Celebrate the start of summer and enjoy those long weekends grilling on a Big Green Egg! How about something new … try the Dos Equis “Most Interesting” Three Cheese and Chorizo Fondue, or a Gourmet Pizza with Prosciutto & Arugula for a different grilling experience! For all you traditionalists, you can’t top Stuffed Burgers cooked on the Big Green Egg! And be sure to catch up with the KCBS Great American BBQ Tour!
Since I got my great syringe system from a great egger, I light them all the same way in a 10 inch diameter circle all the way around. Before that I lit in three places 12, 8 and 4 o'clock.
I used to use the electric starter, but I have since decided that charcoal chimney's rock.
For L&S, I dump half a chimney on the middle of the charcoal bed (where I have reserved a depression to accommodate). For hotter cooks, I dump a whole chimney in and rake it around with the ash tool to distribute.
Regardless of which Egg I'm lighting - Large, Small or Mini - or anything else about the cook, I always cut a starter square into three pieces and position them at 2:00, 6:00 and 10:00. Less to think about that way and it always works fine.
I am by no means an expert but I have been using an electric starter and lighting the middle and raking the lump around once it is lit. It seems to work fine is there an advantage to lighting multiple spots from the start?
I used to just light in the middle, but on some low and slow cooks, I had vertical burns and the fire went out with plenty of lump remaining. Since I started lighting in multiple spots, this hasn't happened. I also find that the Egg heats up faster for high temp cooks if I light in multiple places. This is more apparent on my small than large for some reason.
I light in the middle no matter what or how I am cooking. I build a fire like a boyscout with a piece of a starter cube and layer pieces of lump on it. I will try to build a bigger fire if I am doing a high temp cook, and sometimes I will use multiple pieces of firestarter.
Once the fire is burning in that spot I use the ash tool to stir the coals around. If low and slow, PS or stone on and set my vents. If high temp I close the dome and let her rip!
For low and slow and smoking I do 1 in the middle. That's it. For searing steak and other hot ones I do 2. Mine tends to have a spot that don't burn as quick when I start it in the middle so to get a more even fire when I get to 500-600F I light one in that spot and on the other side. Works great.
I don't think there is really a right or wrong way. Whatever works for you and your EGG>
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Doug
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0 · Off Topic Disagree Agree LikeFor L&S, I dump half a chimney on the middle of the charcoal bed (where I have reserved a depression to accommodate). For hotter cooks, I dump a whole chimney in and rake it around with the ash tool to distribute.
Don
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0 · Off Topic Disagree Agree LikeFor searing or straight up grilling I light 1 in the middle, then 3 around the sides.
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0 · Off Topic Disagree Agree LikeIt depends on which egg and what I am using to light the lump with and how hot of a cook.
If I want a hot cook I light the lump about 3/4 to 1 inch under the surface all rest I light at surface level.
Oil/napkin - 2 spots
MAPP - 3 spots
Starter cubes - 2 cubes cut in half - 4 spots
alcohol - on the large & medium, 2 spots, small and mini 1 spot
Flame Thrower (weed burner) it doesn't matter it's done in 30 to 45 seconds and the whole bed is lit.
GG
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0 · Off Topic Disagree Agree LikeOnce the fire is burning in that spot I use the ash tool to stir the coals around. If low and slow, PS or stone on and set my vents. If high temp I close the dome and let her rip!
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0 · Off Topic Disagree Agree LikeSan Jose, CA
The Duke of Loney
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0 · Off Topic Disagree Agree LikeI don't think there is really a right or wrong way. Whatever works for you and your EGG>
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depends
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0 · Off Topic Disagree Agree LikeOccassionally the WB in the middle.
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