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Charcoal arrangement and moving it around?

blakeas
blakeas Posts: 244
in EggHead Forum
For cooking indirect for awhile and then the last bit cooking direct, Once I get the charcoal started should I just move around the coals?  what is the best strategy?  don't want to wait forever for all the coals to light either.
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Comments

  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,989
    My brother I will gladly try to help. But I'm not exactly sure what you are trying to ask. If you will be a tad more specific I will gladly take a shot at it for you my friend.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,974
    you don't typically have to do anything. light a little lump, put in your accessories, like plate setter and grate and drip pan or whatever, and stabilize the egg at the temp you want.  do your indirect cook.  then carefully pull off the placesetter and replace the grid.  if you want a really hot finish (like a reverse sear steak) just open the egg and the bottom vents and let 'er rip.  if it's a 400 degree finish, perhaps like chicken wings, close the egg and open the vents a little and let it come up.  you should be able to get the egg from 250-300 to 650 within 5-10 minutes.  you should not have to move the coals.

     like SGH says - what temps do you want to cook at?  what are you trying to cook?
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
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  • Fred19Flintstone
    Fred19Flintstone Posts: 8,174
    I do this when reverse searing steaks. I cook indirect with a plate setter in until my steak hits 115 IT then I remove them. I pull the plate setter and install a spider from CGS and a cast iron grid. I open the vents a bit to boost the egg's temp while heating up the grid. I finish the steak searing it over direct heat.

    I have an XL which has the space to bank the coals on one side creating direct and indirect zones. That's an old weber kettle technique and the reason I bought the XL. I don't think that works on a smaller egg.
    Flint, Michigan
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  • BYS1981
    BYS1981 Posts: 2,533
    I put an soaked paper towel below a chimney starter full of lump, let it get lit, and pour in the egg. KISS.
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  • BBQJIM
    BBQJIM Posts: 106
    Seems to me that the plate setter is your indirect heat devise and moving your coals around defeats one of the beautiful efficiencies of  the BGE which is even temperature distribution. Just my humble opinion.  BBQJIM
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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,528
    Start the lump on the top near the front. You only need a few pieces lit. The fire will follow the air down, just the opposite of a starter chimney. Drop in your set up and let it stabilize. I put my CI grid under the setter, when the setter is removed to complete the reverse sear, the CI is smoking hot already. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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