Building a good fire

montyzuma

I'm new to cooking with charcoal and have questions on starting and building a good fire. Example - In reading the Mad Max Turkey recipe, Mad Max says:

"I got a good established fire going at 325 degrees. I let it burn for about 45 minutes prior to putting the turkey in."

What does that mean exactly? Let it burn with the lid up and let the coals really get going before closing the lid and locking in a temp? Or, got a few coals going, closed the lid, locked in 325 degrees and then let it burn for some time before inserting the plate setter and bird?

I am having trouble figuring out the right timing to getting the fire going. Thanks everyone!

Albs

It is much easier to bring the Egg up to temperature, rather than trying to bring it down. I think what Mad Max was saying is that he got his Egg to temp and then let it burn at that temp for 45 min. Not sure what that does, but he usually knows what he's taling about...

Braumiester

I lite with a electric starter for 10 minutes then close up and bring UP to the desired temp,then I let burn for 10-20 minutes. If you let it get to hot at the start it will take a long time to cool down.

montyzuma

appreciate your response! happy thanksgiving!

montyzuma

thanks for your response! Appreciate the help! Happy Thanksgiving!

jeffinsgf

As others have said, coming down is hard. The ideas behind holding a stable temperature for a period of time are 1)To burn off VOCs (nasty smells), 2)To equalize and stabilize the temperature of the Egg and the paraphernalia, and 3)To add some drama to the whole scene. :woohoo:

Actually, that last one is completely off base. Getting the fire ready well in advance will decrease drama, not increase it.

However, with all that said, I'm going to blend the Alton Brown and Mad Max methods tomorrow. I'm going to put the bird in with the temp at 500, and close the vents down to normal 350 position about 10 minutes in. Should contribute to good skin color and texture.

Capt Frank

Check out my reply to your earlier post

BigA

what it means to get a good fire going is to light the lump, and when you close the lid keep it closed until your temp has been reached for 45, you can open the lid to check on things if you think it isnt coming up fast enough or it is coming up to fast. but the point is to get a good fire going, jsut as if you were going to make a camp fire, you want a good fire not one that will last 20 min and go out.
you want to burn it that long too, to make suer the bad smoke is cleared out of the egg. you dont want that taste in your meat or whatever you are cooking.

Grandpas Grub

There is no reason to put the bird in at 500° for color. As you know, trying to bring the hot ceramics down will take a good amount of time.

That's a risky call for a newer egger or a first time turkey cook.

GG

montyzuma

I would be real interested to see how that method comes out. Used a similar tactic on a prime rib and did quite well...of course, prime rid and turkey are two different animals...

Little Steven

Jeff,

I do that all the time. If you get too much browning towards the end you can always tent with foil.

Steve

jeffinsgf

Alton Brown calls for 500 for 30 minutes in the oven. I'm calculating that the ramp down from 500 to 350 will take 20 to 30 minutes, even at 40, the overall temp-time will be the same or less than 500 for 30 in an electric hot-box.

WessB

However you are also assuming this person with 6 posts understands what "closing the vents down to a normal 350 position" means..which in reality doesnt mean anything concrete..top here bottom there..bottom here top there..hope you get the jist of my point...as she would say...you started out good..but you fizzled in the end.. :laugh:

jeffinsgf

But, you see, I didn't tell him to do it that way. I said that I was going to do it that way.