What Is the Snake Method & How Does It Work?
The Snake Method of burning charcoal in a BBQ is a unique and efficient way to set up and light your charcoal, allowing for low and slow cooking for hours on end. This method is perfect for those who love to smoke meats and want to achieve a deep, rich flavor without the need for constantly adding more fuel. Read about The Snake Method and how it works and use it at your next BBQ!
Setting Up The Snake Method
The Snake Method gets its name from the way the charcoal is arranged in a serpentine shape. To set it up, you will need a chimney starter, a pile of charcoal, and a couple of fire bricks or metal plates. First, fill the chimney starter with charcoal and light it. Once the charcoal in the chimney starter is fully lit and ashed over, pour it out onto one end of the snake. Then, add a few more pieces of charcoal to the lit end, creating a line of fire that will slowly work its way through the entire snake.
Once the snake is lit, you can place it in your BBQ, with the lit end closest to the air intake. This will allow the fire to slowly work its way through the snake, keeping the temperature of the BBQ steady and consistent. Because the Snake Method uses a slow, steady burn, it can take several hours for the charcoal to burn through the entire snake, which is perfect for low and slow cooking methods like smoking.
One of the advantages of the Snake Method is that it allows for easy temperature control. By adjusting the air intake and exhaust vents on your BBQ, you can control the rate at which the fire burns through the snake, and thus, control the temperature of your grill. This makes it easy to achieve the perfect temperature for your meats, whether you’re smoking brisket, ribs, or pork shoulder.
Another advantage is that it’s very fuel-efficient. Because the fire is lit at one end of the snake and slowly works its way through, you don’t need to constantly add more charcoal to maintain the temperature. This means that you can set up the Snake in the morning, and it will still be burning hours later, giving you plenty of time to smoke your meats to perfection.
Why It Works So Well
The Snake Method is not only efficient but also helps to reduce the amount of ash produced, which makes it a great option for those who want to minimize the amount of ash and cleanup required.
The Snake Method of burning charcoal in a BBQ is a unique and efficient way to set up and light your charcoal, allowing for low and slow cooking for hours on end. It is perfect for those who love to smoke meats and want to achieve a deep, rich flavor without the need for constantly adding more fuel. It is fuel-efficient, easy to control temperature, and helps reduce ash production. It’s a great option for barbecue enthusiasts looking to achieve the perfect smoke and flavor for their meats.