Fire starting for long cook times

Pig Picker

What is the absolute, 100 percent, fool proof, no fail procedure for lighting the coals to maximumize low and slow cook times ...[p]or at least a "really good" method ;-)[p]Here what I would normally do:[p]1. Stir my old lump to remove most of the ash.
2. Clean out the fallen ash.
3. Use an electric starter to get a small amount of lump going.
4. Put in the rest of the lump and get it fairly level.[p]Will my method work? Does it need tweaking? Whats your favorite way to start up the lump for an 18 hour pork -a- thon.[p]thanx
PP

Nature Boy

Pig Picker,
My favorite way is to fill the firebox full. Dig a shallow hole in the center, and drop a small lit chunk of firestarter in, then lay a few pieces of charcoal over it without smothering. Leave top open until firestarter is extinguished, and small group of coals is burning. Close lid with cap off, and close bottom vent to 1/8 inch or so. When dome temp reaches 180, I plunge some wood chunks into the core fire, put on the grub, and then the daisy.[p]Whatever works best for you is the best way though![p]cheers!
NB

Mike Oelrich

Pig Picker,[p] Only thing I'd add to what you and NatureBoy already wrote is that I always leave some ash in the bottom of the BGE (under the firebox grate). It really helps to insulate the bottom . . .[p]MikeO

Pig Picker

Nature Boy,[p]I wonder if I could position by electric starter to do the same thing. Or maybe put the starter in the middle of lump while I fill it up. I'll have to play around with it.[p]Thanks for the input
PP

Pig Picker

MikeO,[p]Now that I did not know. Very interesting. I normally clean all the excess ash out before I start but insulating the bottom does sound like a good idea.[p]thanx
PP

JimE

Pig Picker,
I always fill my firebox full and use my electric lighter to start it only on one side. The fire always works itself slowly across the rest of the lump. Never had a problem using this method, and the lump seems to last longer this way.

Tim M

Pig Picker,[p]I think you're missing the idea, you want the fire to start from the top and burn down. You want to get it going from the middle or below and pour lump in on it. No, just fill it and toss in a fire cube or sawdust log chunk on the top. The dome is closed and vents wide open until the starter is burnt out and the temps are coming to 200 deg or less. Start by closing the bottom vent to about 1" open and daisy top 1/2 closed. Now adjust from there as temps require.[p]Tim