# I broke in the Weber yesterday.



## thenegativeone (Jul 24, 2015)

So I broke in my weber yesterday with mixed success. I tried using the snake method but found that it didn't really work too well for some reason. I don't know what I did wrong but maybe someone can tell me.
Anyway, once I added more coal (effectively making it a minion method) it came up to temp and I got cooking...












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My Oak chunks from Smokewood turned up just as I was about to start, how's that for timing!!












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I don't have any photos of the ribs after they were done, I got distracted and ate them before I took a photo. They were pretty good, the wings however, smothered in Franks, were cracking.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Jul 24, 2015)

Smoking good cook there! Nice way to break in the new Q!

If you liked those wings take them to the next level and try these:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/119306/scarbelly-wings-buffalo-style

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/157169/scarbelly-wings-taken-to-the-next-level

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/166730/oh-sweet-heat-lets-glaze-these-scarbellys


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## thenegativeone (Jul 24, 2015)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> Smoking good cook there! Nice way to break in the new Q!
> 
> If you liked those wings take them to the next level and try these:
> 
> ...



Oh my days. They look awesome!!


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## smokewood (Jul 24, 2015)

They looked excellent, and Oak is definitely my favourite smoking wood.

Glad your parcel arrived safely.


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## thenegativeone (Jul 24, 2015)

smokewood said:


> They looked excellent, and Oak is definitely my favourite smoking wood.
> 
> Glad your parcel arrived safely.


First time I've tried oak, I must say though it is my favourite so far, nice rounded flavour, not too strong. Worked great on the chicken.


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## wade (Jul 25, 2015)

Great looking first results on your Weber. When you are with us next weekend we can show you the snake method in action. Your problem was probably that you did not use enough charcoal/briquettes. There is a very fine line between snake ending and Minion beginning.


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## thenegativeone (Jul 25, 2015)

Wade said:


> Great looking first results on your Weber. When you are with us next weekend we can show you the snake method in action. Your problem was probably that you did not use enough charcoal/briquettes. There is a very fine line between snake ending and Minion beginning.



That would be grand mate, my main problem seems to be maintaining the temperature evenly throughout the cook. Im sure if I can get the snake method to work for me though that would go a long way towards helping!!


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## kc5tpy (Jul 25, 2015)

Hello.  Looks Great.  Keep Smokin!

Danny


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## smokin monkey (Jul 25, 2015)

Wade will take you through the Snake Method. Good looking food!


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## rabbithutch (Aug 22, 2015)

thenegativeone said:


> That would be grand mate, my main problem seems to be maintaining the temperature evenly throughout the cook. Im sure if I can get the snake method to work for me though that would go a long way towards helping!!



Hope you good folks don't mind a Texan dropping in on your forum.  If it matters, my ancestors left Towcester, Northants (I think) in the 1630s.

Even as I type this, I have 2 pork shoulders (butts) on my Weber One Touch Gold going on a snake ring.  I've fought temp rises for the last few hours; and, as we say here in Texas, "This ain't my first Rodeo!"  I think the problem is that my wood chunks are larger than I usually like to use and the wood a bit dryer.   I've been smoking meat for about 4 years now after having been a 'griller' for most of my 7 plus decades.  What I'm finding about temperature control is that my expectations aren't reasonable.  Charcoal and wood fires are not like baking in an electric or gas oven.  There is much more variation even when weather conditions are the same - which, of course - they never are.  I've found that on windy days, my fires are hotter and burn faster than on days when winds are still.  Temperature and humidity also change the way my fires burn.  I've had better luck with the snake method on long smokes - like the shoulders I'm doing today - but there is a good deal of variation even with this approach.  FWIW I set my Maverick ET-733 upper and lower BARBECUE temps at 280° F and 215° F.  Any temps out of that range sound an alarm for me. Usually I worry about lower temps at the start of a smoke because all the components (smoker, grills, grates, food) have to heat up.  If low temps persist more than a short time, some adjustment is required.  Sometimes, the lower limit alarm means that my snake has burned too fast and that I must add more charcoal.   Similarly, I find that temps tend to rise as the coals and the wood chunks start to burn steadily.  I want to know when this happens so that I can adjust vents or remove the cover to let the chamber cool.

So, I hope sharing some of the things I've learned will help you some.

Cheers,
r. hutchins


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## smokewood (Aug 22, 2015)

Hiya Rabbithutch.

Thanks for posting on the UK forum, and passing on good advice, we have a couple of members for the US who post on the UK forum, so the more the merrier.

It's interesting that your ancestors cam from Towcester (pronounced toaster) I drove through there a couple of months ago and it looks like nothing has changed.


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## rabbithutch (Aug 22, 2015)

Howdy, Smokewood!

From what I've read, the old inn in Towcester was where R. L. Stevenson wrote all or some of Treasure Island that the inn scenes at the outset of the tale were crafted around it.  I hope to go there some day, but at 73 that might not be in the cards.

Glad to hear that it hasn't changed much - but, then, that might not be good for some folks.

Cheers


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## kiska95 (Aug 23, 2015)

Hi Rabbit,

Thanks great info          

Sorry to rain on the parade but you might find it was Charles Dickens that was the writer synonymous with Towcester. He stayed at the Saracens Head and wrote about the place in his first novel the "Pickwick Papers"


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## smokin monkey (Aug 23, 2015)

Hi Rabbit, welcome to this side of the Pond!

We look forward to your post and any help you can pass on to our group!


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## rabbithutch (Aug 23, 2015)

kiska95 said:


> Hi Rabbit,
> 
> Thanks great info
> 
> Sorry to rain on the parade but you might find it was Charles Dickens that was the writer synonymous with Towcester. He stayed at the Saracens Head and wrote about the place in his first novel the "Pickwick Papers"



Thanks for setting me straight, Kiska.  I'll now have to find the information I read about RLS and Treasure Island.  I've read all of Dickens' published works including Pickwick Papers.


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## resurrected (Aug 23, 2015)

rabbithutch said:


> Thanks for setting me straight, Kiska.  I'll now have to find the information I read about RLS and Treasure Island.  I've read all of Dickens' published works including Pickwick Papers.



Hi Rabbit,

Nice to see someone from across the pond on the UK group.

If you're interested in Dickens then you might be interested in his connection with Rochester, Kent.


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## smokewood (Aug 24, 2015)

I believe most of his novels are based on the area.  Rochester is a lovely place, well it was when I was posted there in the early 80's.  Just a bit of trivia Lt Col Chard RE VC, has a memorial in the cathedral.  His character was played by Stanley Baker in the 1964 film Zulu. 

Where else can you get good information about the Q, as well as information on the arts & trivia to go along with it.


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## resurrected (Aug 25, 2015)

smokewood said:


> I believe most of his novels are based on the area.  Rochester is a lovely place, well it was when I was posted there in the early 80's.  Just a bit of trivia Lt Col Chard RE VC, has a memorial in the cathedral.  His character was played by Stanley Baker in the 1964 film Zulu.
> 
> Where else can you get good information about the Q, as well as information on the arts & trivia to go along with it.



A little more trivia. I went to the same Birmingham school as one J R R Tolkien.


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## red robbo 69 (Aug 25, 2015)

Hopefully not at the same time.


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## resurrected (Aug 25, 2015)

red robbo 69 said:


> Hopefully not at the same time.



I could not comment.......:biggrin:













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## jockaneezer (Aug 25, 2015)

Last night I dreamt I'd written Lord of the Rings, but the wife says I was just Tolkien in my sleep [emoji]128515[/emoji]


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## resurrected (Aug 25, 2015)

jockaneezer said:


> Last night I dreamt I'd written Lord of the Rings, but the wife says I was just Tolkien in my sleep [emoji]128515[/emoji]



Don't make a hobbit of jokes like that please :laugh1:


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## rabbithutch (Aug 25, 2015)

smokewood said:


> I believe most of his novels are based on the area.  Rochester is a lovely place, well it was when I was posted there in the early 80's.  Just a bit of trivia Lt Col Chard RE VC, has a memorial in the cathedral.  His character was played by Stanley Baker in the 1964 film Zulu.
> 
> Where else can you get good information about the Q, as well as information on the arts & trivia to go along with it.



Someday I shall go back to the UK and see all the sights I've missed.

I didn't know the name of Lt. Col. Chard RE VC nor that he has a memorial in the Rochester cathedral, but I have Zulu as one of the best movies of my lifetime.  Seeing it for the umpteenth time I still find little fault with the acting or the production.  I shall never forget the Welsh soldiers discussing the harmonies of the Zulu warriors.  I'm going to order it up again this evening!

Cheers!


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## kiska95 (Aug 26, 2015)

Hi

Just to round this off with the original comment about R L Stevenson..................... From Wikipedia

"A plaque above the door of a house in Castleton of Braemar states "Here R.L. Stevenson spent the Summer of 1881 and wrote Treasure Island, his first great work".

Braemar is in Royal Deeside, Scotland where the Highland Games are situated.

Hope that helps


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## mummel (Aug 26, 2015)

How were you able to control the heat in the weber smokey joe?


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