Question for those that use a chimney starter

Hub

I really enjoy and appreciate the fellowship and wisdom found in these forums.  I've recently bought a few accessories to upgrade my overall BGE experience.  This includes a chimney starter and I've never used one before.  They seem to be easy to light, but I have questions about their specific application to the BGE.

If I am doing a relative short cook, such as pork chops or hamburgers, is the lump inside the chimney starter all that I am going to need? (I have a large BGE) And therefore will be dumping the lit lump into a near empty egg? Or should I be dumping the lit lump onto existing lump?

And what about low-n-slow cooks such as butts or briskets? Should I fully load the chimney starter with lump or only partially load it? I'm worried that a fully loaded chimney starter may start my cook temperature too high.  And am I usually ready to cook immediately after dumping the lit lump onto the cool lump, or will the infusion of the two cause some white smoke that will need a while to burn away?

As always, I'd really appreciate any advice with regard to the ins and outs of a chimney starter specifically with the egg.

Hub

SoCalTim

@Hub .. IMO, a chimney starter is not necessary with the BGE. Oh, some guys use them. I don't.

Sorry as I have no real info to add on your post, other than lighting one. My Boy Scout troop leader always lit his by using a sterno fire starter. Much much safer than using an oil soaked paper towel.

BYS1981

I use a chimney starter and if you combine chimney with new lump you will have to burn off VOCs, if you combine chimney with old lump the VOC burn off will be minimal. 

fishlessman

the bge is a chimney starter

FanOfFanboys

Yeah I'm in camp of not needed for a BGE. I use one on my Weber. Oil paper towel, starters, torch, looft lighter all better. I use torch. 

Lit

It's not needed but they work fine. A completely full chimney is probably enough for a cook like burgers/ dogs/ steak but for things like chicken or pork I would make sure there is more in the egg. Just fill your fire box and pour a chimney on it and you will be fine just let it burn for a couple minutes first. 

RRog17

I use the chimney for hot, fast cooks. 
For low and slows I will fill the Egg with lump and start small fire in the middle with a starter cube or oil soaked paper towel. 

Bulitt

Lit said:

It's not needed but they work fine. A completely full chimney is probably enough for a cook like burgers/ dogs/ steak but for things like chicken or pork I would make sure there is more in the egg. Just fill your fire box and pour a chimney on it and you will be fine just let it burn for a couple minutes first. 

This is what I do.  For long and slow, I use a fire starter with all new lump but for a hot fire for a pizza or burgers, etc I fill my chimney with new lump and dump it on the burnt lump in my kick ash basket.  

They work great to get a hot fire started quick.

HendersonTRKing

I used to use a chimney starter back in the dark ages, when I used briquettes on the Weber.

It's all about this nowadays.

Toxarch

I have a chimney starter I used on the old charcoal grill. Never used it on the BGE. I just light the coals in the BGE with a couple of rolled up lightly oiled napkins.

jeffwit

I use a chimney to start all my fires. I keep the fire box pretty full of charcoal, whether I'm doing a hot cook or a low and slow. If a hot, I fill the chimney up and let all the coals get good and going before I dump it out. If a low and slow, I don't fill it up all the way and dump it sooner. As stated, let the fire in either case mature for a bit so the nasty stuff burns off.

Might have to get a weed burner when my chimney rusts out again, though.

Dfoshee

I hate to sound dumb but what are VOC

JethroVA

@Dfoshee they are volatile organic compounds, smelly stuff.  Search this site for VOC.   Some think VOCs stand for very ornery curmudgeons which this site is full of including me. 

Chubbs

I use the KISS method. Keep it simple stupid. 

I stir lump, use a starter cube, teepee lump around flame, shut lid, vents wid open, check in 10 minutes, set vents to desired temp, prep food. Cook. 

I charcoal chimney is just one more thing I don't have room for 

mlamb01

I use the chimney that is built into the egg.  Add your lump, stir the old lump to remove ash, or a combo of both.  Leave the dome open, open the bottom vent, and insert/light a starter cube down there.  Just like a chimney, but you don't have to dump the coals, and the heat created during the process goes towards warming up your egg, not the environment.

When the starter has burned out in the bottom, close the dome and manage your vents to get your desired temp.

pinballLooking

I use the chimney start all my fires. I use my propane grill side burner to get it going fast. I can be up and cooking faster that my old grill I love it.

I use it like “jeffwit” described above.

Dfoshee

Thanks /JethroVA

xfire_ATX

I use the Chimney just Like @pinballLooking but before I went back to using the Gas Grill burner I was considered the electric lighters just shoved into lump.

I already owned the chimney, works easy enough but if I didnt have it I would use the Mapp/ Propane tank method or the Electric starter.

YukonRon

Dfoshee said:

I hate to sound dumb but what are VOC

VOC, is defined by the US government as a Volatile Organic Compound. Volatile organic compounds are made up of any chemical compound containing at least 1 element of the following; Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen and Nitrogen. The bill seems to be inconsistently written in the description, specifically in relation to organic chemistry. By this definition, water is a VOC.
This identification and classification is directly related to the clean air act of 1970. The process put in place attacks air pollution in two different methods; 1) controlling the amount of VOCs released in the air (typically solvent based, or by products of chemical reactions) and particulate contamination (heavy smoke emissions).
I suppose the VOCs referred to in here are likely talking about any accelerator used to start a fire, or chemical remaining in the fuel source when establishing the beginning burn of the fuel source.
VOC's when released deliver a tremendous amount of NOx. UV light breaks the bond between these elements, and is the major contributor for lower level ozone, creating the greenhouse gas effect, typically the yellow brown haze you will see over larger municipalities. Flying into Atlanta is an excellent example, or perhaps even more significant, Ontario Airport in the southern California, LA area. You will see it on approach, and in the case of Ontario, you can drive up the road towards the mountain located near by, and after gaining some elevation, drive right through the ceiling of the Ozone layer.
Lower Level Ozone is bad Ozone made up of O2 or O3. Upper level Ozone is what we try to protect.

Ragtop99

pinballLooking said:

I use the chimney start all my fires. I use my propane grill side burner to get it going fast. I can be up and cooking faster that my old grill I love it.

I use it like “jeffwit” described above.

I did this until my side burner started to crap out.  Put the new coals in the chimney and the egg is ready to cook as soon the coals are dumped.

Now I use the weed burner.  Very fast and it amuses guest. 

Tinyfish

I'm in the no chimney needed. Fire cube or torch is all you need.  As stated, the heat that the chimney generates would be used to heat soak the egg.

Zmokin

I use a chimney starter for non-BGE BBQ applications.  I think of my BGE as one big chimney starter so to speak.

Mikee

I like using a chimney starter. A couple of sheet of (free) paper is all that is needed. I can use fresh lump or toss in some existing lump with new lump. Either way I have a bunch of red hot charcoal that has burned off VOC's. The chimney starter will get the charcoal glowing red in 5-10 minutes. I do not light it until I am essentially ready to cook. Place the paper in the bottom, add lump, open the dome, remove the cooking grid, place the chimney starter on top of the remaining lump, light the paper, make sure the bottom vent is open and the top cap removed, close the dome as much as possible, finish any food prep that is needed, go back out 5-10 minutes later and dump the lump, and put the cooking grid back on or put the platesetter in. High temp cooking is ready shortly after that. Low n Slow, adjust the bottom vent and add the daisy wheel to dial in the desired temperature.

I would not recommend a chimney starter for someone cooking on a wooden deck. An unnoticed piece of lump may fall out and become a major issue.

YukonRon

My Beautiful Wife uses a chimney to start the fires on our BGEs. She is feminine and delicate, only drinks white wine, and grills girly stuff. 
I use manly lighters to start a fire.
I ain't sayin'', just sayin'. Actually, I ask my beautiful wife for permission to use the chimney.

Steve753

I use a chimney to light my Weber and Old Smokey, but not the BGE. For the Egg, I use a Weber starter cube in the middle of the lump. It works every time, and is inexpensive.