Picnic Meets Snake

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Picnic Meets Snake

Postby Professor Bunky » Wed May 02, 2018 12:52 pm

So, we were in the local supermarket the other day and saw they had Pork Picnic on sale for $0.69/lb. We couldn't pass that up and selected a nice one that weighed in at 7.3 lbs and only cost $5!

I've been interested in trying the Snake (or Fuse) method on my 22.5" Weber Kettle and here was the perfect opportunity. We orginally planned to smoke it for 5 or 6 hours 7 then finish it up with the "Long Island Crutch" (otherwise known as a Crock Pot). However, our plans changed mid-stream.

The night before we prepped the Picnic by scoring the fat cap and coating it with mustard. Then we used "My Tail Ends" as the rub (a mix of all the tail ends we had of other rubs):
Image

Then yesterday, we got up at the crack of dawn & I set up the Weber with a snake I expeced to run for only 6 hours. I used Kingsford Blue briquettes with a few of their Hickory Briquettes and a few chunks of Apple Wood and chips of Cherry Wood (I didn't have an Cherry chunks). The snake was 2 briq wide and 2 briq high. The Drip pan was filled with water:
Image

I started a dozen briquettes in the chimney and by 7:30AM I could add them to the send of the snake to get the cook going. After a bit of fussing with the vents, it took about a half hour before the grill temp at the grate was over 225. So I fnally put the meat on the grill around 8:00AM. After a couple more vent adjustments over the next hour, it was smooth sailing. I was averaging around 250 degrees at the grate, give-or-take 25 degrees. Pretty close to "set it and forget it." I didn't have to play with the vents for another 5-1/2 hours (6-1/2 hrs into the smoke).

After a total of 7-1/2 hours, the snake started to give up the ghost and I dropped below 225 degrees. So I finally opened the lid and saw that the snake was exhausted but the bone wasn't loose enough. Also, the internal meat temp was only 175 degrees and I was shooting for 195:
Image

So, wanting to finish iot on the Weber, I went for a modified Minion approach and twice added small batches of cold & hot coal. After a total of 11 hours it reached 190 degrees internal and I figured that was good enough:
Image

I brought it in and let it rest a while:
Image

Then it was tearing and pulling time:
Image

The meat was tasty and very tender, although a bit dry. But that's what sauces are for, right? :D

Lessons learned:
Try hot water in the drip pan next time, to speed up intiial heating.
Build a longer snake than I think I'll need (I can always salvage unburnt briqs).
The Snake works great for me in the Weber Kettle. Next I have to try it in my ECB.

Now, there's a pulled pork sandwich in my future.
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Re: Picnic Meets Snake

Postby OldUsedParts » Wed May 02, 2018 1:22 pm

Enjoyed that Venture and it looks great to me - - - :tup: :salut:
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Re: Picnic Meets Snake

Postby Professor Bunky » Wed May 02, 2018 1:35 pm

Thanks, OUP.

I'll also report when I try it on the ECB.
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Re: Picnic Meets Snake

Postby Sailor Kenshin » Wed May 02, 2018 1:39 pm

The picnic finished late, but I managed to hurt myself on it anyway. :laughing7:
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Re: Picnic Meets Snake

Postby Rambo » Wed May 02, 2018 1:39 pm

Always an Adventure; good job
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Re: Picnic Meets Snake

Postby bsooner75 » Wed May 02, 2018 2:45 pm

Looks good PB!

I think you got a plan next time around. Hot water and a longer snake should do the trick.


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Re: Picnic Meets Snake

Postby daBertl » Wed May 02, 2018 2:54 pm

Looks super, but if i can tell u something, do not use a snake. Try it in a bowl with putting inside one pack of brikettes and just put about 10 burning brikettes on top of them. Only on one side of the bowl.

This will burn for at least 15 hours and u will have less work :?
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Re: Picnic Meets Snake

Postby rms827 » Wed May 02, 2018 4:31 pm

Looked great to me also. :cheers: :chef:

If it was a little dry to you, maybe not cross hatch cutting the meat would help keep more moisture in? There are folk here that would know better than me, but my understanding is that only needs to be done with tougher pieces of meat. Looks like the snake method worked out great though. I may have to give the Rec Tec a rest and try it in my own Weber sometime soon. :D
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Re: Picnic Meets Snake

Postby Professor Bunky » Wed May 02, 2018 7:00 pm

Thanks Everyone!
:salut:
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Re: Picnic Meets Snake

Postby Russ » Wed May 02, 2018 8:34 pm

Magnifico

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Re: Picnic Meets Snake

Postby woodenvisions » Wed May 02, 2018 9:44 pm

Looks awesome !
I'm a fan of the scoring but you might have ( might ) have gone a bit too deep.
I've dug too deep myself, it's way too easy to do.
As for the coals, may I suggest you try using some good lump if it's allowed in that type of cooker ?
There's a learning curve to lump, but I've found it burns not only hotter, but longer. I've had a 12 hr burn at 230/245 with just a single chimney full. Just a thought :)
Plus, if u don't use it all, u just extinguish the fire and relight in next go round.
Picnics can definitely be somewhat dry so don't give up, u'll get what you want with the next one :)
I LOVE the char you got right here.
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Re: Picnic Meets Snake

Postby Sailor Kenshin » Fri May 04, 2018 6:34 am

woodenvisions wrote:Looks awesome !
I'm a fan of the scoring but you might have ( might ) have gone a bit too deep.
I've dug too deep myself, it's way too easy to do.
As for the coals, may I suggest you try using some good lump if it's allowed in that type of cooker ?
There's a learning curve to lump, but I've found it burns not only hotter, but longer. I've had a 12 hr burn at 230/245 with just a single chimney full. Just a thought :)
Plus, if u don't use it all, u just extinguish the fire and relight in next go round.
Picnics can definitely be somewhat dry so don't give up, u'll get what you want with the next one :)
I LOVE the char you got right here.


Yyeahhhh...the scoring was my fault. Skin was so tough I maybe leaned on it a little bit. :laughing7:

Thanks! The taste was hurt-yourself good.
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Re: Picnic Meets Snake

Postby castironchris » Fri May 04, 2018 12:09 pm

looks good to me!
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Re: Picnic Meets Snake

Postby bobcat1 » Fri May 04, 2018 12:28 pm

That looks awesome! :cheers:
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Re: Picnic Meets Snake

Postby Txdragon » Thu May 10, 2018 8:23 pm

Beautifully cooked pig! I've been meaning to try out the snake. Maybe soon!
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