British BBQ Society Forums

I did yet another Pork shoulder yesterday, it took 14 hours and i had to foil it in the end as the stall was the mother of all stalls!
Anyhow, it turned out very nice in the end and that was useing the snake method and this was the first time i had completely cooked one on tht OTP without transfereing it to the house oven to finish it.

I have a metal ring with a dividing plate to stop the snake burning from both ends that sits on the coal grate and i litterally chuck the briquettes all the way round it and leave enough room at the begining to allow the 12ish lit coals to go to start the fuse.

I can cook for at least 18hours (cooked for 14hrs and there was still a quarter of the coals left) at a temp between 225f - 300f without adding any more coals this way and yesterday i litterally left it completely untouched appart from checking the temp through the top vent (was building a fence) until 8pm until i had to foil it.
The snake method is the only method i use now for low and slow and i don't see a reason to try any other method as this one works for me.

I'll try and post a pic of my setup for your viewing pleasure

Andy

sounds like you have it sussed, what fuel do you use ?

I intend on doing exactly the same thing when I eventually get around to building my smoker. I got the idea from cold smoking and thought I would do it for charcoal. At least I know it works now! Thanks!

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antf

I did my only pork shoulder on my OTP using the snake method and it worked superbly, was tempted to try another method but after reading this and other posts, I've decided not to bother!!

Any pictures to share, I would think lots of people on here would gain from seeing them? Always nice when a cook goes to plan

Hello - I'm new to the forum, though not so much to BBQing!

I did a low and slow this weekend too - OTP with 3/4 circumference set up in the snake method, doing a pork shoulder.

I'd be interested to know how you put out the coals - I did more or less 3x3 quite neatly laid out but I found it burned along the inside and the outside didn't light. Also, at 6:30am, after an 11:30pm start, it was at around 300F - and I should have checked the coals as they were out by 9:30 am.

I relit it but the result was I never reached 195 internal (just 185), and the pork was hard on the outside and very, very dry.

I'd be interested in people's views in what went wrong - too high? Too long?

Incidentally, two weeks ago I did more or less the same setup but it went out a bit earlier (it was a thinner snake and not as neat). But after relighting the pork was beautiful.

Maybe not enough contact between your coals. Did you do a top layer too? Also maybe inconsistent air flow? Did u use lump wood. That can burn unevenly I believe.