Building fire with wood and lump charcoal

[Docuwave]

I've been using a big Green egg for years and years. But I'm still not sure how to best build a fire using smoking wood and lump charcoal, i.e. how to arrange in fire box. Also when using a fire monitor I.e. BBQ Guru, is it better to use the guru from first starting the fire and let itwood bring heat up OR let the heat build to more than the required temp and let the guru bring the temp back down?

 

[noboundaries]

I don't have a BGE but I've attempted to help three friends who owed either a BGE or a Kamado type. I'll let the BGE owners address how to build your fire (I can help if no one jumps in), but do NOT think a Guru can correct an overheated fire, especially in an insulated smoker where a fast fire can reach 500-600F or higher. Build your heat slowly to a point near your desired chamber temp, then the Guru and your vent settings can work their control magic.

 

[jcam222]

Are you using a fan connected to your Guru? If so I suppose it would bring it down eventually by choking off the O2 when it senses over heat. Makes more sense to me though to just use it from the start. Relative to the wood and charcoal I just place a couple or 3 lumps mixed in with the lump. I usually place it off to the sides away from where I have my lighter loop light the lump.

 

[Docuwave]

I don't have a BGE but I've attempted to help three friends who owed either a BGE or a Kamado type. I'll let the BGE owners address how to build your fire (I can help if no one jumps in), but do NOT think a Guru can correct an overheated fire, especially in an insulated smoker where a fast fire can reach 500-600F or higher. Build your heat slowly to a point near your desired chamber temp, then the Guru and your vent settings can work their control magic.

Thanks for your response. It affirms info from others.

 

[Docuwave]

Are you using a fan connected to your Guru? If so I suppose it would bring it down eventually by choking off the O2 when it senses over heat. Makes more sense to me though to just use it from the start. Relative to the wood and charcoal I just place a couple or 3 lumps mixed in with the lump. I usually place it off to the sides away from where I have my lighter loop light the lump.

Thanks! I assume you mean the wood is mixed with the lumps, then light the charcoal.

 

[jcam222]

Thanks! I assume you mean the wood is mixed with the lumps, then light the charcoal.

Yes but I keep it around the outer edges away from where my electric loop lights the lump charcoal in the middle. So yes mixed in but away from the initial hot spot.

 

[Docuwave]

Yes but I keep it around the outer edges away from where my electric loop lights the lump charcoal in the middle. So yes mixed in but away from the initial hot spot.

Thanks, JCAM, I appreciate you taking the time to respond.