I just tried this. Tried it twice. And dang it works well. Tomahawk ribeye was awesome. I didn't even bother with a probe thermometer the second time. Cheap pork roast came out awesome. Just set it up, fire it up, check your temp, maybe tweak a vent.... and literally just sip your beer and chillax. ("Sorry, honey. I can't leave the fire unattended" wink)
I have been meaning to try this for a long time. I tried it today after watching your video. It works like a charm!. My weber kettle burned for 5 hrs (could have gone longer), and stayed between 220-270 the whole time! I will use this method from now on. Thanks!
To me that's the whole point of grilling, to add some fun and enjoyment into cremating slabs of meat hehe. Seriously though, thanks for the info, I'll see if I can get mine working properly, never smoked anything before. A buddy gave me apple wood and spiced oak or some thing like such. Waiting for a break then lighting it up. Thanks again.
I use 2 rows on top of 2 rows on one side of my grill and the first thing I do is PILE 12 briqettes on the side where the meat will be and light it. While those are getting ready I form the snake on the other side. Easy and is Awsome idea. You just have to find a charcoal that has the burnrate you need. Great video.
Thanks D E. It's a very easy method and definitely has its uses as a technique. Please be sure to let us know how it works for you. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Just did this method today on a regular rectangular grill. AMAZING results. I put some of the briquettes too close and the fire advanced faster than expected, but stayed lit for 5 hours at a steady 220f, and still had some pieces untouched at the end. This is my go-to method from now on. Great video and excellent advise!
This might be a dumb question but , isnt the charcoal suppose to be lit before you close the lid so the meat wont get that nasty taste or is that cause im using the easy light type
Thank You So Much for your Video. I just did my first Brisket using the snake method 2 days ago,(not yours but another), it came out OK, but not Great. Next brisket I will be using your method, Thank You.
Learned a new technique today. I have a original 22” Weber from the 80’s and promised the wife I’d unlock all its secrets before buying a drum or offset. This is great, tnx.
Couldn't agree more. But, there are plenty of people who throw in a bunch of charcoal, douse in lighter fluid and toss a match. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
You'd use it if you ever wanted a low and slow burn. This method is great when cooking pork shoulder, small briskets, or pork loin roast that have multiple hour cook times. Thanks for the question and CHERRS!!!
That makes sense spacing out the wood.. I'll have to try that next I do this method.. I did notice I was playing with the vents at the start and maintained itself afterwards. Thx for the tip.. New sub and rang that bell. Thank again..
Thanks for finding us Joe. We also appreciate you're willingness to try our techniques. Find us on Facebook and upload photos when you do it. We love seeing people use our stuff. Thanks again and CHEERS!!!
Hi ,, very neat and well executed way of teaching snake method. When it starts burning what is the temperature cause im a little bit concerned since I don’t have thermometer and I haven’t cooked brisket yet.
Thanks for watching Negan. Honestly, each different type of coal burns at slightly different temperatures. So the set up I did using Weber Briquettes in my 26inch kettles stays steady at 230. But the same setup in a 22 will be hotter. You'll need to check with a thermometer to see how your specific stuff cooks. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Thanks man. I appreciate ur help. As u know Im from middle east and barbecuing is not our thing lol. But im getting into it.Ihave the weber master touch I have done some chicken and couple stuff on the weber pizza stone. But im still hesitant about the brisket it not cheap I don’t want to mess it up lol. So im watching alot of videos
Alot of people who are starting get eager and want brisket. Lots of better things to practice with. I normally recommend pork butt but wasn't sure of your diet or availability based on where you live. CHEERS!!!
some people mention clean fire at low temperature, that you need to balance or else the fire is oxygen starved and pouring out dirty smoke. what do they mean by this and how to avoid it? cuz i just closed the lid what else balancing could i do lmao thanks
The beauty of the snake method is it's done by restricting available fuel and not air. You don't choke the fire down, you just give it less to eat. Great question and CHEERS!!!
New to channel & new to Weber kettle cooking. I have a 26, & will try the experiment to test my grill, but how long does that set-up burn and what temp? Look forward to future videos to help improve my grilling!
I'm in the process of smoking a 6 lb pork shoulder and the snake is almost done. Its only been 6 hrs. Should I add more charcoal to the end of the snake?
If you need more cook time then yes. If you pork butt is past 170 and/or you have wrapped it then yoi can add some beef stock and put it in the oven @225. If you want.
Great video man. Very informative. Also, if you can't spare 5 to 10 minutes for prep time, then why are you grilling? Go to Texas Roadhouse or something.
Would you recommend doing a rack of ribs with this method? If so, what adjustments do I need to make? I have a Weber kettle grill but it is only 22 inches.
You most certainly can do ribs this way on a 22. No adjustments needed. If you're only doing 1 rack I'd recommend the dual snake method. We have a video of that somewhere. Thanks for watching Darren and CHEERS!!!
I came up with a new way to start a fire using the snake use a tealight candle get the fragrance free one its about the size of a peace of charcoal lite it and put charcoal around it and wood strips on top with some charcoal top of that did it one time and it worked well with ribs.
Great video.. as a noob when it comes to charcoal it was very informative and helped me work out where I have been going wrong. Do people really complain about how long you take to set up the bbq, pfft get a life
Idk if someone can reply to me at all but i’m trying anyway, so i bought a chimney and it works really good to light the charcoals bricks but they either burn too fast or not enough... idk when im supposed to stop using the chimney to make sure my charcoal bricks will last ?...
Thank you for the informative videos. I am new to smoking and I am going to be doing a pork butt for my father who has been stuck in his home due to covid. I have a question, what is the effect of doing 2 layers on the second level of the snake? Is it hotter or longer? Thanks
It will likely just be hotter. However, if your kettles bottom vents seal well you can use a 2x2 to burn longer. Experiment and see what it does for you. Sorry for the delayed response. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Great question. The only time you have that problem is if you use cheap briquettes. I only use Weber briquettes when I do this method. Thanks for watching.
I've never had a problems with them going out. As long as you start 8 coals in a chimney, and dump them on the first couple it seems to always work well. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
If you use lump charcoal, you don't get the nasties in your smoke from the cornstarch (and who knows what else) used as a briquette binder. It's takes a little more art to lay up a good working snake with the irregular shapes and it burns a bit faster, but it's worth the extra effort. You can use aluminum foil to make a dam to hold things in place if you have lump with smaller pieces.
Thanks Scott. I've used lump a couple times. Even did a side by side against some quality briquettes a couple years ago. Couldn't taste any difference. Maybe well do a video showing how to do it with lump. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Whisky and BBQ I’ve been a whole wood stick burner with an offset smoker for roughly the last 30 years. I’ve got a Weber kettle for just about as long but wouldn’t use it because of the mystery ingredients in briquettes and the food just doesn’t taste as good compared to my whole wood oak-cherry-maple wood fire, but to be honest, I haven’t really learned how to cook well with the Weber. My offset is my #1 goto for both low and slow, or grilling over the fire pit. I’ve within the last yearish had to take on most of the home cooking, and as much as I prefer my offset, the time, and beer, spent babysitting my offset can be a bit much! Time and patience does have its rewards however. I’ve recently discovered a utube channel that cooks mostly with mesquite wood for grilling and/or providing coals for his dutch ovens. With that, I’ve found a local dealer that sells Lazzari Mesquite lump charcoal. I’m currently playing with my second 40# bag in the Weber, the results are somewhat ok, but the shortcomings are definitely me, not the charcoal. If you can work it into your busy schedule, I’d enjoy seeing some different ideas, and discussion, about using lump charcoal in the Weber.
Whisky and BBQ Something I forgot to add to my other response. One of the big reasons I want to learn to get my Weber *fired* up, is to make pizza. Whadda ya got?
Chris a lot of people have been bringing up using lump for a snake. I have been experimenting and keepig the temps stable has been a challenge. I think I figured out a way to make it work but I need to experiment. There will be a video discussing it before June. Thanks for the great discussion.
What temp do you keep it at for a 7lbs pork butt using those Weber charcoal? What do you keep your vents at? Also how long does that amount coals last for? Thanks
Whatever temperature you want. Start with one coal lit for every 25 degrees of cook temp and your set. 225= 9 Coals 250=10 Coals 300=12 Coals Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
I’ve been doing this for a couple years. It works great. I’m not as meticulous about placing the charcoal I just poured it in and I put my wood chips on top. It works great for butts and smoking fish things like that. If it doesn’t work for you you’re doing something wrong.
What size drill bit did you use for the probe hole? I've been researching it and everyone seems to recommend installing gaskets. Which maybe it's me being naive, but seems to be overkill. Why wouldn't a hole suffice? I'm tired of running my wires between the lid and grill thus having a lid not 100% closed.
The holes were already there from removing the lid holder. Most people add grommets to keep water away from the bare exposed metal. We'll try to make a video on how to properly(ish) modify a kettle for a digital thermometer. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
I think people are to lazy to enjoy the set up. It's an art, not a speed contest. I haven't tried the snake yet, but this video explains it well and makes it look simple. Thank you.
Thanks for the kind words Rockstar. Just wanted to show it wasn't that difficult and doesn't actually take that long. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
It is a good place. With how relatively small the "cook chamber" I find the moisture evaporating off the butt itself keep the cooking environment plenty moist. I do put a water pan under it for cooking beef ribs or chicken. Thanks for watching William and CHEERS!!!
Awesome video - especially helpful about smoke chip placement. What a great idea to place them on the grill. Would you also advise adding water soaked wood chips or dry?
+Dave thank you so much for watching and the kind words. I typically recommend doing dry chunks. They smolder better and don't lead the temperature dropping. Also, soaked chips make soaked briquettes. Soaked briquettes don't burn very well and tend to smoke heavily. Thanks again. Burn and learn my friend.
Water takes years to penetrate wood. So, soaking your wood is worthless. Easily proven yourself, soak your wood with dyed water, soak them and cut thru them. You will find absolutely no dyed water inside.
Sorry to hear that William. Try adding a couple more coals to start or another ring of coals. If you're doing a 1x2 try a 2x2. Also, closing the top vent to half way will help as well. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
A starter cube wont get enough coals going at once. You need to start with 1 coal burning per 25 degrees of temperature you want. So, for 225 degrees of cooking you need 9 coals lit. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
So am I the only one that thinks that freshly lit charcoal briquette's have a distinct ammonia smell to them? I really like this idea and thought about using hardwood charcoal, but IMO, the hardwood stuff burns super hot as compared to briquette's. Thoughts?
You're probably correct on both accounts, depending on the type of briqs used. Keep in mind, fire can only burn the oxygen it is supplied. Control the oxygen and the fire is restricted, keeping your temps in check. Thank you for being a part of this! CHEERS!!
@@WhiskyandBBQ - I agree. I would probably have to play around a bit and figure out the best settings for the dampers. Thanks for the quick response brother
We have a video on setting and marking the intake and exhaust dampers. Evan just pulled a brisket he started last night at 10 on his 22" kettle. Based on the damper settings in the video, he set the bottom (intake) at 2 (about half open) and the exhaust at 3/4 open... this ran his snake for 10 hours at 225. Charcoal Briqs stacked two wide and two tall.
Depending on how large you make your snake the sky is the limit. With 3 on the bottom and 2 on the top I've maintained 325 for baking lasagna before. Thanks for watching Dennis. CHEERS!!!
So, I was under the impression we wanted to get all the charcoal lit before we put stuff on, even for longer cooks, and just adding another half chimney of lit charcoal every couple of hours. Wouldn’t the continual ignition of the charcoal cause the meat to have that taste people talk about? I’ve never knowingly experienced the negative flavor people attribute to partially lit charcoal burning.
The taste comes from having ALOT of coals starting. It results in a very dirty awful tasting smoke. This technique results in a very slow ignition. Quality coals using this method produce virtually no smoke. Thanks for watching Julian. CHEERS!!!
The snake method works by restricting the amount of fuel available to burn. You can make small heat adjustments by closing and opening the bottom air intakes. If you need more heat you can add another row of coals. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Nice video, Have you tried soaking your wood in water ahead of time? I highly recommend doing so as this extends the burn time for each piece of wood and (more importantly) produces a lot more smoke. Try soaking them at least an hour and do this same build and compare the results. I bet your smoke ring will be more pronounced, as will the smoke flavor of the meat. Cheers!
We have tried soaking the wood before. It affects the way my snake burns and I'm not a huge fan of it. Although, we did have a dual snake that used some (accidentally) soaked wood and it did alright. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
You do enjoyable to watch. Your humor is amazing. I’m learning and laughing at all the shade at the same time. I’m gonna try this method next time, only because of your humor. 😆😆👍🏽
Man , I'm making some tasty meat with this method. I have a big charcoal grill so I use 2 rows on top of 2 rows. Hold 250 . I used a natural briqette charcoal that I bought at Wal-Mart for about 8 bucks. It burned at a nice slow rate. Kingsford tasted better but burned too fast. (Almost twice as fast. ( I did use a different combo of smoke chips so not a true test). The Kingsford natural with hickory, maple, and cherry was Awsome flavor. Gonna try the other coals with same chip formula. Good stuff.
I did find out that if you get gready and put too much wood chips in , it makes the coals burn faster and hurts the flavor. This is the way I will smoke untill I get an actual smoker.
I'm not understanding what the complaints are with the time required for this method. The people complaining must be pellet/electric smoker users. Nice video!
We haven't that much James. We should start but you have to be very careful. The alcohol can oxidize meat pretty quickly. Thanks for watching James and CHEERS!!!
I did not follow a plan on the table. Just figured it out as I went. If there is enough interest we can try to do a video on how I did it. Thanks for watching.
@Bill B the plan is to put casters on it eventually. Saving up money to put a good top on it first. Then I have to figure out weight and decide what kinds of casters will work. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
For the cheapo smoker I have don't think 8 or so coals is going to be enough. Only just got a decent probe though so maybe the cheap guage on top has been misleading. Hindsight I should have tried this method but am prob gonna stick to filling the bowl n then adding a full chimney stack. Have large chunks of wood which am gonna place on the edges.. Doing a vid which might be helpful to some. Thanks for this vid 👍
My son isn't into little league yet. I have my watch set like that because of work. Upside down because a couple trips to unfriendly places. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
I learned a coupe new tips in this video and I thought I'd seen it all. I like the way you turned the chimney upside down and put the lighter cube in. I also like the tip about starting your snake at a grate strap so you can time it with different fuel sources. I just dump my coals in and push them up against the wall of the kettle and don't take time stacking them which I'll continue to do but henceforth I'll always light my coals for a low and slow with the underside of the chimney. Thanks!
So I did this with some pork ribs and had a hard time holding 275 for 4 hours. The bottom vent was open 100% and towards the end the top was open nearly 75% I did have water in the pan and I’m wondering if that held the temp down (if the water absorbed the heat). Do you put water in the pan? It also seemed to be hotter when it was smoking (first 2 hours). But that may also have been when the initial ignition coals were still lit. The ribs were good, but after 4 hours they just weren’t quite tender enough. Still pretty tight meat. Any suggestions?
I just tried this. Tried it twice. And dang it works well. Tomahawk ribeye was awesome. I didn't even bother with a probe thermometer the second time. Cheap pork roast came out awesome. Just set it up, fire it up, check your temp, maybe tweak a vent.... and literally just sip your beer and chillax. ("Sorry, honey. I can't leave the fire unattended" wink)
I have been meaning to try this for a long time. I tried it today after watching your video. It works like a charm!. My weber kettle burned for 5 hrs (could have gone longer), and stayed between 220-270 the whole time!
I will use this method from now on. Thanks!
I'm glad it worked for you.
Who cares how long the prep takes... if you enjoy what you are doing, it doesn't matter.
I agree T K. CHEERS!!!
Correct!
To me that's the whole point of grilling, to add some fun and enjoyment into cremating slabs of meat hehe.
Seriously though, thanks for the info, I'll see if I can get mine working properly, never smoked anything before. A buddy gave me apple wood and spiced oak or some thing like such. Waiting for a break then lighting it up.
Thanks again.
I use 2 rows on top of 2 rows on one side of my grill and the first thing I do is PILE 12 briqettes on the side where the meat will be and light it. While those are getting ready I form the snake on the other side. Easy and is Awsome idea. You just have to find a charcoal that has the burnrate you need. Great video.
with cooking and food prep the longer it is the more worth it itll be, gotta love cooking in bulk
I have been barbecuing for 32 years and never seen this method. I’m going to try it next time. Thank you for your videos.
Thanks D E. It's a very easy method and definitely has its uses as a technique. Please be sure to let us know how it works for you. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
I will post it as soon as I light the grill on the weekend,or maybe earlier. Thanks.
@@MrGoldarr been 3 years? Still lit?
Just did this method today on a regular rectangular grill. AMAZING results. I put some of the briquettes too close and the fire advanced faster than expected, but stayed lit for 5 hours at a steady 220f, and still had some pieces untouched at the end. This is my go-to method from now on. Great video and excellent advise!
This might be a dumb question but , isnt the charcoal suppose to be lit before you close the lid so the meat wont get that nasty taste or is that cause im using the easy light type
I too have a rectangular grill, I will try it out this weekend.
Yes, easy light gives a bad flavor and isn't all that good for you.
1:18 the instant he won my subscription.
And we appreciate it.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Thank You So Much for your Video. I just did my first Brisket using the snake method 2 days ago,(not yours but another), it came out OK, but not Great. Next brisket I will be using your method, Thank You.
Learned a new technique today. I have a original 22” Weber from the 80’s and promised the wife I’d unlock all its secrets before buying a drum or offset. This is great, tnx.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
I tried this method but found the brisket tasted like the charcoal smoke. It was disgusting. What did I do wrong?
I use this method for my thanksgiving turkey and the family loves it
Glad to hear it works out well for you.
I have watched a few videos now and plan on trying your method. Like your attitude. Thanks for sharing.
It works. Charcoal placement and setup is the most important thing in the grilling process.
Done this method three times now and have had great results. Once with ribs then chicken and then making beef jerky.
Glad to hear of your success Matthew. CHEERS!!!
Imagine buying a coal grill to complain about time and effort.
Couldn't agree more. But, there are plenty of people who throw in a bunch of charcoal, douse in lighter fluid and toss a match.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Good video-I liked the tip about spacing the wood out. I used to toss a bunch together-will now try this method!
Be sure to let us know how it turns out. Burn and learn and CHEERS!!!
When you love doing something it doesn't matter how long it takes to set up. Great video.
Screw what anyone says... good job buddy.
Tell them critics that you can't rush perfection.
👍👍
I love hearing the criticism. Sometimes they make valid points.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
I don’t even own a charcoal grill but I’m enjoying this video
Go get one and try it.
Burn and Learn!!!
I’ve done a sloppy snake and it works good. I came here looking for the proper way. Love this video man! Keep on keeping on!
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
The 2 questions I have is when would I use this method and why?
You'd use it if you ever wanted a low and slow burn. This method is great when cooking pork shoulder, small briskets, or pork loin roast that have multiple hour cook times.
Thanks for the question and CHERRS!!!
Can you do a snake method in a 26 kettle and run it at high temps? How many rows would you use? I cooks at the 325 range. Thanks for any help
That makes sense spacing out the wood.. I'll have to try that next I do this method.. I did notice I was playing with the vents at the start and maintained itself afterwards. Thx for the tip.. New sub and rang that bell. Thank again..
Thanks for finding us Joe. We also appreciate you're willingness to try our techniques. Find us on Facebook and upload photos when you do it. We love seeing people use our stuff. Thanks again and CHEERS!!!
Thanks for sharing, awesome video!
Hi ,, very neat and well executed way of teaching snake method. When it starts burning what is the temperature cause im a little bit concerned since I don’t have thermometer and I haven’t cooked brisket yet.
Thanks for watching Negan. Honestly, each different type of coal burns at slightly different temperatures. So the set up I did using Weber Briquettes in my 26inch kettles stays steady at 230. But the same setup in a 22 will be hotter. You'll need to check with a thermometer to see how your specific stuff cooks. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Thanks man. I appreciate ur help. As u know Im from middle east and barbecuing is not our thing lol. But im getting into it.Ihave the weber master touch I have done some chicken and couple stuff on the weber pizza stone. But im still hesitant about the brisket it not cheap I don’t want to mess it up lol. So im watching alot of videos
I recommend a beef chuck roast to try first. They're smaller and cheaper. Also a bit more forgiving.
Whisky and BBQ
Nice. How come I didn’t think about doing it. I was like go big or go home lol. Thx mate. Cheers 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Alot of people who are starting get eager and want brisket. Lots of better things to practice with. I normally recommend pork butt but wasn't sure of your diet or availability based on where you live. CHEERS!!!
Might wanna take some of that science and showmanship and use the magic on presentation.
some people mention clean fire at low temperature, that you need to balance or else the fire is oxygen starved and pouring out dirty smoke. what do they mean by this and how to avoid it? cuz i just closed the lid what else balancing could i do lmao thanks
The beauty of the snake method is it's done by restricting available fuel and not air. You don't choke the fire down, you just give it less to eat.
Great question and CHEERS!!!
Thanks man - just picked up a Weber kettle 22" and I'll be trying this!
Awesome to hear Mr. HomeOwner. Be sure to find us on Facebook and let us know how it turns out. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Great Video! Gave me all of the specifics I was looking for.
Thanks for the info. Never though about using a large propane bottle for my Weber charcoal starter.
New to channel & new to Weber kettle cooking. I have a 26, & will try the experiment to test my grill, but how long does that set-up burn and what temp? Look forward to future videos to help improve my grilling!
That set up burned at 250 for about 14 hours.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
I'm in the process of smoking a 6 lb pork shoulder and the snake is almost done. Its only been 6 hrs. Should I add more charcoal to the end of the snake?
If you need more cook time then yes. If you pork butt is past 170 and/or you have wrapped it then yoi can add some beef stock and put it in the oven @225. If you want.
Great job. Could you give insight as to what kind of thermometer to use...thanks
There are many instant read digital thermometers starting from $12 and heading north of $100. Weber makes an excellent probe for under $20.
Does the unlit charcoal not put off an acrid tasting smoke when it catches?
Nope. Use high quality Coal and it's all good.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
I have tried this before and yes it can be time consuming but it works really good!
Thanks for watching Paul. We like the technique and how consistent it is. CHEERS!!!
I tried this once on chicken and it was great, but since I like smoked chicken on high indirecr heat, I stick to that method
Great video man. Very informative. Also, if you can't spare 5 to 10 minutes for prep time, then why are you grilling? Go to Texas Roadhouse or something.
We tend to agree Tony. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Would you recommend doing a rack of ribs with this method? If so, what adjustments do I need to make? I have a Weber kettle grill but it is only 22 inches.
You most certainly can do ribs this way on a 22. No adjustments needed. If you're only doing 1 rack I'd recommend the dual snake method. We have a video of that somewhere. Thanks for watching Darren and CHEERS!!!
What is then vent starting point on bottom and top? I plan on doing a pork shoulder 10-12 hours. Thanks great video!
1/2 and 1/2
Brad Wies thanks man!
What he said.
I came up with a new way to start a fire using the snake use a tealight candle get the fragrance free one its about the size of a peace of charcoal lite it and put charcoal around it and wood strips on top with some charcoal top of that did it one time and it worked well with ribs.
Nice idea Daniel. I'll give that a shot to see how well it works. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Great video.. as a noob when it comes to charcoal it was very informative and helped me work out where I have been going wrong. Do people really complain about how long you take to set up the bbq, pfft get a life
I'm really happy to hear you got it dialed in. And, people will always find something to complain about.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Idk if someone can reply to me at all but i’m trying anyway, so i bought a chimney and it works really good to light the charcoals bricks but they either burn too fast or not enough... idk when im supposed to stop using the chimney to make sure my charcoal bricks will last ?...
The thing that I do is once the flames start popping out of the top of the chimney I dump them.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Thank you for the informative videos. I am new to smoking and I am going to be doing a pork butt for my father who has been stuck in his home due to covid. I have a question, what is the effect of doing 2 layers on the second level of the snake? Is it hotter or longer? Thanks
It will likely just be hotter. However, if your kettles bottom vents seal well you can use a 2x2 to burn longer. Experiment and see what it does for you. Sorry for the delayed response.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Love the snake method. It takes time setting up but once it is going my Weber will keep the same temp for 7 hours.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
I have used the snake method for almost 10 years, With awesome results
Awesome. Some people thinks it's a new technique. I remind them that it's been around for quite a long time. Thanks for watching and cheers!!!!
Do the unlit coals cause bitter smoke as they light along the snake? The way they would if you were lighting them in your chimney
Great question. The only time you have that problem is if you use cheap briquettes. I only use Weber briquettes when I do this method. Thanks for watching.
@@WhiskyandBBQ thank you!
I just tried the snake method on my new Weber kettle, the flavor is way to charcoaly and harsh, what did I do wrong??
How to you keep the charcoal going? I've added hot glowing charcoal 3 times and although they all connect pretty good it always goes out.
I've never had a problems with them going out. As long as you start 8 coals in a chimney, and dump them on the first couple it seems to always work well.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Where did you get the containers? Brilliant idea
Amazon.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
How did you leave the bottom vents open during your smoke? Open, closed. Or semi open? Thanks for your video
I leave the vents about one quarter of the way open. Thanks for watching Andres and CHEERS!!!
@@WhiskyandBBQ Thanks for the reply!!
If you use lump charcoal, you don't get the nasties in your smoke from the cornstarch (and who knows what else) used as a briquette binder. It's takes a little more art to lay up a good working snake with the irregular shapes and it burns a bit faster, but it's worth the extra effort. You can use aluminum foil to make a dam to hold things in place if you have lump with smaller pieces.
Thanks Scott. I've used lump a couple times. Even did a side by side against some quality briquettes a couple years ago. Couldn't taste any difference. Maybe well do a video showing how to do it with lump. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Whisky and BBQ I’ve been a whole wood stick burner with an offset smoker for roughly the last 30 years. I’ve got a Weber kettle for just about as long but wouldn’t use it because of the mystery ingredients in briquettes and the food just doesn’t taste as good compared to my whole wood oak-cherry-maple wood fire, but to be honest, I haven’t really learned how to cook well with the Weber. My offset is my #1 goto for both low and slow, or grilling over the fire pit. I’ve within the last yearish had to take on most of the home cooking, and as much as I prefer my offset, the time, and beer, spent babysitting my offset can be a bit much! Time and patience does have its rewards however. I’ve recently discovered a utube channel that cooks mostly with mesquite wood for grilling and/or providing coals for his dutch ovens. With that, I’ve found a local dealer that sells Lazzari Mesquite lump charcoal. I’m currently playing with my second 40# bag in the Weber, the results are somewhat ok, but the shortcomings are definitely me, not the charcoal. If you can work it into your busy schedule, I’d enjoy seeing some different ideas, and discussion, about using lump charcoal in the Weber.
Whisky and BBQ Something I forgot to add to my other response. One of the big reasons I want to learn to get my Weber *fired* up, is to make pizza. Whadda ya got?
We're looking at doing a kettle fired pizza soon as a matter of fact. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Chris a lot of people have been bringing up using lump for a snake. I have been experimenting and keepig the temps stable has been a challenge. I think I figured out a way to make it work but I need to experiment. There will be a video discussing it before June. Thanks for the great discussion.
What temp do you keep it at for a 7lbs pork butt using those Weber charcoal? What do you keep your vents at? Also how long does that amount coals last for? Thanks
250
half and half
about 13 hours
What temperature does it get using this tecnique?
Whatever temperature you want. Start with one coal lit for every 25 degrees of cook temp and your set.
225= 9 Coals
250=10 Coals
300=12 Coals
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
I’ve been doing this for a couple years. It works great. I’m not as meticulous about placing the charcoal I just poured it in and I put my wood chips on top. It works great for butts and smoking fish things like that. If it doesn’t work for you you’re doing something wrong.
Thanks Kirven. We agree it is pretty effective and slightly fail proof. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
What size drill bit did you use for the probe hole? I've been researching it and everyone seems to recommend installing gaskets. Which maybe it's me being naive, but seems to be overkill. Why wouldn't a hole suffice? I'm tired of running my wires between the lid and grill thus having a lid not 100% closed.
The holes were already there from removing the lid holder.
Most people add grommets to keep water away from the bare exposed metal.
We'll try to make a video on how to properly(ish) modify a kettle for a digital thermometer.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
I think people are to lazy to enjoy the set up. It's an art, not a speed contest. I haven't tried the snake yet, but this video explains it well and makes it look simple. Thank you.
Thanks for the kind words Rockstar. Just wanted to show it wasn't that difficult and doesn't actually take that long. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Wouldn't that open spot between the snake be a good spot for a tin of water?
It is a good place. With how relatively small the "cook chamber" I find the moisture evaporating off the butt itself keep the cooking environment plenty moist. I do put a water pan under it for cooking beef ribs or chicken. Thanks for watching William and CHEERS!!!
Nicely done, guys! Informative and entertaining, keep 'em comin'! Thanks!
Thanks for watching Tyler. We love sharing knowledge and showing people how easy good food can be. Thanks for joining us and CHEERS!!!
How long did your snake burn using that array of coal setup?
About 13 hours
Is that how u smoke in a charcoal grill?
It's one of many ways.
Awesome video - especially helpful about smoke chip placement. What a great idea to place them on the grill. Would you also advise adding water soaked wood chips or dry?
+Dave thank you so much for watching and the kind words. I typically recommend doing dry chunks. They smolder better and don't lead the temperature dropping. Also, soaked chips make soaked briquettes. Soaked briquettes don't burn very well and tend to smoke heavily. Thanks again. Burn and learn my friend.
Water takes years to penetrate wood. So, soaking your wood is worthless. Easily proven yourself, soak your wood with dyed water, soak them and cut thru them. You will find absolutely no dyed water inside.
DRY
I did this and couldn't get my temp over 200° with both vents open on a weber kettle
Sorry to hear that William. Try adding a couple more coals to start or another ring of coals. If you're doing a 1x2 try a 2x2. Also, closing the top vent to half way will help as well. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
8:29. wouldnt it have been easier to just use a starter cube than bothering with the chimney?
Agreed 👍
A starter cube wont get enough coals going at once. You need to start with 1 coal burning per 25 degrees of temperature you want. So, for 225 degrees of cooking you need 9 coals lit.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
So am I the only one that thinks that freshly lit charcoal briquette's have a distinct ammonia smell to them? I really like this idea and thought about using hardwood charcoal, but IMO, the hardwood stuff burns super hot as compared to briquette's. Thoughts?
You're probably correct on both accounts, depending on the type of briqs used. Keep in mind, fire can only burn the oxygen it is supplied. Control the oxygen and the fire is restricted, keeping your temps in check. Thank you for being a part of this! CHEERS!!
@@WhiskyandBBQ - I agree. I would probably have to play around a bit and figure out the best settings for the dampers. Thanks for the quick response brother
We have a video on setting and marking the intake and exhaust dampers. Evan just pulled a brisket he started last night at 10 on his 22" kettle. Based on the damper settings in the video, he set the bottom (intake) at 2 (about half open) and the exhaust at 3/4 open... this ran his snake for 10 hours at 225. Charcoal Briqs stacked two wide and two tall.
Great video.Thanks bro.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
What’s a realistic temp that can be targeted with this method?
Depending on how large you make your snake the sky is the limit. With 3 on the bottom and 2 on the top I've maintained 325 for baking lasagna before. Thanks for watching Dennis. CHEERS!!!
Very good video W&B!
We really appreciate that Lee. Thanks for finding us and watching. CHEERS!!!
This video was really informative any other tips that would be great just starting out so for a beginner this was made easy
We're going to be making a lot more Karl. Anything in particular you'd like to see?
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
I add a pile of lit coals in the center to get the kettle up to tempt.
That's a really good technique. Thanks for sharing. Cheers!!!
Would it make any difference if you lit the snake in the middle? Seems to me this would give more balance.
You have to adjust for the different temps as well as the shorter cook times. But yes. it is more even.
Would this hold around 275ish for around 6 to 8 hours? Thanks
Yup. Make your snake 2 on bottom and 2 on top instead of 1. Start of with 12-14 coals. CHEERS!!!
@@WhiskyandBBQ Thank you so much for the response! Cheers
Dude I used wood plats , it worked Grate!!
. Thx
Excellent. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
So, I was under the impression we wanted to get all the charcoal lit before we put stuff on, even for longer cooks, and just adding another half chimney of lit charcoal every couple of hours. Wouldn’t the continual ignition of the charcoal cause the meat to have that taste people talk about? I’ve never knowingly experienced the negative flavor people attribute to partially lit charcoal burning.
The taste comes from having ALOT of coals starting. It results in a very dirty awful tasting smoke. This technique results in a very slow ignition. Quality coals using this method produce virtually no smoke. Thanks for watching Julian. CHEERS!!!
Thank you very much! I am most excited to try this method
@@WhiskyandBBQ glad someone asked about this. I want to try this on my Smokey Joe. Nasty taste was my main concern. Thanks.
Hello,I will cook a whole cow shank on my Webber,how can I maintaine the temperature by using the snake method?
The snake method works by restricting the amount of fuel available to burn. You can make small heat adjustments by closing and opening the bottom air intakes. If you need more heat you can add another row of coals. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Very cool
Thanks Woje! We appreciate the sentiment and the view, CHEERS!!
Real informative video thank you
We appreciate the feedback Pete.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
I've seen your video before, but I going to finally try the snake today.
I hope you have done the snake several time Tyler. Sorry for the reply taking so long.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Nice video,
Have you tried soaking your wood in water ahead of time? I highly recommend doing so as this extends the burn time for each piece of wood and (more importantly) produces a lot more smoke. Try soaking them at least an hour and do this same build and compare the results. I bet your smoke ring will be more pronounced, as will the smoke flavor of the meat.
Cheers!
We have tried soaking the wood before. It affects the way my snake burns and I'm not a huge fan of it. Although, we did have a dual snake that used some (accidentally) soaked wood and it did alright. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Never soak the chips. It makes an acrid smoke. Either use more chips or better yet, use chunks.
Everyone does what works for them. As long as the food tastes good there isn't a wrong answer. Except lighter fluid. Thats the wrong answer.
Its science bro. Not an opinion.
No
Have you ever had it go out? Or not start when the lit coals get added?
The cook hasn't. Evan has.
Aren't you worried about having a hot grill so close to that wooden frame?
how do you put the vent-fans in the bottom and top of the grill? All open or?
Top and Bottom vents about a quarter open. Thanks for watching Paw and CHEERS!!!
You do enjoyable to watch. Your humor is amazing. I’m learning and laughing at all the shade at the same time. I’m gonna try this method next time, only because of your humor. 😆😆👍🏽
Those are very kind words Dee. We appreciate it.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
How long does this burn until out
On my 26inch kettle I get 15-16 ours. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Great video, easy to follow and learn this cool method. Looking forward to trying it out!
Thanks for watching Mike. Be sure to find us on Facebook and send us some photos when you give it a try. We appreciate you being here and CHEERS!!!
Man , I'm making some tasty meat with this method. I have a big charcoal grill so I use 2 rows on top of 2 rows. Hold 250 . I used a natural briqette charcoal that I bought at Wal-Mart for about 8 bucks. It burned at a nice slow rate. Kingsford tasted better but burned too fast. (Almost twice as fast. ( I did use a different combo of smoke chips so not a true test). The Kingsford natural with hickory, maple, and cherry was Awsome flavor. Gonna try the other coals with same chip formula. Good stuff.
Sounds like you've got it down solid Richard. I need to get some of the wood laced coal and give that a go. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Hi Richard, we're happy to hear this method is helpful to you, that's what we're all about, sharing with friends! CHEERS!!
I did find out that if you get gready and put too much wood chips in , it makes the coals burn faster and hurts the flavor. This is the way I will smoke untill I get an actual smoker.
Same setup whether you’re using a 22.5” or a 26”?
Yup. Only difference is the burn tine.
Do they need to lightly touch?
Yes, lightly touch the edges so that they catch the next when one burns down. Thanks for watching Darwood! CHEERS!!
I'm not understanding what the complaints are with the time required for this method. The people complaining must be pellet/electric smoker users. Nice video!
Thanks Greg.
So, how often do you use whiskey in your marinade?
We haven't that much James. We should start but you have to be very careful. The alcohol can oxidize meat pretty quickly. Thanks for watching James and CHEERS!!!
You let the alcohol evaporate first by very low heating marinade.
@@Critica1Bi11 I add it on about all my beef, pork, or poultry when I grill. Everyone loves it.
Please tell me we turned the mic in this time lol
Yeah. I'd like to say we've gotten better at that...
@@WhiskyandBBQ hahahah I've done stuff like that so many times in my videos. It always sucks when you do.
What are you building around that kettle - home made grilling station? Love to see the end result.
It's a table we built that holds 2 26inch kettles. You can see alot of it in more of our cook videos. Thanks for watching and cheers!!!!
Did you follow a plan on that table? How much to share?
I did not follow a plan on the table. Just figured it out as I went. If there is enough interest we can try to do a video on how I did it. Thanks for watching.
@Bill B the plan is to put casters on it eventually. Saving up money to put a good top on it first. Then I have to figure out weight and decide what kinds of casters will work. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Would you use this method for cooking sausages/burgers?
Not really. I prefer higher temps for searing sausages and burgers. I'd do a two zone set-up for that cook.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Haha I like the little pauses in between your sentences.
Thanks Damage. I'm not very intelligent so want to make sure I'm saying the right things. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
For the cheapo smoker I have don't think 8 or so coals is going to be enough.
Only just got a decent probe though so maybe the cheap guage on top has been misleading.
Hindsight I should have tried this method but am prob gonna stick to filling the bowl n then adding a full chimney stack.
Have large chunks of wood which am gonna place on the edges..
Doing a vid which might be helpful to some.
Thanks for this vid 👍
Glad to hear this method have you done insight! Let us know how it turns out. CHEERS!!
Military time and the upside down watch. I bet this guy takes little league baseball so seriously
My son isn't into little league yet. I have my watch set like that because of work. Upside down because a couple trips to unfriendly places.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Nice work dude looks like a blast!!
It works really well RV. Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!
Isn’t smoke from charcoal that is still black bad for your food though?
Nope. Not at all.
Are you using lighter fluid
That's a pretty cool method, I've never seen that before. Nice
Thanks for watching Tyler. CHEERS!!!
I learned a coupe new tips in this video and I thought I'd seen it all. I like the way you turned the chimney upside down and put the lighter cube in. I also like the tip about starting your snake at a grate strap so you can time it with different fuel sources. I just dump my coals in and push them up against the wall of the kettle and don't take time stacking them which I'll continue to do but henceforth I'll always light my coals for a low and slow with the underside of the chimney. Thanks!
I'm glad we could help Joey. The Cook says he learns something every day. From someone or from failure.
Burn and learn my friend. CHEERS!!!
You put the wood on dry or after it's been soaking in water?
Looks like they were dry. Soaking the wood doesn't do anything.
Dry.
So I did this with some pork ribs and had a hard time holding 275 for 4 hours.
The bottom vent was open 100% and towards the end the top was open nearly 75%
I did have water in the pan and I’m wondering if that held the temp down (if the water absorbed the heat). Do you put water in the pan?
It also seemed to be hotter when it was smoking (first 2 hours). But that may also have been when the initial ignition coals were still lit.
The ribs were good, but after 4 hours they just weren’t quite tender enough. Still pretty tight meat.
Any suggestions?
Add a second coal to the top. Make a 2x2 snake. It'll give you the extra horsepower. Thanks for the question and CHEERS!!!
I'm doing a brisket tomorrow I may just give this a try.
Awesome. Be sure to let us know how it turns out. Go Texans and CHEERS!!!
Pride goes before the fall
Agreed TCL.
Thanks for watching and CHEERS!!!