*****Official BBQ Thread - Suns out, Buns out!*****

I am planning my fist cook on my new Weber 57cm kettle, looking at doing some Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks with the indirect method.

My question is do you guys sear first than cook in the cooler safe zone or do you cook in the safe zone and then sear at the end of cooking?

Cheers
 
valve90210 said:
My friend who is somewhat of a smoking expert has the Callow and has done quite a lot of experimenting with it. He found that to get higher temperatures it's best to light the whole lot of the coals rather than just a few and use the minion method. If you check the link I posted a bit further up in the thread he goes into quite a lot of detail about it all.

I currently use a ThermoPro TP08 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B014DAVHSQ?psc=1) for temperature measuring which I've been very impressed with but I have tyo say that Bluetooth one looks good for the money and would be good for monitoring more meat when I already know the temp of the smoker from the TP08! How is the bluetooth range with it?
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I read that post your friend put up, actually helped me make up my mind to get the Callow. Also the site that it was posted on had a review of the thermometer i got as well. Not sure on range of the bluetooth, next time i use it I will try to remember to test it out a bit and report back
 
Nice surprise from the missus today, she got me a slop mop, bear paws and some Bad Byrons Butt Rub, that's me sorted for Sunday.. Definitely a keeper! :D
 
Ricoshea said:
I read that post your friend put up, actually helped me make up my mind to get the Callow. Also the site that it was posted on had a review of the thermometer i got as well. Not sure on range of the bluetooth, next time i use it I will try to remember to test it out a bit and report back
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Don't suppose you could link the thermometer review could you, I've had a quick look and not managed to found it. Ta muchly.
 
A bit of searching on other BBQ boards suggests I added too many hot coals during the brisket cook which caused the wildly out of control temperatures!

Reset, buy more beef (oh the humanity!) and try again! :D
 
I've changed from the minion method to the snake method recently, and have found it much easier to get stable temps. In fact I can't think of any advantages of the minion method, except if for some reason you want higher temps and can't build a snake fat enough to get that much heat going. But for 230-250F the snake works for me.
 
Psymonkee said:
Reset, buy more beef (oh the humanity!) and try again! :D
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What a shame.. :D

I tried the snake method on my kettle at the weekend with reasonable success. I held a fairly constant temperature and didn't have to touch the charcoal for about 6 hours. I was using lumpwood so next time maybe I'll give it a go with briquettes. That Slow N Sear does look pretty good though, it might be one to look into.

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I think I went a bit overkill on the meat for two of us though!
 
dl8860 said:
I've changed from the minion method to the snake method recently, and have found it much easier to get stable temps. In fact I can't think of any advantages of the minion method, except if for some reason you want higher temps and can't build a snake fat enough to get that much heat going. But for 230-250F the snake works for me.
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That's the thing! I got some odd comments about using a snake in the vertical smoker but it's way more fuel efficient and seemingly easier to control.
 
ramdrive said:
I am planning my fist cook on my new Weber 57cm kettle, looking at doing some Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks with the indirect method.

My question is do you guys sear first than cook in the cooler safe zone or do you cook in the safe zone and then sear at the end of cooking?

Cheers
Click to expand...
Personally I don't tend to sear drumsticks or thighs very much or at all, they're normally good just roasted using the indirect method, if you need to add some burnt bits I'd follow FrenchTart's advice and do it at the end.
 
I've got the slow n sear. Impressed with it and managed a fairly stable 8-10 hr overnight smoke on the kettle fine for pulled pork.
I don't normally bother with long smokes as normally I just smoke ribs etc. (don't bother much with pulled pork) for a couple of hours and then sous vide as I find it much easier, consistent and a better end result.
I'll try it again in the coming weeks with brisket.

I've got the vortex as well but the slow and sear for me is much better. I haven't done a load of chicken drumsticks/wings on the vortex yet but I hear that its pretty good for that.
Whilst the vortex is < half of the price it is much less metal.

I will likely be in the market for a new BBQ early next year so need to do some research on Big Green Egg vs Weber summit charcoal.
They are both £££ but should hopefully last many many years so the man maths should add up.

Anyone seen or used the Weber summit charcoal?
 
Thanks for the feedback @oneilldo :) I ordered the Slow 'N Sear because I'm not quite ready yet to make the leap to a Big Green Egg or Kamado Joe so it'll tide me over until then.

Unfortunately I don't have anything to add to your question, but have you considered the Kamado Joe at all? A friend of mine has one and he could not be happier with it. I'll ask him why he didn't go for the Big Green Egg as I'm curious about his decision.
 
thewanted said:
Thanks for the feedback @oneilldo
Unfortunately I don't have anything to add to your question, but have you considered the Kamado Joe at all? A friend of mine has one and he could not be happier with it. I'll ask him why he didn't go for the Big Green Egg as I'm curious about his decision.
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You wont regret the slow n sear its a good bit of kit. I will be keeping the Weber kettle as well. I've looked at the Kamado Joe in the past and it also looks like a good bit of kit.
I did have my mind set on the Big Green Egg previously when/if I finally got round to sorting the garden out but then Weber released the WSC last year. There doesn't seem to be lots of comparisons online but the ones I have seen seem to rate it highly.

Its air insulated rather than ceramic and has the easy ash pan like the Kettles so would be easier to move around than a BGE and no messing with sweeping ash out.
Still I've got a while till I order so plenty of time for more reviews/comparisons to be made.
 
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