What's your favourite method for lighting charcoal? Maybe I am just impatient but the paraffin blocks, electric coil and torch all seem to have drawbacks as to getting an even start. Looking at a chimney starter but not sure about putting a bunch of hot coals in an unheated fire ring. Thanks for your feed back.
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LGBE- Pit's by Klose Trailer -Stumps XL Stretch - Custom Santa Maria- FatStack Smoker FS120 coming soon FatStack 500- Blackstone 36 Blackstone 22 - Custom Cold Smoke House and a lonely Brinkman Vertical Smoker
Camped out in the (757/948/804)
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XLBGE, LBGE
Fernandina Beach, FL
First of all, the fire ring will break eventually. Secondly, here’s a little secret about broken fire rings: they still work.
"I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
For worries about sparks and such from propane torches, you're holding it way too close. Hold a weed burner back about a foot. Hitting charcoal with a 3000F+ flame is what causes a sparkler show. It only takes 670F to get it lit, so how the flame back, let it get wider and you can light a larger surface area with less threat of getting injured. Always wear eye protection!!
1. Pour whisky
2. Insert electric starter - take a sip
3. Plug in electric starter - take a sip
4. Drink whisky and watch my timer count down from 8 minutes.
5. Unplug electric starter - take last sip
6. Pour more whisky
...
I think the problem is that my glass is too small, not that my electric starter is slow...
I get it if you want a minimal amount of smoke flavor in something (like baking a pie, smoking cheese, etc). Or if you are using a way underkilned charcoal or something made from a South American stink wood.....yeah, not a bad idea to burn them off. But if you're using a good US-made charcoal, it's going to be primarily oak & hickory carbonized to at least 75-80% (or hopefully 85%). The smoke flavor for any remaining VOC's is going to be very mellow, indiscernible between species, definitely not anything worse or different than the same smoking woods being added. So, I don't wait, soon as it's to the desired temp, I'm cooking.
And the whole premise of binchotan is to be able to cook inside without smoke, and not introduce too much of a wood flavor into a very expensive and delicate protein. For 99.9% of what the average American home chef cooks on the BBQ, a little bit of smoke is not a bad thing.
Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.
Status- Standing by.
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XL. Woo Adjustable Rig Combo. Flame Boss 300.
My advice, light the egg, prep your food, relax and talk to those you're cooking for, adjust the temp, cook and enjoy. There is enough in this life that is fast.
I know a lot of nothing, but there is much more to life than fast. Have fun and enjoy.
LBGE, 36" Blackstone, bad liver & a broken heart
Three Rivers, MI