The snake method is one of the smartest ways to run low and slow in a regular kettle grill. Instead of lighting a big pile of briquettes, you build a long “snake” around the edge of the grill and light just one end. The coals then slowly work their way along and can keep the grill going for many hours.
It’s perfect when you want to make, say, pulled pork, ribs, or other longer BBQ cooks without having to keep refueling the whole time.
What Is the Snake Method?
The principle is simple: you stack briquettes in a long arc along the outer edge of the charcoal grate. Only a few briquettes at one end are lit to start with. As they burn, they light the next briquettes in the row, and so it continues around the grill.
That gives you three big advantages:
- a long, even burn time
- a lower, more controlled temperature
- lower briquette consumption than lighting everything at once
How I Build My Snake
- Lay the briquettes along the edge of the kettle grill in an even arc.
- Feel free to build two briquettes side by side and a layer on top if you want a bit more heat and a longer burn.
- Leave a clear gap between the start and end so the snake doesn’t accidentally light from both directions.
- Place a drip pan or water pan in the middle if you want to catch fat and help stabilize the temperature.
Exactly how long a snake you need depends on the grill, the briquettes, outdoor temperature, wind, and what temperature you’re aiming for. For a shorter rib cook you don’t need to build it as long as for a full day of pulled pork.
How to Light the Snake Method
Light just a small amount of briquettes in a chimney starter — enough for a controlled start, not a full load. Place the glowing briquettes at the beginning of the snake.
Then let the grill come up to temperature slowly. For low and slow I usually aim for somewhere around 230–266°F depending on what I’m cooking and how the grill behaves.
For more on temperature zones and indirect grilling, read our guide to grilling methods.
Where Should the Smoking Wood Go?
The great thing about the snake method is that you can control when the food gets smoke.
Place chunks or smaller pieces of smoking wood on top of or right next to the first parts of the snake. As the coals move forward, the wood gradually lights, so fresh smoke keeps arriving in stages instead of all at once at the start.
I don’t usually place smoking wood along the whole snake. It’s often plenty to let the food get smoke during the early part of the cook. That way you avoid the smoke flavor getting too heavy.
Which wood type to choose depends on the ingredient. Our updated guide to smoking wood covers oak, hickory, apple, cherry, alder, and other wood types.
Should You Use a Water Pan?
It’s not an absolute requirement, but I like to use a foil pan in the middle of the grill. It does two things:
- catches fat and juices so the grill stays cleaner
- can be filled with hot water and help smooth out temperature spikes
The water pan doesn’t make the food “juicy” by itself, but it can make temperature control a little calmer and more forgiving.
Vents — How to Control the Temperature
Here’s an important update compared to old advice: you shouldn’t just leave all the vents wide open and hope for the best.
Start with the vents fairly open so the fire gets going well with clean combustion. As the grill approaches your target temperature, mainly close down the bottom vent gradually, until the temperature stabilizes.
The top vent should normally stay well open so the smoke can escape the grill. I’d rather control the fire with intake air than trap stale smoke inside.
How Long Does the Snake Method Last?
There’s no exact time to give, since it depends on:
- how many briquettes you use
- how tightly they’re packed
- the size of the grill
- wind and outdoor temperature
- how much air you let in
A well-built snake can keep a kettle grill running for many hours at a fairly stable temperature. That’s exactly why the method is so good for ribs, pork shoulder, and other longer cooks.
Common Mistakes
- Too many starter briquettes: the grill’s temperature spikes immediately.
- Too little air: you get dirty, heavy smoke instead of clean combustion.
- Smoking wood along the whole snake: the food can get oversmoked.
- Too short a snake: the fuel runs out before the meat is done.
- Too much fiddling: opening the lid constantly kills your stability.
The Snake Method for Ribs
Ribs are perfect for this method. Build a reasonably long snake, keep the grill around low and slow temperature, and place the smoking wood early in the chain. That gives you even heat without having to babysit the briquettes the whole time.
The Snake Method for Pulled Pork
For pulled pork you need a longer burn time. Build a longer snake and make sure you have enough fuel from the start. As the meat approaches the end of the cook, tenderness matters more than hitting an exact clock time.
If you want to combine the technique with the right internal temperatures, see our guide to internal temperature for meat.
Quick Guide
- Build an even briquette snake along the outer edge.
- Light only one end.
- Place smoking wood early in the snake.
- Keep the food on the indirect side.
- Control temperature with airflow.
- Open the lid as little as possible.
- Plan the snake’s length around how long the cook should run.
The great thing about the snake method is that it turns a regular kettle grill into a genuinely capable low and slow machine. Once you’ve learned how your particular grill reacts to the number of briquettes and vent settings, it’s one of the simplest methods for long BBQ cooks without special equipment.