What do you use instead of the Slow n Sear?

dadsr4

dadsr4

somebody shut me the fark up.
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A post from one of the members brought it to my attention that some here only know about the SnS. People have been cooking indirect on kettles for a long time, show us how you do it.
I'll start. I use all of these on a regular basis except the mini loaf pans. They, filled with water, soak up a lot of heat, if that's your thing.
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There are some more setups here.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=129246


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I made a DIY basket out of expanded metal. I almost never cook without it on the kettle.

I also have a DIY vortex made out of a stainless mixing bowl with the bottom cut off.

I don't smoke on the kettle FWIW.

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A snake/fuse burn. You can build them in a 2x2, 2x3, 2x2x1 format, etc.



Also, if I don't feel like messing with a fuse I just use a WSM.
 
Before I got my WSM, I used the snake method for smoking on my kettle. I no longer smoke on kettle, no matter how little I'm smoking... I do have the Vortex for wings and doing steaks.
 
I used to use 2 bricks as a divider for years. I'm not sure when I lost them but for a while now I've been using one of those weber baskets as a divider. I rarely use it as a smoker but I'll place a bowl of water over the coals and it keeps the temps stable at around 300, I gave up on temp probes long ago and this keeps it in check.

what's nice about this and imo an improvement over the S and S is I can move the basket for more or less sear zone. I can use another basket and go vortex style with coals in the middle or one basket on each side with a cooler zone in the middle, a popular rotisserie setup.



 
I just place the coals on one side. I’ve been doing that for years on every cook. Works great. It’s not like they move after you put them in, never understood the need for a wall/barrier.
 
wayne77 said:
I just place the coals on one side. I’ve been doing that for years on every cook. Works great. It’s not like they move after you put them in, never understood the need for a wall/barrier.
Click to expand...

helps keep them level and for me if I fill the coals to the top of the basket height I know how hot I'm cooking or at least how fast things cook based on experience. with the lid off a one inch steak cooks to my liking on 6-7 minutes, work every time.
 
smoke ninja said:
helps keep them level and for me if I fill the coals to the top of the basket height I know how hot I'm cooking or at least how fast things cook based on experience. with the lid off a one inch steak cooks to my liking on 6-7 minutes, work every time.
Click to expand...

Good idea. My brother counts his briquettes. Your way would be especially good for lump, which is what I use mostly.
 
dgaddis1 said:
I made a DIY basket out of expanded metal. I almost never cook without it on the kettle.

I also have a DIY vortex made out of a stainless mixing bowl with the bottom cut off.

I don't smoke on the kettle FWIW.

BAFANoJh.jpg
Click to expand...

I made the same thing...but it got destroyed when I tree fell on my kettle.
 
wayne77 said:
I just place the coals on one side. I’ve been doing that for years on every cook. Works great. It’s not like they move after you put them in, never understood the need for a wall/barrier.
Click to expand...
For me, it's just for the longer cooks. You can load more fuel while freeing up cooking grate room for indirect cooking.
For shorter cooks, I agree, nothing is needed.
 
I just bank the coals and add more if need be. Maybe I have oversimplified it but it works for me and no one has complained about the food.

I've used a SNS, the weber baskets, fuse, and vortex. I ended up through time just banking.
 
I build a wall with foil.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
I have the SNS but don't use it much. Not because it doesn't work but because I have other dedicated smokers that I like using better.

Before I had the SNS, I cooked indirect on the Kettle by using the Weber Charcoal rails or the Weber baskets and they did an okay job.
 
I use my SNS frequently but for chicken parts I use a modified angel food cake pan, narrow side up and centered in the kettle. I thought the light aluminum would warp quickly but it's held up well under many high eat cooks. Last week I cooked hot dogs this way for our HOA. A very speedy but thorough way to cook dogs and brats. YMMV
 
I use Weber charcoal rails quite often. They work great and are inexpensive - $7.50 for a pair.

If I'm cooking a large roast and plan on reverse searing, I like to use a mini split(s) laid across the coal grate. It functions much the same as the charcoal rails with the addition of some really nice smoke.

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fwiw... the flames go out with the lid on.
 
Last edited:
I’ve been using expanded metal baskets on my 21 and 26 inch kettles. Useful in keeping the little bits of lump charcoal from falling through, and you can get a ton of airflow for when you need to sear at high heat. Pretty much use them 100 percent of the time.


 
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