Which method and when?

[PDC7]

Gents, when should I choose the snake or minion method? Is each better for a different cook? Does each have pro's and cons? I'm basically saying what so you use? I've a 57cm weber kettle

[RobinC]

The challenge with a kettle is keeping the temperature low, steady and with a long burn time. Out of the two methods I would favour snake in a kettle, my opinion is that it is better method for keeping the number of lit coals under control in a kettle. It's also very economical. Finished your cook, just break the snake so that it doesn't burn any more fuel. Minion also works but I've found it requires more fussing with the kettle to keep the temp down.

[ConorD]

As with Robin, snake in a kettle if you want a low/slow and long burn as minion just requires too many coals to start (or is ridiculously fiddly to get 3/4 coals into the centre of a big load.

[derekmiller]

I use a snake for the kettle and minion for the bullet.

[PDC7]

Thanks guys, I was looking toward the snake method for my low and slow, I've some cheap lump wood I'm thinking of mixing up with heat beads (lump in two row and heat beads on top) just to use it up and I'm going to try my first smoke next weekend