Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

lighting charcoal

Options
golffer
golffer Posts: 144
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
As a relatively new egger (5 months) I have struggled with lighting charcoal and stabilizing temps and the lenght of time required. Ahla. I should have purchased a weed torch ($29.95 at Harbor Freight) 5 months ago. First use I cooked ABTs, salmon, seared and then cooked steaks running the temps to 400, then to 650 then down to 400, all in a matter of minutes. Egg worked beautifully and really impressed guests as if I knew what I was doing. Really no cool spots or slow changes.
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • OttawaEgg
    OttawaEgg Posts: 283
    Options
    Another newbie here... I think I have the temp stabilizing pretty much nailed now.

    As for lighting, I'm still using the lighting sticks that came with my egg. Two other methods I'm curious about - the "stack", and I saw somewhere about soaking a paper towel in veg. oil and using that.

    A question though, once lit - I leave the egg open until it gets going, then shut it and commence temp. stabilization (closing the lower draft first) - I hope that's right.

    In other news, still on my bag of BGE charcoal (came with it) - cleaned out my egg yesterday, and found a rock the size of a golfball. :S

    Cheers,
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • gtalvola
    gtalvola Posts: 42
    Options
    My lighting method: Remove the daisy wheel and open the bottom vent completely. Use a measuring cup to pour about 2 oz of 91% rubbing alcohol in a 6-8 inch circle in the middle of the charcoal. Then throw a handful of dry charcoal on top of the wet charcoal. Use a barbecue lighter to reach down into the pile and light the wet charcoal. Close the egg lid. The temperature will shoot up to 600-700 for a minute and then will drop back down to 200 or less, and then will start rising again as the fire spreads. Once you're near your target temperature, put the daisy wheel back on and adjust the vents as you desire. You can also stir around the charcoal to spread out the hot coals if you want.

    The only time I had trouble with this technique was with Wicked Good Charcoal which is great stuff but harder to light than most. With Royal Oak, Cowboy, and Basques charcoal it's always worked great.

    There is a good video on YouTube about lighting the egg with rubbing alcohol. I don't do it quite the same way as described in the video but that's where I got the idea.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SWOkla-Jerry
    SWOkla-Jerry Posts: 640
    Options
    I use 1 shot glass full or 1oz of 91% alcohol in center of a full chimney starter. After it gets going good (about 10 mins), I dump this in with fresh or used lump and start adjusting my vents then.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BananaChipz
    BananaChipz Posts: 207
    Options
    I first used the starter cubes.. Found them to be a complete pain in the ass..

    Picked up one of those Electric starters, and it works great. You don't get that initial flame, acrid smoke, or temp spike that you do with the starters.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Chappy
    Chappy Posts: 198
    Options
    I bought the looftlighter a couple months ago. I love it! It will heat up the egg very quickly and you don't have to worry about gas. You just need to plug it in to a standard socket.

    If you are interested, look on youtube. There are some videos there.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories