New to this forum

[cough2]

Howdy all, I am a newbie smoker, but accomplished cook so I am hoping the learning curve is not too steep.

I live in lower Manhattan and am blessed with outdoor space! The space is currently overrun with grills! My husband calls it "my grill problem". In the current rotation is the Akorn and a Napoleon gas grill.

I'm getting used to my Akorn and have had great outcomes, but trouble forming a fire that will sustain a long smoke.

With a brisket 2 weeks ago, the fire died after 15 hrs and today with a butt it had to be rebuilt after 6!

What wisdom do you all have about building a good steady fire?

I'm using lump and Weber starter cubes with wood chunks, but when running low and slow the fire dies or I spend the night running back and forth adjusting dampers.

Is there a special way to build up the lump in order for them to all catch? Or, am I too impatient and not letting the fire get started enough?

Thanks,

Cough2

 

[mike5051]

Welcome to the forum!  I use the "minion method"  with my Weber Smokey Mountain.  I know that there is also a "snake method" What's your method?  

Mike

 

[cough2]

I make a pile of charcoal and wedge a few chunks of wood in, find a place for the wax cube and light it. I then get impatient and nudge things a bit before assuming that the fire is ready and put on the smoking stone and shut the lid. All of this is to, tongue in cheek, say that I don't have a method.

Is minion where you dump a chimney of lit coals on top of unlit ones?

Don't know about snake method.
Can you explain that for me?

Thanks.

 

[mike5051]

I start with a pile of charcoal, 7-8 lbs, stick some wood chunks in there 4-5, hollow out a space in the center and dump 15-20 fully lit briquettes in the hole.  I leave my top vent wide open and adjust the lower vents to set my desired temp, 225-250.  

"Jim Minion to The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board. The concept behind the "Minion Method" is simple: Place a small number of hot coals on top of a full charcoal chamber of unlit briquettes. Use the bottom vents to control the amount of air entering the cooker, to keep the fire burning low and steady.Feb 10, 2016"

I've never used the "snake" but you lay out unlit charcoal in a snake like pattern and put some lit coals on one end.  The burning coals should slowly snake around to the other end.

Mike

 

[cough2]

Thanks, I see that the minion method is probably the way to go.

Last night's pp was fab with the finishing sauce on website. Muchos gracias!

Clarissa

 

[submariner]

Welcome to the Forum. 

 

[cough2]

Thanks, I'm learning so much!

 

[tzukowski]

Among the urban canyons, you would think there should be no problem getting drafts to fan the fires...

Welcome!

 

[cough2]

If I were on a rooftop, but I am in the ground floor at the bottom of a canyon! May have to rig up a blower of some kind

 

[tzukowski]

Hah! That is a challenge.

Then, you might be interested in this thread from a new guy with some interesting concepts in the UK.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/263612/my-reverse-flow-vert-keg#post_1714130

Could help with the draft situation...

 

[cough2]

Just checked out the thread a little too engineer-y for me may go with box fan near lower vent to beef up fire

 

[tzukowski]

Sometimes, simple just works!

Enjoy the results of your effort.

 

[cough2]

Just didn't some reading and found a PID Temp controller and blower from auberins which I ordered and will be doing a homer dance until it comes.

Thanks for all the advice.