Ride The Snake w/ a little pron

[Tom Sellecks Mustache]

So I'm still trying to figure out how to control my pit temp in my OTG, so I took my first shot at the snake method today. I used some Royal Oak lump with a few pieces of apple chunk on top. Now, I'm not sure if I made my snake a little too thick here, but the temp kept getting up over 350 instead of the 250 I was shooting for, then every time it reached one of the wood chunks, it would catch fire and spike the temps.

I read threw a ton of previous posts to look for the proper amounts, but it seems like it's more of a trial and error thing. And as promised, a little bit a pron!

I decided to also not let the lump go to waste, so I threw a few beef short ribs on.

With the temps shooting up so high, they didn't exactly cook right, but I pulled them after about 3 hours, then wrapped and rest them.

Despite being cooked at too high a temp and being pulled off a little early, they still tasted pretty good and only had a little tug to them. The fat didn't render all the way, so the dog had a decent treat out the bones too.

 

[DetTigersFan]

Never used the snake method on a kettle before, but I think it could be because of the lump. All the pics I've seen on here of the snake have been with briquettes. More uniform size.

 

[1buckie]

I've set up with lump before.....I try to break the pieces to about briquette size more or less & after setting the chain, sprinkle some small chips all across the top outside of the chain.....

that produces a bit tighter pack (sort of like tamping it down in a WSM or UDS basket, say)

Then when it's lit & going, aim for a thinner airflow than the same thickness of briquettes.......just start in with a creeper burn & gradually build up.....
It's different than briquettes where a lot of times I just slop them in & go.....just a little more care in setup & it'll go fine.....

 

[rickv14623]

I would agree that the cause would be the lump. I snake all the time and lump will get me higher temps and a shorter burn unless you do like 1buckie says

 

[ajstrider]

I am no snake expert but I have done it a few times. I have always used briquettes but lump should be doable. One thing that I do differently is I don't put the meat in the center, I put it at the edge of the grate. I then make sure it is in the far side away from the snake. Every two hours I would lift the lid and rotate the grate to ensure this and also adjust the lid so the vents are opposite the fire location too. The grate just rotates easily on its support so this is pretty easy to do.

 

[Tom Sellecks Mustache]

I've set up with lump before.....I try to break the pieces to about briquette size more or less & after setting the chain, sprinkle some small chips all across the top outside of the chain.....

that produces a bit tighter pack (sort of like tamping it down in a WSM or UDS basket, say)

Then when it's lit & going, aim for a thinner airflow than the same thickness of briquettes.......just start in with a creeper burn & gradually build up.....
It's different than briquettes where a lot of times I just slop them in & go.....just a little more care in setup & it'll go fine.....

Ya, after the first hour or so, I had pretty much closed off the top and bottom vents and was still getting too hot. That's a good suggestion though, to try and make the size of the lumps more uniform. I'm not sure why it didn't occur to me to at least attempt to make them all about the same size.

I am no snake expert but I have done it a few times. I have always used briquettes but lump should be doable. One thing that I do differently is I don't put the meat in the center, I put it at the edge of the grate. I then make sure it is in the far side away from the snake. Every two hours I would lift the lid and rotate the grate to ensure this and also adjust the lid so the vents are opposite the fire location too. The grate just rotates easily on its support so this is pretty easy to do.

I'll definitely try this as well. Keeping the meat away from the heat source, especially for how hot it was, would have been a good way to save those short ribs from getting to stay on the grill without getting burnt. One thing though, how would you keep the meat from dripping all over the unburned charcoal, or does that even matter?

 

[SkinnyVinny]

How new/old is your kettle? If it's really new you temp spikes might be due to small leaks here and there since there isn't any buildup to really seal it.

I do the snake with lump on my kettle all the time and find it likes to sit in the 285-300 range. You really really have to dial down the bottom vents though. I essentially stick a thin metal skewer in the bottom, close it down til you can barely pull the skewer out. thats more or less the gap I have. If I want to bring it down even further then I close down the top vents.

 

[Tom Sellecks Mustache]

How new/old is your kettle? If it's really new you temp spikes might be due to small leaks here and there since there isn't any buildup to really seal it.

I do the snake with lump on my kettle all the time and find it likes to sit in the 285-300 range. You really really have to dial down the bottom vents though. I essentially stick a thin metal skewer in the bottom, close it down til you can barely pull the skewer out. thats more or less the gap I have. If I want to bring it down even further then I close down the top vents.

Ya, it's a new kettle, only maybe 4 or 5 cooks on it so far. I had it wide open top and bottom when I started though, only closed them down after I couldn't keep the temps down. Makes sense to start with the bottom vents closed down so that it helps keep from getting out of hand.

 

[1buckie]

That's going to be at least a part of it.....new or freshly cleaned ones seal a little strange, like not quite as well.........

Good observations from everyone about rotating, opposite the burn for the vent, etc.
Real rare I do anything but all open on the top vent.....free exhausting is a good thing.....sometimes if it's way too hot that can help, but cooking the whole time like that can choke the flow too much & stall ugly smoke....

 

[SkinnyVinny]

That's going to be at least a part of it.....new or freshly cleaned ones seal a little strange, like not quite as well.........

Good observations from everyone about rotating, opposite the burn for the vent, etc.
Real rare I do anything but all open on the top vent.....free exhausting is a good thing.....sometimes if it's way too hot that can help, but cooking the whole time like that can choke the flow too much & stall ugly smoke....

yes good point. I rarely mess with the top vent but when I do it's never closed more than 1/3. Usually its just a small tap. Don't know if it even has an effect or if it's just because the temp finally settles. Maybe more pscyhological than practical lol :crazy:

 

[1buckie]

Somewhere I've got a pic of a 1956 or 57 Weber brochure that says "Top vent always open while cooking, just for shutting down should it be closed"

It's the way it was originally designed.....

Here, a little hard to see....can't find the better picture.....

Top vent open gets this:

 

[Bludawg]

I use lump all the time with the Ring of Fire I think you're A) lighting to much to start or B) have your intake open to far or C) a combo A&B. At 250 on about 4 lbs of lump I can get 15 + hrs. the intake is barely cracked open.

 

[1buckie]

I use lump all the time with the Ring of Fire I think you're A) lighting to much to start or B) have your intake open to far or C) a combo A&B. At 250 on about 4 lbs of lump I can get 15 + hrs. the intake is barely cracked open.

+1......creeper startup is best......:-D

 

[SmittyJonz]

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Ain't no way in...:tsk:

 

[Tom Sellecks Mustache]

I think I'll just stick with the charcoal snakes if that's alright by you

 

[dadsr4]

You still need charcoal to cook it. Hot and fast is all that is needed.

 

[Bludawg]

I call 'em moving target practice (Pats S&W on side):becky:

 

[dadsr4]

I call 'em moving target practice (Pats S&W on side):becky:

Don't you think that's a little rough on the handler?

 

[Bludawg]

Nah culling the herd:heh: