Lighting the lump

tigeregghead · May 2010

Cooked steak on the BGE Saturday night and they turned out great. My question is how much do my fellow eggers load up the pit with lump to get it hot enough? And also where do you put the fire starters? On the bottom, middle or top of the heap.
I'm needing some eggucation from my forum friends,
Steve

BigA · May 2010

depends on the cook for how much to put in, usually for a fast cook like steaks, you wont need a lot, lets say up to the air holes in the firebox, a lot of people load theirs up, i do sometimes pending on the weather, it has been damp and cool here and it seems the lump absorbs the humidity, then it wont light as quick nor will it burn as hot.... i put the fire starters in the middle, if i dont use a torch to light the fire :cheer:

Mark0525 · May 2010

get a mapp torch. I love mine. Much faster. You'll never go back to starter cubes.

grillandbrew · May 2010

If I am cooking hot and direct for steaks I usually just fill to the top of the fire ring. I usually place the starter in the near the top in the center of the coals and then put some coals over it after I light it.

When I first started I was much more worried about amounts and placement but have learned that it is more about the amount of air I let in and out than placement and amount. Just my opinion though I know others on here have better information for you.

tigeregghead · May 2010

Thanks Matt, I believe I'm in the starter situation you were in.
Steve

tigeregghead · May 2010

Mark, it's ironic that you mentioned that. I purchased a torch last Monday and used it on Saturday in my steak cook. I was a little disappointed that the lump didn't light as quick as I had hoped. I then just pointed it at the starter pieces, and it was going in about 10-15 minutes. Was I just not holding my mouth right?
Thanks for the reply,
Steve

Sooner Egg · May 2010

love my MAPP torch too

Mark0525 · May 2010

From the advice on here I hold it for about 10 to 15 seconds on each spot. I usually do it on 3 spots and after a few minutes it's going pretty well

grillandbrew · May 2010

We have all been there - luckily I had a group of Eggheads around that I could learn from and one of them finally told me to relax, have a beer, and realize that even if you don't get it perfect the results are usually better than on any other grill and eventually you get a feel for it that works for you. Can't tell you I took that to heart right away but over time (and after more beers than I should count)

I realized he was right.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker · May 2010

i lightly drizzle a couple paper napkins or sheet of paper towel with oil (cooking oil, even olive oil if it's handy), twist them quickly into loose wicks, and light both ends. toss them on the lump and bridge with other pieces. other than a weedburner, i haven't found anything faster, and i have tried them all.

with fresh lump and lots of air, you can be at 650+ in 15 minutes or so.

Ripnem · May 2010

SS,

I sure tried the heck out of that method on vacation last winter and about lost my mind. I think mostly cause I was cooking on a smoky joe and some real dense lump from Hawaii.

I'm a propane torch guy and if I let any of them go 15 minutes, I'm at 800+/- typically

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker · May 2010

super dense stuff can be tricky. agreed. i use RO and cowboy. for WGC, i use the weedburner (which i just brought back to my father's house so he could burn off the driveway weeds...)

but i have used a propane torch, and you need to point it (or mapp) at one spot for about a minute, move to another spot, then another spot... i about lost my mind just standing there. hahaha

i dunno. i say do what works for you. and if it works for you...

FWIW most folks who try the paper/oil thing think that if a little oil is good, a lot must be better. there have been folks dunking them, soaking them, etc. that does nothing.

less is more. just a few drizzles so the paper becomes translucent.

i felt a little vindication watching alton start his chimney starter the other night with paper and a spritz of oil...

RRP · May 2010

I've been a convert to your method for a couple months now - I saved the veggie oil from various fish fries and keep a small working supply in a plastic squirt bottle. You're right - at first my towels would be dripping - but I've learned to go light.

Unknown · May 2010

I was sceptical as well but I'll hand it to you, it works just fine. I couldn't stomach using EVOO just as a policy - I used some cheap peanut oil that was rotting in the back of my cupboard. No more egg lighting chunks for me.

For fun, I may get a jar full of isopropyl and soak 2 inch spikes of lump in it and see how those work. Fun if nothing else.

Bacchus · May 2010

I like cubes, and I too have done it all. I have a weedburner but never use it. Cubes are $10 for a box of 144ea and can be cut in half. I drop in a lit cube and leave dome up for about five minutes, good to go.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker · May 2010

yep, just a little will do it...

someone who used to post here a while ago (i forget his name/handle) gave me the idea. i tried it when i forgot my starter cubes while off on a camping trip (well, at a cabin).

even if i use olive oil (and not necessarily extra virgin), it's still cheaper than starter cubes. and i never run out

Chefbw · May 2010

I like using the green egg electric lighter. plug it in
about 5 minutes & lump should be lit.

Unknown · May 2010

Just did the canola oil on a paper towel trick to cook up some burgers. Super easy, totally works. Free from cubes. Thanks Jeff.

Hoss · May 2010

Used frying oil and a paper towel.Never run out and CHEAP!

TheDirtyBurger · May 2010

I am a huge fan of the weber cubs. I break them in half and sometimes even more. I will dig a little ditch and light the cube piece and throw it in the ditch. I will then build on the ditch with lump. Boy scout style. I get dirty as hell but I very rarely have problems with my fire.

Oh dome open if I am out there and dome closed if I run in. Daisy off and bottom vent wide open too
tim

Bacchus · May 2010

I had two Old El Paso taco shells flame up in my toaster oven last night. The flame they produced was unbelievable. I may give them a try at lighting lump soon.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker · May 2010

ever see a flaming poptart? i mean, an actual toaster pastry, not a guy dancing in a bar.

they flame as quickly as vincent price when stumbling into a men's locker room shower

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