2 zone method vs diffuser setup for Brisket

[ChadRex]

I am planning a Brisket for Thanksgiving.
My last brisket I smoked on a Weber kettle using
Minion method in Bro N sear. Basket with Fire bricks as heat shield. It turned out great.

I am contemplating using method with large amount of coals in the center of the kettle with a heat diffuser and placing the brisket in the center..
Charcoal ring with pizza pan diffuser

does anyone have experience with the latter setup, curious if that would be more efficient setup.

 

[Colin]

Yep, here's what I got. Copied it from Tom Horsman's YT video.








Small pork butt. If I remember correctly, it ran for 8 hrs easy. If I had to do it again I would buy the Weber Low and Slow kit that is now available.
And just fyi, my diffuser is double with spacers in between. A single pizza pan may radiate too much heat.

 

[Bob Bailey]

I am planning a Brisket for Thanksgiving.
My last brisket I smoked on a Weber kettle using
Minion method in Bro N sear. Basket with Fire bricks as heat shield. It turned out great.

I am contemplating using method with large amount of coals in the center of the kettle with a heat diffuser and placing the brisket in the center..
Charcoal ring with pizza pan diffuser

does anyone have experience with the latter setup, curious if that would be more efficient setup.

View attachment 81964

If the last one turned out great, why change anything? I like sticking to the tried and true., especially for a special occasion.

 

[ChadRex]

Yep, here's what I got. Copied it from Tom Horsman's YT video.
View attachment 81973

View attachment 81974

View attachment 81975

View attachment 81976

Small pork butt. If I remember correctly, it ran for 8 hrs easy. If I had to do it again I would buy the Weber Low and Slow kit that is now available.
And just fyi, my diffuser is double with spacers in between. A single pizza pan may radiate too much heat.

Where did you get that charcoal basket?

I made a similar one for my Smokey Joe mini wsm, may have to do that again

How much charcoal did the ring hold? Did you have some charcoal unburned?

 

[Colin]

Where did you get that charcoal basket?

I made a similar one for my Smokey Joe mini wsm, may have to do that again

How much charcoal did the ring hold? Did you have some charcoal unburned?

Chad, I had a local fabricator make it for me. It's actually just a ring. It holds two large Weber chimneys full, less when you add wood chunks. IIRC, I had about one third of a full ring left.

 

[ChadRex]

Chad, I had a local fabricator make it for me. It's actually just a ring. It holds two large Weber chimneys full, less when you add wood chunks. IIRC, I had about one third of a full ring left.

Looks like a good set up with an 18" pizza pan.
the Weber Low & Slow kit seems a little pricey for just a charcoal ring and a diffuser plate.

I think I will make another expanded metal basket to fit in my 22" kettle. like the one picture below but maybe not as tall

 

[AndyK]

I kinda like the way you are heading with this.
I wonder if the cooking temp might need to be modified since you are so close to the heat?
I also wonder about warping.
Other than my pizza cooks (even then I’m not really on top of the coals) I don’t really ever cook over the heat other than to sear so I don’t have much knowledge as some on this.

Our local Walmart has true flat Lodge CI pizza discs or that are about 1/4” X 16 +/- “.
They are $40 and on my Christmas list.
I can’t wait to gig that a go .

 

[Colin]

Here is the YT video that I mentioned above.

The thing really works well. Honestly, I think after buying all the part in the vid and paying for the charcoal ring, I have as much in mine as Weber is asking for their original version. I would just buy the Weber.

 

[Darryl - swazies]

I think any method is going to give you results that you wouldn't be able to distinguish from the others.
However it was posted on here somewhere a year or so ago about the smoking process......might have been Lynn if I remember correctly.
Something about how far the protein can be from the fire and how fast the smoke can move across the protein.
I do not remember it exactly except for the fact that it was determined....I think.... that an offset would provide a better bbq than a closer setup like a performer with the weber smoke ring setup.
It could be found by searching but I cannot look right now......none of my smokes has the protein any farther away from the heat source than around 12 - 14 inches in the WSK.......this works for me, I also don't compete or anything like that.