BBQ Pork Butt in WSM vs. 27" Kettle?

[bbqgeekess]

I've done a lot of pork butts in my WSM 18.5". They always turn out wonderful.

I was wondering if I got the Slow & Sear for the Weber 26" kettle, how the pork butts would turn out? If I managed to keep the temp inside the pit at around 275F in each. (That's the temp I cook my pork butt in WSM).

Would I need to rotate 180 degrees in the kettle from time to time? I know with the WSM and using the drip pan as a deflector the heat is pretty even.. set it and forget it, so easy.

Wondering how the Weber 26" does ribs and hot & fast brisket as well.

Would I really need the WSM anymore with this huge kettle?

 

[Nuco59]

I only have a 22 OTS- but I've done ribs and butts on it on occasion - just for chitz and giggles. They turned out very well.

But my go to is my 30 gallon uds (same size grate as your WSM) for ribs, butt or brisket.

Not going to say the SnS is a gimmick - lots of people love and swear by them. I took a set of the weber charcoal holders and put them together to make what is called a "Bro-n-Sear". (I already had them- if not they'd have been $20.00 or so.) It worked great on my last rib cook. I can't really imagine the SnS doing any better. It kept the hot coals from being right up against the kettle shell as they would have done if I had just banked the coals to one side - that's a plus to me.

Do a few smokes on the 26- and if you decide to lose the 18 WSM, find it a good home:-D

 

[Robert]

Yes you can use it as a smoker if you so choose. Before you invest in the S-n-S, I suggest you try the snake method. Last summer, I smoked three 5 pound pieces of prime rib using a 2x3 snake and wood 5 wood chunks. Took right at 5 hours with a little bit of work. Wanted to cook at 225. Temp spiked as high as 325. That adjustment resulted in temp going down to 200. Finally settled in at 250 for duration of the cook. I rotated the three pieces by spinning the grate, and as the cook went on, I rotated the meat 180 towards the fire, but each piece still came off at different times over the last hour of the cook. I started out with a snake that went around 3/4 of the cooker. At the end, I had 1/2 to 2/3 charcoal left. So I'm guessing close to 12 hours of fuel perhaps longer with a 3/4 snake.



My advice would be to buy the Vortex first or use charcoal baskets like a Vortex placed in the center of the grill.



Also, my experience is the Weber thermometers are usually not very accurate. But you may get lucky and have one that is.



I tried the S-n-S once as a smoker and I think I got about 6 hours burn time before the temp started to fall in my 22". Since I have other dedicated smokers, I decided not to try again. I have tried reverse searing steaks, burgers and pork steaks. Perhaps it is me and I'm not skilled in that method, but family seems to prefer regular sear versus reverse sear. But I repeat myself. I can smoke with the best of them, but grilling is my weak point. YMMV.


JMHO


Robert

 

[bbqgeekess]

I only have a 22 OTS- but I've done ribs and butts on it on occasion - just for chitz and giggles. They turned out very well.

But my go to is my 30 gallon uds (same size grate as your WSM) for ribs, butt or brisket.

Not going to say the SnS is a gimmick - lots of people love and swear by them. I took a set of the weber charcoal holders and put them together to make what is called a "Bro-n-Sear". (I already had them- if not they'd have been $20.00 or so.) It worked great on my last rib cook. I can't really imagine the SnS doing any better. It kept the hot coals from being right up against the kettle shell as they would have done if I had just banked the coals to one side - that's a plus to me.

Do a few smokes on the 26- and if you decide to lose the 18 WSM, find it a good home:-D

Sounds wonderful

I gues one of the nice things about the SnS is the grate at the bottom of the basket for easy cleaning out of the kettle. Can just lift and shake the basket a little, take it out of the kettle, then take the grates out and sweep the ash through the propeller holes. (I damaged my last propeller and had to replace, forcing little bits of charcoal through.)

 

[SmokyDick]

Yes you can use it as a smoker if you so choose. Before you invest in the S-n-S, I suggest you try the snake method. Last summer, I smoked three 5 pound pieces of prime rib using a 2x3 snake and wood 5 wood chunks. Took right at 5 hours with a little bit of work. Wanted to cook at 225. Temp spiked as high as 325. That adjustment resulted in temp going down to 200. Finally settled in at 250 for duration of the cook. I rotated the three pieces by spinning the grate, and as the cook went on, I rotated the meat 180 towards the fire, but each piece still came off at different times over the last hour of the cook. I started out with a snake that went around 3/4 of the cooker. At the end, I had 1/2 to 2/3 charcoal left. So I'm guessing close to 12 hours of fuel perhaps longer with a 3/4 snake.



My advice would be to buy the Vortex first or use charcoal baskets like a Vortex placed in the center of the grill.



Also, my experience is the Weber thermometers are usually not very accurate. But you may get lucky and have one that is.



I tried the S-n-S once as a smoker and I think I got about 6 hours burn time before the temp started to fall in my 22". Since I have other dedicated smokers, I decided not to try again. I have tried reverse searing steaks, burgers and pork steaks. Perhaps it is me and I'm not skilled in that method, but family seems to prefer regular sear versus reverse sear. But I repeat myself. I can smoke with the best of them, but grilling is my weak point. YMMV.


JMHO


Robert

Snake or 2 bricks works.