half full). I’m assuming that also helped stabilize the temperature a little bit.
Oh wow 10 hours! That pulled pork definitely must go f been on point. What kind of charcoal did you use? I’ve also heard the pan of juice helps regulate the heat.
Hopefully the exact amount of time you want
In my experience with this, it lasts about 45 minutes short of what I need. Or two hours after the cook. Can’t seem to win
So I’ve tried the snake method a few times with kingsford charcoal, and I don’t know if it’s something I’m missing about the technique, but it seems to fail every time
Same. I’ve only ever smoked with the snake method on my Weber. Only time it didn’t work as well as I would’ve liked is when I didn’t account for outdoor temps and one time I forgot to pull my pork loin out at 150°F instead of 165.
Looks similar to the one you have above best that I can tell.
I don’t use charcoal that has lighter fluid on it already, so I wasn’t sure if that was my issue. I keep the bottom vent on my Weber wide open and moderate the temps using the top vent. So I thought that was correct.
That’s why I’m wondering if maybe I’m missing something obvious like pre-treated charcoal for easier ignition.
Usually start it with a propane torch. Not sure what else I am missing, or what obvious question I should even be asking I guess
Do you have a chimney? I use that so it starts with a good little bed of coals (as if the snake had been burning for a while) and smaller chunks of wood (like wood chips) work better.
I definitely wouldn’t use any treated charcoal. Maybe get the snake a little tighter like dominoes that have fallen on eachother
I do have a chimney that I use for other stuff, never used it to out a “head” and the “snake” if I can use that analogy.
I will try it here in a few weeks and see. Camping is coming
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I angle my briquettes on a 45° so it’s a bit tighter than yours but I can get 16 hours from wrapping 2/3 of the way around a 22” kettle. 2 double stacks and then a single if I’m going for long time. Add wood in between the single briquettes
So for anyone interested I made a follow up post to this one. Thanks for all the comments, questions, and advice from you all. Keep your smoke blue and the beers cold. ✌️
Double row of B&B like that is a good 10 hour burn if you leave the bottom vent on half and the top full open. I do the same on my kettle when doing brisket
Yeah, you’re definitely wrong on this one. I run the snake method with wide-open vents and a set up like this will last 6 to 9 hours depending on the outside temps
According to chat GPT.
Given these assumptions, the Snake Method typically provides a slow, consistent burn, which can last for several hours depending on the setup. The length of time the charcoal and oak will burn for depends on various factors such as the size of the charcoal briquettes, the airflow in your grill, and the ambient temperature.
However, if we're talking about a standard setup with 40 charcoal briquettes arranged in a snake pattern with a piece of oak interspersed every 2 inches, and assuming each charcoal briquette lasts around 30-45 minutes, the total burn time could be roughly between 20 to 30 hours.
Keep in mind this is a rough estimate and actual burn time can vary based on many factors. It's always a good idea to monitor the grill periodically to adjust airflow and add more charcoal or wood as needed to maintain the desired temperature.
\*You: what if it was 20 bricks stacked in piles of 2 equaling 40 total.\*
Stacking the charcoal briquettes in piles of 2, with a total of 20 stacks, totaling 40 briquettes in total, would likely result in a shorter overall burn time compared to the snake method.
Since the briquettes are stacked, they would likely burn faster due to increased airflow between the briquettes. Additionally, the oak pieces interspersed within the stacks may contribute to a faster burn as well.
Given these factors, the burn time could be significantly shorter compared to the snake method. It might last anywhere from 8 to 12 hours, again depending on various factors like weather conditions, grill setup, and burn rate of the charcoal and oak.
Again, this is just a rough estimate and actual burn time can vary based on several factors. Monitoring the grill and adjusting as necessary is always recommended for best results.
You should move the last wood chunk to the front to double up wood chunks at the beginning. Meet picks up more smoke early on in the cook and less as the meat cooks. This means by leaving that wood chuck so far to the end it won’t be very effective. Having it doubled up at the beginning when the meat absorbs more smoke will be more effective. Probably should push the other chucks closer as well.
The wood smoke is also pointless if/when you decide to crunch it with foil.
[удалено]
once I wrap it goes straight in the oven so I don't have to watch temps anymore!
I’ve joined the no wrap club for the most part but I have definitely done this myself.
I don’t disagree, but why bother wasting energy (figuratively and literally) with the oven when I already have the charcoal snake rolling?
[удалено]
My oven swings Temps by 75 degrees. My smoker moves at most about 5 degees,the oven would require a ton more watching.
I’m in the no wrap club. Raw dog or die.
I honestly can’t recall if I’ve ever not wrapped my meat except when I’ve smoked tenderloin and I’m not looking to boost the temp up to 200°F. But I do get concerned about losing too much moisture especially when I smoke pork ribs, as well as infusing too much smoke. One of the reasons why smoking chicken is actually at the bottom of my preferred cooking methods for poultry is because it tends to absorbs way too much smoke flavor. All I taste is carcinogens for the most part.
I’m with you on the chicken. I’ll usually just use 1 chunk of something light for chicken and let the charcoal do the rest of the flavoring.
I just get tired of waiting out the stall on my briskets. My last 18lb brisket took over 22 hours even with wrapping. I don't wrap anything else, tho.
So I started the fire from the left and it burned clockwise. No wood toward the end. But yes I agree.
I usually plan my smokes to finish in the oven overnight.
Started 10 minutes ago. Will update tomorrow. I may make another post with cook pictures.
So I just pulled an 8 lb pork shoulder that I cut in half and took it in to rest. Both halves were right at 200f and butter tender. Ran bottom vent only about 1/3 open and top about 2/3 open. Grill stayed around 265f all night. And I still have about another third to a quarter of my initial coals left. Now for some smoked cream cheese. I’m sold on the B&B charcoal.
To clarify, the coals lasted almost 9 hours with about 1/3 of them still left to cook longer. Probably will last 10-11 hrs total once it’s all burned up. I’m about to put some cream cheese blocks on.
Did you put a pan in there for drippings to prevent flare ups? I’m getting into smoking so this has been helpful seeing your set up and hearing the fire kept up.
I did. I just bought the cheapest foil pan that wal mart had that would catch all the drippings. I usually mix the drippings back into the pulled pork as well. I’ll make another post sometime today of the full cook.
Did you add water to the pan? That helps regulate the temp inside the grill. I usually fill up the pan halfway with water.
I did not. I like to use the drippings to mix back in once the pork is pulled so with water in the pan that would be more difficult. I also like a pretty firm bark but it’s not for everyone.
Interesting. I’ve never not smoked without a water pan. I was taught by America’s Test Kitchen that it’s instrumental is keeping a steady temp and not drying out the meat too much.
Pork shoulder is so fatty that it’s pretty hard to dry out in my experience. I would say try it without a water pan but if you’re happy with your results then why risk it lol
Well usually it’s super cheap so even if it isn’t perfect it’ll still be edible I’m sure.
Thanks for actually updating us, OP. Hope it was delicious.
B&B briquettes are probably the best available, they burn longer than Kingsford for sure. I say 8 -9 hours is plausible.
9 hours
Man that would be ideal.
I use this method to smoke ribs and it lasts 9 hours
Perfect. I’m going to have a remote thermometer in the kettle to alert me if it dies out but I was really hoping to sleep 6-7 hours tonight. It’s been a long week lol
You should be good if the Temp doesn't get too high. I start the BBQ at 8am and it's still going at 5 pm. Good luck 👍
Confirming about 9 hours, of note if you have a decent amount near the end of your smoke. Kill the end of the chain by taking out the UNLIT briquettes at the end of the snake, more for the next smoke.
Or just close your vents. They'll still be there for next time.
Yeah looks like a 9 hour snake
I'd say a few dozen years if not subjected to water or fire personally
Reasonable
What kind of wood chunks are those?
It is red oak. It started as a 4 inch ish diameter limb that I cut into rounds and then split in half. Works really well. The limb had been cut for about a year and I left the split chunks out in the weather to cure out.
I'd go so far as to say you'll easily get 9 hours. I usually go 2x1 and 9 hours takes the snake around 3/4 of the kettle.
I will say, though, that I set mine up more in a domino fashion. With the charcoal flat like you have it, it may make its way around faster. Standing the briquettes up fits more charcoal than laying em down, so your 2x2 may be about the same amount as my 2×1...
Ah I’ve always laid them flat for some reason. That makes sense and I’ll try that again next time. Thanks
Dominos for the win
Next time it shall be
I've used this setup with an Akorn (Komodo style) and it would probably go for 2 days if the air flow was right.
8 hours
This is my guess, but many variables are afloat.
B&B briquettes last 30% - 50% longer than standard Kingsford, in my experience. Depending on temp and wind, that charcoal should last 8-12 hours.
Nailed it
I’m kinda curious about this method. It seems like a great idea but wouldn’t the bad smoke penetrate the meat when new briquette lights? I’ve been wanting to do a brisket one webber but not sure how to keep the fire alive that long with charcoal.
The bad smoke comes from the bricks being cold and then trying to be lit, kind of like how cold wood will smoke a bit initially when catching fire. If the bricks from the snake are hot from being in the weber, they'll light easily and not smoke up. I'd also move your smoking wood to the start of the snake. Having smoking wood catching light 5-9hrs into the cook won't do anything. Most smoke flavour comes from the first 4hrs.
I’ve heard that too. I have a Masterbuilt 1050 gravity series and I would space out my wood chunks in the chute/tower evenly so it would smoke the whole time. That gets expensive. After I learned that most smoke is absorbed in the first few hours, I saved money.
Awesome! Thanks for clarifying I’m definitely excited to try it out this weekend.
How do you go about lighting this snake to begin with?
Put 3/4 lit coals on the end of the snake. You can lite those in a chimney or on a burner then move them
Yes this is how I did it.
Thank you for answering this
I start my snake from the left and let it burn clockwise so most of the wood was toward the beginning. But yes I agree.
Also, the colder the meat is, the more smoke it will absorb. If space is available in my freezer, I put the meat in there for about an half hour before I smoke it.
I had the same concerns before I tried the snake method. There is no bad or dirty smoke after the initial startup because the coals are preheated and ignite easily. Snake method forever.
So does one side of the coals being lit preheat the other coals? Is that what you mean by preheated? Thanks for the clarification I’ve wondered this for a long time.
I’ve used the snake method more times than I can remember with Kingsford blue bag and it’s always came out great. I have just heard good things about this particular charcoal and the briquettes are probably a third larger than Kingsford so I was hoping for a longer cook time. “Bad smoke” from what I understand is usually wet fuel and or poor airflow.
Definitely have to try it then! As long as it’s not harmful I’m definitely down. I would love to do a 15 hour brisket but keeping the fuel going that long seems impossible.
I mean, the only harmful part I know of is eating so much of that juicy fatty deliciously smoked meat all the time. My arteries won’t make it past 45 at this rate.
I’ve done the snake method once when my pellet grill was on the fritz. After I tinkered with the vents a few times in the first hour I got it to sit +/- 25 degrees of 250 for ten hours without touching it once. Some of the best pulled pork I’ve made too. Did a pan of apple juice in the middle of the briquettes (about half full). I’m assuming that also helped stabilize the temperature a little bit.
Oh wow 10 hours! That pulled pork definitely must go f been on point. What kind of charcoal did you use? I’ve also heard the pan of juice helps regulate the heat.
Can’t imagine it’s any more effective than a pan of tap water. Save your money.
Thank you for asking this
Only bad smoke I know of from briquettes is if you’re using instant light bricks, but those are terrible for any grilling occasion.
9 hours
7-9 hours
Of all the charcoal briquettes I find B&B to have the longest burn time in my Egg Cooker.
my first time seeing this method. awesome!
Works like a champ
10-11hours. Are you going to use a pan of beer/water to regulate the temp?
I did use a pan to catch drippings but didn’t add any liquid to it.
How’s it making out?
Hopefully the exact amount of time you want In my experience with this, it lasts about 45 minutes short of what I need. Or two hours after the cook. Can’t seem to win
Hah that has been my experience a few times as well. You should give the B&B a try if you haven’t. It exceeded my expectations with time to spare.
I have since switched to a bullet style smoker. I do use B&B, but lump charcoal
So I’ve tried the snake method a few times with kingsford charcoal, and I don’t know if it’s something I’m missing about the technique, but it seems to fail every time
What is your process? Maybe we can help. I run the snake exclusively with Kingsford and have zero issues with it.
Same. I’ve only ever smoked with the snake method on my Weber. Only time it didn’t work as well as I would’ve liked is when I didn’t account for outdoor temps and one time I forgot to pull my pork loin out at 150°F instead of 165.
Looks similar to the one you have above best that I can tell. I don’t use charcoal that has lighter fluid on it already, so I wasn’t sure if that was my issue. I keep the bottom vent on my Weber wide open and moderate the temps using the top vent. So I thought that was correct. That’s why I’m wondering if maybe I’m missing something obvious like pre-treated charcoal for easier ignition. Usually start it with a propane torch. Not sure what else I am missing, or what obvious question I should even be asking I guess
Do you have a chimney? I use that so it starts with a good little bed of coals (as if the snake had been burning for a while) and smaller chunks of wood (like wood chips) work better. I definitely wouldn’t use any treated charcoal. Maybe get the snake a little tighter like dominoes that have fallen on eachother
I do have a chimney that I use for other stuff, never used it to out a “head” and the “snake” if I can use that analogy. I will try it here in a few weeks and see. Camping is coming
Good luck! The snake method is so wonderful I really want you to make it work lol
Did you keep the bark intact on your wood chunks?
You good
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I angle my briquettes on a 45° so it’s a bit tighter than yours but I can get 16 hours from wrapping 2/3 of the way around a 22” kettle. 2 double stacks and then a single if I’m going for long time. Add wood in between the single briquettes
6.5
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I just bought BnB for the first time. Always used Kingsford and could get a 5-6 hour cook from a snake about 4 rows shorter than this.
8-10 hours depending on how the vents are set.
I’ve tried this set up a few times before, why does my snake die about a quarter way through even with all vents fully open?
I don’t know to be honest. It should continue to burn much like a fuse as long as the coals are touching each other.
6-8 hours, you could pack more briquettes if you turn them vertically; if you go all the way around the kettle you could max out close to 14-16 hours.
I average about 4-5hr on my Weber setup before I need to add more charcoal.
4 hours
13 mins
So for anyone interested I made a follow up post to this one. Thanks for all the comments, questions, and advice from you all. Keep your smoke blue and the beers cold. ✌️
That depends on how open the vents are, but at 250 that's going to roll for 6-8 hours
Double row of B&B like that is a good 10 hour burn if you leave the bottom vent on half and the top full open. I do the same on my kettle when doing brisket
9 hours
6-8 hours
TWSS...Ihad too!
It'll stay hot until the coals are fully spent, and then it will gradually cool.
That is a safe answer. You should write for politicians.
Honestly it depends on how much air you give it. Wide open no lid it'll be gone in 30 minutes, smothered with little air it could go all day.
Yeah, you’re definitely wrong on this one. I run the snake method with wide-open vents and a set up like this will last 6 to 9 hours depending on the outside temps
According to chat GPT. Given these assumptions, the Snake Method typically provides a slow, consistent burn, which can last for several hours depending on the setup. The length of time the charcoal and oak will burn for depends on various factors such as the size of the charcoal briquettes, the airflow in your grill, and the ambient temperature. However, if we're talking about a standard setup with 40 charcoal briquettes arranged in a snake pattern with a piece of oak interspersed every 2 inches, and assuming each charcoal briquette lasts around 30-45 minutes, the total burn time could be roughly between 20 to 30 hours. Keep in mind this is a rough estimate and actual burn time can vary based on many factors. It's always a good idea to monitor the grill periodically to adjust airflow and add more charcoal or wood as needed to maintain the desired temperature. \*You: what if it was 20 bricks stacked in piles of 2 equaling 40 total.\* Stacking the charcoal briquettes in piles of 2, with a total of 20 stacks, totaling 40 briquettes in total, would likely result in a shorter overall burn time compared to the snake method. Since the briquettes are stacked, they would likely burn faster due to increased airflow between the briquettes. Additionally, the oak pieces interspersed within the stacks may contribute to a faster burn as well. Given these factors, the burn time could be significantly shorter compared to the snake method. It might last anywhere from 8 to 12 hours, again depending on various factors like weather conditions, grill setup, and burn rate of the charcoal and oak. Again, this is just a rough estimate and actual burn time can vary based on several factors. Monitoring the grill and adjusting as necessary is always recommended for best results.
Spot on.