Slow N Sear


 
B

Bill W San Diego

TVWBB Super Fan
Have any of you folks used a Slow N Sear? If you have, what do you think of it? Seems to be well made of all SS and made in the USA. I would love to hear your opinions.

Thanks
Bill
 
Ive never used one but it looks like a step up from the smokenator. The naysayers will say you can achieve the same thing with some fire bricks. I think it's a cool product. If I didn't have a wsm or the smokenator I might get one. Keep in mind you can do some nice searing with it too.
 
Nate Frost said:
I like my SNS.
Click to expand...

Nate, how would you compare it to the WSM--performance wise? I know that you can fit more into an 18 or 22 WSM, but I normally don't do a lot of huge cooks. I have way too many grills for the size of my tiny yard and was considering selling my WSM and my Gasser.

If the SNS did as good (or almost as good) as the WSM, then I would strongly consider making that move.
 
I'm with you Mark, I have a WSM 22 that I stopped using because the startup and cleaning of the beast was getting to be to much. I'm no spring chicken any more and the 22 is a bit to heavy to remove the center section and put back. I can do it but more work than fun. If the SNS works as advertised I could use one in my Performer and or the 26.
Thanks
Bill
 
Bob Sample said:
They lost me when they said the moisture helped the smoke penatrate the meat.
Click to expand...

^^^Yeah Bob, I know what you mean! They are using a bit of hyperbole in the marketing info. However, a moist environment does help draw smoke to the surface of the meat, so I can kinda forgive their misuse of the terms.

For me, it comes down to this: does it help keep a steady temp over at least 6 hours? Does the end result come close to the WSM? If so, then I might be up for it!
 
Well it seems there are 3 choices, rely on the reviews, pull the trigger and buy one, or forget about it and chalk it up to just another gimmick. What to do What to do.

Bill
 
Bill W San Diego said:
Well it seems there are 3 choices, rely on the reviews, pull the trigger and buy one, or forget about it and chalk it up to just another gimmick. What to do What to do.

Bill
Click to expand...
Because of this thread, and mostly very good reviews, I've given thought of selling my now seldom used 18" WSM and getting one too Bill.
I would keep my 14" though.
The XL looks nice for the 26" but is a bit pricey and could only be used on the big guy.
If I do go this route, it will most likely be with the standard, original unit.
Good luck deciding!
 
Thanks Bob, my 22 is just getting to much for me to handle even though I have the lid hinge and wheels to help with moving around. I'm going to pull the trigger on the SNS Plus which I can use in both the Performer and the 26. Thanks all for your input.

Bill
 
Bill W San Diego said:
Have any of you folks used a Slow N Sear? If you have, what do you think of it? Seems to be well made of all SS and made in the USA. I would love to hear your opinions.

Thanks
Bill
Click to expand...

Hey Bill,

I've had my original version Slow 'N Sear for a few months, and I've put enough mileage on it that I'm comfortable saying that it's been a very reliable accessory for my old red SS Performer, giving me good predictable results on my various cooks. I've done only low & slow cooks on it so far (spareribs, pork butt, brisket, beef plate ribs), so while I can't comment from experience on its searing ability, I'd imagine it would be pretty good. Below is a set of photos showing my typical setup. To prevent small pieces of lump charcoal from prematurely falling into the ash can, I use two sets of charcoal grates in a criss-cross configuration (I haven't tried the Slow 'N Sear with briquets). The unlit charcoal and smoke wood are set up as shown in the 2nd and 3rd photos, with the lit coals being poured into the empty section. Since the fire is gradually progressing from one side to the other, sometimes there can be as much as a 30°F difference if you have temperature probes set at opposite sides of the grill as shown in the 4th photo (e.g. for a rack of spares). For meats that aren't as wide as spares (e.g. pork butt), the probe-to-probe temperature variation is less pronounced with the probes set up closer to one another). To help even out this temperature variability, I've found that adjusting the location of the kettle lid vents (as opposed to keeping the vents at the 3 o'clock location for the entire cook) can redirect the convection currents within the grill to facilitate more uniform cooking. Anyway, this has been my experience so far, and I'm still having fun tinkering with the Slow 'N Sear to optimize its performance. Hope this makes you feel more comfortable with your purchase.

 
Last edited:
Coming to the party a little late but I really like my Slow n Sear. It is very well made and sold as can be. I must confess I have not used it for slow cooking but that's not why I purchased it. I have used it a couple of times now for reverse searing steaks and it works like a charm. I add between 15-20 lit coals and a chunk or two of wood. Fill the water reservoir and when at approximately 225 degrees on the indirect side I add the steaks. When the internal temp of the meat reaches 100 degrees I remove them and add unlit charcoal to the fire. While the charcoal is igniting and the temp of the heat is coming up the steaks are resting off the grill. When the fire is ready I sear for 1-3 minutes until I like what I see and I have perfectly done, pink from edge to edge steaks. I am very happy with the SnS simply for this feature.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top