Lighting egg--dome open or closed?

Aron · October 2002

Just wondering how the more seasoned egg-lighting veterans light their egg. After blasting my lump with mapp in the center and 2 other random places, I generally close the lid (keeping both vents fully open, of course). The flame goes out, but the wood remains red and smoking until the fire catches and I can start grilling in about 20 minutes (or do a low and slow in 15). I once read about people leaving the dome open for a few minutes (perhaps to feed even more oxygen to the fire) before closing it and letting the egg heat up. Is this a more effective way to start the egg?
Also--for you mapp users, how do you know when it's time to stop torching the lump? Generally, the progression I go through is: Lump turns red (1-2 seconds), lump begins to spark and pop (20 seconds or so), lump begins to flame. Once it begins to flame, I stop with the gas, and as I said earlier, the flame goes out. Should I use the torch a little longer and the flame will stay, or is it supposed to go out and restart on its own like I've been doing?
Thanks.
--Aron

Tim M · October 2002

Aron,[p]The only reason to leave the dome open would be if you were using one of those sawdust starters that need the slow moving air or the flame goes out. Once you get the lump burning and the starter flame has gone out from lack of fuel in the starter, then close the dome to get the air flow moving through the fire and off it will go. With the dome open you don't get good air flow through the fire. [p]I use a Webber cube under the grate for hot fires and it doesn't need the dome open at all.[p]Tim

Steve-O · October 2002

Tim,
Do you set the Webber cube on the floor of the ash chamber, or do you set it up on something? The space between the charcoal grate and the floor of the ash chamber on a large BGE seems awfull far for a cube to give a good start to the charcoal.

The Naked Whiz · October 2002

Steve-O,
I place them in the bottom under the grate. Weber cubes burn with a pretty big flame and when you have a draft going, it gets even bigger.
TNW

Bordello · October 2002

Aron,
We have eggers in both camps, whatever you find that works for you is the way to go. I always light from the top,propane or mapp gas, sometimes starter cubes. When using gas, I wait for the lump to glow but not flame, bottom vent wide open. I leave the dome open for about 10 min. or so keeping an eye on it. If it should flame, I close the dome, wait for the temp. gauge to start rising and adjust from there.
Hope that helps.
Good Luck,
New Bob

Unknown · October 2002

Aron, and responders,[p]I'm surprised that no one mentions electic starting. Am I missing something, and behind the times (which has happened before)? True, my electric starter doesn't produce wildly blazing charcoal in 15 minutes, but with a beer, gin-and-tonic, or whatever, in hand, and other food-prep to do, that's not been a problem.

Unknown · October 2002

Aron,
I got my egg about a month ago and have been using the Webber cubes. I place one cube in the center and cover it up with few large chunks of lump charcoal with enough opening to get the lighter to the cube. I leave the bottom open and take the top completley off. It heats up to 750 in 15 min. With the top on but wide open it tops out at 500.

Lighting egg--dome open or closed?

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