The best way to make build a charcoal fire.

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nickbailey

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Apr 29, 2006
91
10
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada
I have a 1ft by 1ft (roughly) fire box. Currently i' using the pyramid method for building th charcoal (building a pyramid, and then only igniting the top layer of charcoal so it burns down). I can get about a temp of 240F Avg. with it. Anybody know a god way of making your fire hotter? (I try to get the heat to bounce aroudn between 220 and 300 as I usually cook Ribs and a beer can chicken in the same chamber.)
 
Nick, What kind of smoker are you using? You may want to try the Minion Method.
 
Jim Minion, who is a member on this board, developed a method for long unattended cooking using a Weber Bullet smoker buy loading it up with unlit charcoal and adding only a small amount of lit on top. Temperatures are maintained and controlled by adjusting the vents.

Detailed instructions are here: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/fireup2.html

This works best on an air-tight smoker. Most smokers work fine but a rig that leaks air could allow too much oxygen to the fire and temperatures could rise out of control.
 
Interestng. Thats real no too far off from the pyramid I do.
+ = Lit Coals
- = Unlit Coals


.........+++
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Esentially the lit coals burn downwards. I can get the heat to about 250f average. It may just be that my firebox is alittle small. Not sure.
 
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