How to set up the snake method on a Weber Kettle. For more information visit our website tutorial at https://goshindig.com/snake-method/
In this video we recommend or use several bits of equipment. Below is a list of articles with the equipment we recommend.
Best charcoal briquettes – https://goshindig.com/best-charcoal-briquettes/
Best BBQ utensils and tongs – https://goshindig.com/best-bbq-grill-tool-sets/
Best heat resistant gloves – https://goshindig.com/bbq-gloves/
Best chimney Starter – https://goshindig.com/best-charcoal-chimney-starters/
Best dual probe thermometer – https://goshindig.com/best-dual-probe-thermometer/
Here is an annotation of the video
The Snake method on a Weber Kettle.
For today’s BBQ basics tutorial I’ll be using Weber briquettes, apple wood chunks and a water pan. I’ll also mention how to use wood chips or pellets. Let’s get started.
Opened your briquettes, and pour them onto your charcoal grate.
Now arrange the briquettes around the rim or your kettle.
When stacking your briquettes make sure they slightly overlap, as they need to be touching for the flame to pass alone the snake. There are no hard and fast rules on how many briquettes you should use, but the most popular methods are a 2 by 1 or 2 by 2 snake. Obviously, the more you use the longer the burn time. Some people say you should do a thicker snake if you want higher temps, but this isn’t the case as we will be controlling the temperature with the grill vents.
Now you have the snake set-up it’s time to light it. I do this using a charcoal chimney. If you want to know how to use a chimney starter check out our other BBQ basic videos and subscribe to our channel to get all our latest recipe and tutorial tips.
You won’t need a full chimney for the snake method, you’ll only need to use about eight briquettes. You can take these from the front of your snake. It’ll take about ten minutes for the briquettes to be ready so we’re going to fast forward ten minutes.
The briquettes are now slightly grayed over and are good to use. So put on your heat resistant gloves and pour the briquettes onto your grate. Using a pair of tongs, preposition the coals back to the front of the snake. That is now the basics of the snake method. But improvements can be made. I suggest you use a water pan filled with hot water. This has two benefits. One, it works as a drip pan to help keep your grill clean. Two, and the main reason for a water pan is to help stabilize temperature. Having a hot pan of water in your grill helps bring the grill back to the desired temperature quickly after opening the lid.
Now chuck on a few lumps of wood. It’s best to place these at the start of the snake as meat takes on the smokey flavor best at the start of the cook.
If you’re using wood chips or pellets you can make little wood piles or a foil ball for you snake. Don’t sprinkle the wood chips in a line along your snake, as the wood will burn faster than the briquettes and you’ll end up will a wood chip snake instead of a charcoal one.
Now close your lid, positioning the top vent on the opposite side of your lit snake. The reason for this is that the smoke and heat will have to pass over your meat before escaping out the vent, giving your food that lovely smokey taste.
Now you just have to wait for your thermometer to settle on your required temperature before cooking. A word of warning. The lid thermometer isn’t the best tool to use. The temps will vary depending on where the coals are lit in relation to the probe underneath the lid. And the temperature up on the lid isn’t going to be as hot as down on the grill grate. I’d recommend you buy a good duel probe thermometer, and I’ve put a link in the description for my recommendations.