The Minion Method Explained w/ Tutorial

[luvdatritip]

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/fireup2.html#minion

Great source here and some variations to the Minnion method

 

[schaydu]

I have been experiencing a lot of difficulties with my fire during my smokes, so i looked for different fire methods. The minion method seems to be very popular. I have an offset and i dont have charcoal basket. I did see on the tutorial where it mentioned hollowing out an inch or so. Should an old coffee can be used to make it concave? And had anybody else tired this and an offset without a basket? And does anybody have any pics of this. Thanks in advance

 

[jirodriguez]

Usually the problem you run into on a side fire box without a basket is that if you build the fire in the bottom of your box there is no place for the ash to fall. So as the ash builds up it starts to choke out the coals. If you have a brinkman or char-griller get the shaker basket from Lowe's.

 

[schmoke]

This is an excellent suggestion. I just did my first smoke since modding my Char-Griller, and what a difference it made. The shaker basket fits perfectly and held the temp to a constant 200 - 225 for 4 hours with only adding more wood chunks for smoke. BTW, I used the Minion Method.

 

[schaydu]

Thanks i didnt know that the ash would choke the fire out. I guess i need commission by welder friend to make one for me.

 

[schaydu]

I have a 20in longhorn smoker. My welder buddy is going to build a charcoal basket for me. What dimensions would be appropriate for a smoker that size?

 

[camper4lyfe]

I tweaked my minion method yesterday with my Char-Griller Duo. Typically, I'd stack the unlit on the food side of the fire box, and then dump the lit on the opposite end of the charcoal box. This lead to me having to fight to keep the temps DOWN.

Yesterday, due to the suggestions of others on various forums, I switched it, putting the lit charcoal on the food side of the fire box, and the unlit on the opposite side.

This helped a LOT. My temps fluctuated between 200 and 250 as opposed to the 300+ spikes I had been getting with my previous method.

All I need to do next is to learn to be more patient, and wait for the coals in the chimney to die down and ash over more before dumping them onto the unlit coals.

 

[raybones]

Thanks for posting this great info. I have recently started using this method and it works like a charm every time! It takes a lot of the work out of smoking so you can relax and have a brew

 

[toekneemac]

When the temp reaches 275 – 300 degrees, begin closing the air intake

Is that the temp in the fire box or the smoking chamber?  If it is, how do you take the temp inside the fire box?  Thanks

 

[jrod62]

in the smoker

 

[toekneemac]

in the smoker

Great.  Once I hit that temp in my smoker, the minion method stops and all the charcoal are lit or close to it.  I may as well light all the charcoal at once.  I was hoping you would say the firebox, that way I thought I had a chance of making the minion method work.  Now, I'm not so sure.

 

[straatshootr]

i finally got my minion to work today!!  WOOHOOO!!  i luv these forums:)

 

[shoneyboy]

 

[straatshootr]

well, i got it to burn,. but when i put it in the smoker in the coffee can, then took out the coffee can, let it burn,.  this is my cheap little ecb...an hour later it was barely 212?  it never did get up to half way in the ideal section.  the charcoal pan looked like it didnt have as much charcoal in it though it had looked full to start with.   my ribs were cooking though.  after the first hour i started another chimney of charcoal and put it in there.  then the temp went too high like over 300.  the ribs were done in about 3 hours or less. i let them get to over 200 i think.    so i'm not sure that i had a big enough fire to start if i'd had a big fat round piece of meat on there instead of the ribs.

 

[tony maulorico]

Great tutorial, very informative. Thanks,

 

[craigroller]

When you are cooking at the right temp, do you want to see no, smoke some smoke, or a lot of smoke. On one of the web sites for a smoker it says no smoke when you are cooking. I am new to smoking and this info will help. Also what is a good temp gauge.

 

[craigroller]

When you are cooking at the right temp, do you want to see no, smoke some smoke, or a lot of smoke. On one of the web sites for a smoker it says no smoke when you are cooking. I am new to smoking and this info will help. Also what is a good temp gauge.

 

[craigroller]

What is a shaker basket ?

 

[jirodriguez]

What is a shaker basket ?

They sell them at Lowe's and Home Depot in the BBQ supplies. They are also called grill baskets, they are usually approx. 10" L x 8" W x 5" D (give or take an inch or so in each direction). Some are made of heavy wire and others are made of metal with holes punched in it.

Basically it is a metal/wire basket that you can turn into a charcoal basket so you can use the minion method.

 

[craigroller]

what is a shaker basket ?