While I don't have a SnS, for years I did plenty of low & slow indirect cooks on a Weber with charcoal held off to one side (same basic idea as a Slow n Sear).
Of course there are different takes on this, but here's mine:
I never liked adding unlit regular charcoal briquettes to a cook already going on because regular briquettes have binders and clay that don't burn cleanly until they are completely lit (ashed over). I just don't like the flavor it gives. This is also why I never cared for the Minion method.
For long cooks, I always preferred to light another partial chimney and add it after it was completely lit and ashed over. You can cover the food with foil to keep ash off while doing this. Put the lid back on and adjust the vents for temperature accordingly.
Again, I am talking about REGULAR charcoal briquettes here. If you're using lump or competition briquettes, which don't have the binders, then that's a completely different story. They burn much cleaner.
At any rate, that's my 2¢...
Have always wondered about that myself, however when using the SnS you start with a dozen lit briquettes and fill it up with unlit briquettes so its actually pretty much the same thing, so far i have noticed a problem.
I guess if i catch it and see I need to add fuel and have some time (I frequently catch it when my temps start to plummet and its already late) I will just light a half chimney or so and then dump in the SnS
Right, Dave. If you're using the minion method, which I understand some do not like, but if you are using that method, I've never seen, nor understood, the problem with adding more unlit briquettes. You're just extending the method. This is at least 75% of the reason for using a SnS in the first place ! ! !
I haven't done a brisket on my 26er, but I've done plenty of butts and chuckies. Like Sparky, I just scrape all of the lit coals to one side and fill up the other end. And like The Smoke, I just use the One Tough system, as needed, to knock down the ash buildup.
If you feel that you're getting an aftertaste, and I'm not discounting those that do, from KBB, then use lump or a more expensive briquette. I haven't had any complaints, so I just stocked up over Labor Day.
BD