lighting fire for a long burn

Chuck

I was wondering, when lighting a fire for a long burn 20-22 hours
is it best to place a fire starter cube at the bottom ( on the ceramic grate) or on top of the lump? It seems to me it would be best to place the cube on the bottom as the fuel would burn down...that is
the lump would fall down the fire box wall and to the center where the fire was started. That way lump would be continuously fed to the fire. Maybe that is why the firebox is shaped the way it is. Have a good weekend all.

Mike Oelrich

chuck,[p] I have found the opposite to be true. Because the flames rise through the lump, I find that the fire burns upwards pretty fast making temperature control a bit more troublesome. However, the whole process is controlled by the amount of air flowing through in either case, so either will work. The real key for long cooks is making sure you stir up the lump really good to make sure there isn't any ash blocking the holes in the grate . . .[p]MikeO

Spin

chuck,[p]During a low and slow cook, the fire very slowly moves through the lump piece by piece through contact with the next piece. Starting the fire from the top ensures that good contact of the lump pieces exist as gravity tends to settle them together when poured in.[p]A low and slow cook is a very small fire that needs direct contact to available fuel to be able to move through the lump to survive. As the fire moves through the lump, some pieces will only be partially consumed, resulting in part of the surface of that piece being ashed over. If this piece collapses onto a smoldering piece, it may not light if the ash on the surface provides enough insulation to prevent the smoldering fire to be able to transfer to it.[p]The most important thing is to start the fire in the center of the lump as this provides the fire access to the most contact points for it to venture to during the cook. [p]It is most convienent to use a top started fire to provide an heavy early smoke to the cool meat.[p]Spin

Big Murth

chuck,
yes, stirring up your lump to ensure good airflow is important...and more easily accomplished by the well-justified removal, light cleaning, and loading with good fresh lump before you start your low and slow. Contrary to what TimM preaches, I like to clean out everything and make sure I'm putting lump larger than the holes on the bottom of the grate, to reduce the chance that there will be blockage of those bottom holes.
Given the expense in time, anticipation, and expected result, putting good pieces of lump in a clean firebox is a mandatory exercise. Finishing your brisket or Butt in a Kenmore oven for the last four hours due to a fuel failure, is a real drag. You want Eggstacy!!
Big Murth

Sundown

Big Murth,[p]I would agree with you. When I did my first PP I laid out the fire acording to Elder Ward's advice. Larger lumps on the bottom workng up to little pieces.
It works! I've cursed the time it takes but the effort has always been the same. Perfect pulled pork and LOTS of unburned leftover lump.
One time I just stirred things up and poured in the lump. Part way through the cook I had to stir the coals to get it going again. The results? Perfect Pulled pork. My take is Elder Ward has a method that makes sense why not do it that way? It's become part of my "Ritual of the Egg"...[p]Carey