Snake method for low and slow ribs

Yes, the snake method on a Weber kettle is the ideal setup for ribs.

Here’s why it works: you arrange unlit charcoal briquettes in a line around the perimeter of the grill (usually two briquettes wide, two deep, so a “snake” that goes maybe ¾ around the grate). Light one end. As it burns, it crawls along the snake like a fuse. It stays around 225–250°F for 6–8 hours with almost no fiddling.

Place a drip pan full of water inside the ring of coals (under the grate where the ribs will go). The water steadies the temp and catches drips so you don’t get flare-ups. Toss a few wood chunks on top of the snake near the lit end—apple or hickory, whatever you like. Keep the bottom vent about ¼ open, top vent fully open, and you’re set.

The snake gives you more consistent heat than the two-zone minion method because the lit coals don’t just pile and run hot. It’s forgiving, burns clean, and you can walk away for hours.

Future you will thank yourself when you’re drinking a beer instead of wrestling with vents.