VOC and fire starting

Randy

I have a message a little lower down about a cook that got hotter that I am accustomed to. The responses made me wonder about something. When you start a fire we get this terrible voc smoke. I just leave the egg lid open while the vocs burn off. This last cook I might have let it go too long and ended up having a fire that was hotter that I would have liked. So how do you folks start a fire to the point of getting thru the voc burn off and not let the fire get away from you temp wise? Do you start the fire and close the lid with the vents barely open and let the vocs burn off?
I'm very interested in your responses - thanks - randy

Unknown

Randy,[p]What temperature are you aiming for?[p]What brand of lump are you using?[p]What method are you using to start your fire?

HolySmokes

Randy,
I start a fire (with gas), close the lid and the
vents to the extent that it will come up to the
temperature I'm looking for, and wait it out.
HS.

Randy

HH,
I'm aiming for around 250 dome. I'm using bge lump. I'm starting the fire with some fire starting bricks that I got at wally world, use about 1/2 brick each time to start a fire.
What do you thinking?
Randy

Unknown

Randy,[p]I've found that starting the coals with a chimney starter burns off the VOC smoke very effiently. Then you can dump it in a BGE that has both the intake and exhaust barely open and monitor the temp and adjust as necessary. Also if you are planning on doing a cook over an extensive amount of time, place the largest pieces of lump you find to the top of the firebox and do a high temp cook the day before and let all the coals get a white layer of ash over them. That way you've burnt off most of the VOC smoke for the next low and slow cook

Flashback Bob

Randy,
Here's one more way-
I'm a newbie but I've learned a few things. In short, I let the fire burn for about 30 min before I cook. the first minute or so after I light it the dome is open but other than that it's closed the whole time. Once the smoke is burning clear (if you're not adding wood for smoke) or bluish- you're ok.[p]I start my fire with the BGE firestarter blocks. With my jacknife I slice one in half and stand up one on each side of center. I build up a pile around each with one or two larger pieces of lump and keep a long piece on the side that I can put over the top once the starter cube is burning. If I need a hot fire, I'll start with twice as much- spacing the four halves equally around the center.[p]I leave the top open for a short time, only to make sure the starter fire is going good (maybe 1 min. maybe 2- I never payed attention.) and I close the dome. I leave the bottom vent and the chimney wide open until the temp goes over 300, then I close the vents to the desired setting. Some of this heat is coming from the firestarter so the temp will stop climbing or begin to drop after the starter is all burned up. [p]Usually cooks that I'm doing at lower temperatures are indirect. So after the fire's been going for awhile (maybe 10 min) I'll put in the plate setter- this will contribute to lowering the temp and I've found makes it easier to control temps at lower temperatures.[p]My wife and one of my kids do not like smoke and that VOC smoke is the worst! My first cook ever I think the starter cubes may have still been burning when I started to cook. Didn't taste so hot.

BasementDwellingGeek

Flashback Bob,
"My first cook ever I think the starter cubes may have still been burning when I started to cook. Didn't taste so hot. "[p]It takes a real MAN to admit something like that. My hat is off to you![p]rb