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charcoal lighting procedure

 I have a friend that has a different way to light up his egg. he fills the basket, opens the lid and vents all the way. Lets it burn until all of the coals are burning and bright red. He then shuts it down, closes the vents and when the temp reduces to what he wants, he opens the top and bottom vents to matintain that temp. Just wondering if anyone else does it that way.

Comments

  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,597
    Probably uses cowboy lump.
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,170
    Haven't heard of that here but if it works for him, that's what counts. 
    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.
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,727
     I have a friend that has a different way to light up his egg. he fills the basket, opens the lid and vents all the way. Lets it burn until all of the coals are burning and bright red. He then shuts it down, closes the vents and when the temp reduces to what he wants, he opens the top and bottom vents to matintain that temp. Just wondering if anyone else does it that way.
    With that MO, he must usually take 2 days to cook anything. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
  • Jstroke
    Jstroke Posts: 2,600
    He must buy lump by the pallet. But in all fairness, there may be a reason. He is avoiding the dreaded nasty smoke associated with (usually) less expensive lump by burning off the VOC’s first and then waiting to get down to temp. Simple, buy better lump. Or fire up wide open until the smoke clears and shut her back down. But that doesn’t mean the whole bed will be cherry red.
    Columbus, Ohio--A Gasser filled with Matchlight and an Ugly Drum.
  • It must take forever to get the egg back to correct cooking temps. He's doing it exactly backward. I hope he's not using lighter fluid, as well!
    Happily egging on my original large BGE since 1996... now the owner of 5 eggs. Call me crazy, everyone else does!
     
    3 Large, 1 Small, 1 well-used Mini
  • 6baluts
    6baluts Posts: 270
    @skywarrior
    By chance is he a rotor-head or a shoe?
  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    Different smokes for different folks.....
  • briwald
    briwald Posts: 103
    Yeah, agree that method must mean starting the grill at noon to cook at 6:00.  Unless I was firing pizzas, I can't see this way being efficient.  But hey, live and let live. Or burn and let burn.
    Maitland, FL
    XL BGE since 2019

  • Shutting down for a cool then reopening vents slightly at first to manage is one way to handle reverse sear for example. Just need to be careful about opening too quickly for backdraft. 

    One of the people who told me about the egg about 20 years ago— for single proteins like chicken and steaks would cook with the bottom vent closed and the lid open for the sear then close it only for finish.  Have fun be safe. 
  • EGGjlmh
    EGGjlmh Posts: 816
    I like to light in just one spot and let the egg slowly come up to temp and choke down the vents as it slowly comes up to temp

    1MBGE 2006, 1LBGE 2010, 1 Mini Max, Fathers Day 2015

  • flexfusion
    flexfusion Posts: 240
    What lump charcoal brands have the least VOC's? I know there are several that are terrible for VOC's. 
    Auburn, Alabama
  • Dobie
    Dobie Posts: 3,354
    What lump charcoal brands have the least VOC's? I know there are several that are terrible for VOC's. 
    Find Rockwood
    Jacksonville FL
  • Langner91
    Langner91 Posts: 2,120
    The lowest VOC charcoal is used charcoal.

    I love to fill my egg with new charcoal and light it.  Let it get rip-roaring hot, and then put it out.

    The second time you light it, it burns very clean!

    Obviously, that takes a lot of planning.  So, I use Rockwood.  I think it clears fastest.
    Clinton, Iowa
  • flexfusion
    flexfusion Posts: 240
    I think your assessment of Rockwood is spot on.  I have burnt many different makes but Rockwood always seems to burn the cleanest.  Some of the brands out of Mexico are fifty dirty with VOC.  I've had to thrown some protein cooks away because of the meat smells so much of the VOC chemical.  
    Auburn, Alabama
  • Grill Gun is my go to for lighting now.  I have used a mapp gas torch for years but the grill gun even tops that.  I can get the egg to 350 in about 2 minutes.  


    Southeast Louisiana
    3 Larges, Rockin W Smokers Gravity Fed Unit, KBQ, Shirley Fabrication 24 x 36, Teppanyaki Stainless Griddle