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stir the coals

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kak
kak Posts: 3
edited August 2012 in EggHead Forum

Say, does anyone stir their coals before doing a direct cook to even out the fire.  I usually light in the middle of the pile and wouldn't you know it - it is always the hottest spot.  Would stirring even things out or do you find it doesn't really matter.

PS - I'm a new egger and glad to be here. 

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  • AleBrewer
    AleBrewer Posts: 555
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    I do sometimes. But I also light in a few places for a direct cook.
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  • BuckeyeBob
    BuckeyeBob Posts: 673
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    I try and stir them up using my ash tool for the same reason you mention.
    Clarendon Hills, IL
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,341
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    First-welcome to the cult.  Lots of people willing to help with any questions you may have.  Now, for hot&fast-I light in two places, around 3 and 9 o'clok looking down into the BGE.  Then let the lump get going and it becomes fairly even across the grid. 

    You will see that there are about as many ways to light the BGE as there are posters here.  Experiment and go with what works for you.

    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • dlk7
    dlk7 Posts: 1,053
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    Depends on how much I'm cooking.  I light enough places to cover the cooking area that I want to use, let it heat up for 10 to 12 minutes, stir a bit, and then put on the grate. 

    Two XL BGEs - So Happy!!!!

    Waunakee, WI

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  • kak
    kak Posts: 3
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    Right now I light at 3 and 9 also.  Let it burn for about 30 minutes, but it still seems to like to head to the center.  Maybe it is an air flow thing.

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  • JerkChicken
    JerkChicken Posts: 551
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    I don't stir. I try and take advantage of hotter spots and less hotter spots when I cook directly.
    LBGE, Weber OTG w/ Rotisserie, Weber Genesis S-330, Chargriller Duo, AR-15, AK-47
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  • Jscott
    Jscott Posts: 174
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    +1 to Buckeye Bob
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    like alebrewer says, light in more than one spot for a high heat direct cook.  no sense standing around waiting for the fire to spread.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • Hillbilly-Hightech
    Hillbilly-Hightech Posts: 966
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    I am in the "stirring" category - I want to spread the fire to as many places as I can, as quickly as I can, so that's why I do it. 
    Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup... Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. - Bruce Lee
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  • FanOfFanboys
    FanOfFanboys Posts: 2,615
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    I usually stir a little
    Boom
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  • SteveWPBFL
    SteveWPBFL Posts: 1,327
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    For direct I've had good luck lighting with a chimney and then spreading that around to get the Egg going evenly.
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  • Ragtop99
    Ragtop99 Posts: 1,570
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    If I need a lot of surface area and I'm searing, like when cooking 6 T-bone steaks, I'll stir them around to ensure all the steaks are exposed to glowing coals.  If it is a single spatched chicken being cooked raised direct, probably not since there won't be enough air flow to keep a big area glowing real hot.
    Cooking on an XL and Medium in Bethesda, MD.
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  • tazcrash
    tazcrash Posts: 1,852
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    Not that it's easy, but am I the only one who prefers my coals shaken? 

    Bx - > NJ ->TX!!! 
    All to get cheaper brisket! 
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  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
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    Not that it's easy, but am I the only one who prefers my coals shaken? 

    Like Earthquake shaken? Cause that would be bad.
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  • KYSEMINOLE
    KYSEMINOLE Posts: 2
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    Can someone help me. I have tried cooking a pork butt three times overnite and the fire goes out. Has plenty of fuel left. Last night I cleaned and loaded the Egg with hardwood and made sure was cooking well after four hours. Then went to bed at 1 am and reading 255 degrees. Has bottom damper open about 3/4 inch and top about 1/8. Sometime between 1am and 9 am fire went out with a lot of charcoal still available. I made sure all air holes clear before starting. I am close to giving up overnite cooking unless hopefully someone can help me out. Thanks
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  • Hillbilly-Hightech
    Hillbilly-Hightech Posts: 966
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    Can someone help me. I have tried cooking a pork butt three times overnite and the fire goes out. Has plenty of fuel left. Last night I cleaned and loaded the Egg with hardwood and made sure was cooking well after four hours. Then went to bed at 1 am and reading 255 degrees. Has bottom damper open about 3/4 inch and top about 1/8. Sometime between 1am and 9 am fire went out with a lot of charcoal still available. I made sure all air holes clear before starting. I am close to giving up overnite cooking unless hopefully someone can help me out. Thanks
    My 1st guess would be the little holes that are all around the perimeter of the fire box are filled w/ ash.  My 2nd guess would be the larger hole at the bottom of the fire box isn't lined up properly (this should be lined up w/ the bottom vent). 
    Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup... Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. - Bruce Lee
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  • Logger
    Logger Posts: 309
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    @KYSEMINOLE
    Take a look at part 1 here:

    http://www.nakedwhiz.com/elder.htm

    I've done several and only had one go out during the night before I found this link but, I started doing this and I think it works.

    OKC area  XL - Medium Eggs
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  • KYSEMINOLE
    KYSEMINOLE Posts: 2
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    Thanks, Logger !
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  • chuff
    chuff Posts: 255
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    Not that it's easy, but am I the only one who prefers my coals shaken? 

    Just you and James Bond. I hear he also prefers his coals shaken, not stirred.
    XL BGE
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  • Duganboy
    Duganboy Posts: 1,118
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    I always light in the middle and stir. After a few coals are burning I stir them in the rest of the lump and leave the lid open for a couple of minutes. 
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  • texbagger
    texbagger Posts: 90
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    I always light the middle, never stir.  Maybe my next direct cook I'll go with the 3 and 9 method and then stir.  Thanks for the different opinions, they're all good ideas.  I just love the egg.  Had it since fathers day and have cooked every weekend except one.  I still have yet to do steaks and pizza. Not at the same time! LOL
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  • ChokeOnSmoke
    ChokeOnSmoke Posts: 1,942
    edited August 2012
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    I stir & spread evenly on every cook.

    Packerland, Wisconsin

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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    I may stir it up before I light to knock any obstructions from the hi-Q grate.  I make a pyramid-ishy pile and light the top for lo-n-slows.  I'm burying my chips/lumps in the center like Stike so aptly illustrated.  Hot stuff, I light in a few spots and let it rip.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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