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lighting the egg

Pigmeister
Pigmeister Posts: 1
edited November -0001 in EggHead Forum
I am a new egghead tho i have been BBQing for decades. I got my egg(XL) right before labor and it does live up to all the hype. Cooked a 10.5 lb brisket and 1 rack or ribs for 12 hrs at 250. fantastic! wanted to talk about lighting the egg. i have tried using a chimney with a couple of lumps to get er started but the best way seems to be to crinkle a piece of newspaper up and put it in the center of the egg. then mound the lumps around it and with all vents wide open light er up. works wonderful as the whole egg is one giant chimney.
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Comments

  • smoky b
    smoky b Posts: 648
    Pigm, I think you just threw a ping pong ball into a room full of mousetraps! :woohoo:
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  • PhilsGrill
    PhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
    I use the electic starter. Just put in in for about 5 mins and pull it out. Ready to go in another 10 mins or so.
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  • bitslammer
    bitslammer Posts: 818
    Plenty of methods to get the lump going. If this works for you then you're set.
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  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
    Smoky B,

    LMAO :lol: :silly: :lol: :silly:
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Boy does THAT analogy hit the thumb on the nail. hahaha
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  • Green Eggs and Spam
    Green Eggs and Spam Posts: 29
    I have been using 91% Isopropl Alchol from Walgreens they are 2/$3.00 for a 16ounce bottle. I use one ounce in a plastic syringe. Directly on the biggest chunks of lump. I then I put the smaller lump on top. Let it sit for 30 seconds and then (be carefull very flamable)ignite with extended butane lighter. The fire burns blue and clean.
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  • Sooner Egg
    Sooner Egg Posts: 578
    stick with what works for you :) I personally have tried the paper towel and oil thing, little wax cube starters and most recently purchased a MAPP torch, the MAPP torch has worked best for me so it is with that method that I will continue to use
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  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
    Great Handle Pigmeister, welcome aboard.
    Like you I had been grilling and cooking Barbecue for many years prior to the egg. There are so many different ways not only to light your fire but everything else Egg related.
    Good Luck and Happy Egging!
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 34,583
    works for me, i would light the newspaper up with my weedburner though ;)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • crghc98
    crghc98 Posts: 1,006
    I'm a mapp guy, though if I wasn't afraid of burning something I probably would've gone with a weed burner...
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 34,583
    now the mapp is the one that scares me, ive had to torch heads burn up and tossed quickly into the lake :laugh: my weed burner is getting old, still works well but should probably replaced for safety
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Posts: 319
    My personal findings...

    Chimney - Have to put it somewhere safe to light with the paper flying around, then you've got 10 minutes into it and only a small amount of lump burning. Takes another 15 to 20 minutes to be ready to cook with new lump.


    Green Gel fire starter- Works pretty good, a little messy, and always drips down somewhere you don't want it. It's OK.

    Electric Starter- Never used one, but it seems simple if you've got a plug in handy.

    Mapp Gas- Works great, but you've pretty much got to stand there and start three or four places good before shutting it down. Can't really walk away during starting process. Good standby if you're out of other methods.

    Starter packs/ cubes/ sticks- My personal favorite! Neat, clean, simple. Light, drop it in and walk away. No odor, taste, or ashes floating around lighting your roof or deck on fire! Easy to store and the most convenient for me. When you run out of them, grab the Mapp Gas torch!

    A weed burner would be great... propane is faily economic, and a weed burner is in many yard sheds already. Not as convenient as the light and drop method, but pretty good.

    Neat to hear about everyones preferences though! Good reading. Cheers!
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  • JB
    JB Posts: 510
    I use one of these... :ohmy:

    flamethrower.jpg
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  • smoky b
    smoky b Posts: 648
    That should be plenty for a mini :):)
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  • reelgem
    reelgem Posts: 4,256
    LOL! That's exactly what I need. Where can I purchase one? :laugh:
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  • reelgem
    reelgem Posts: 4,256
    Pigmeister, I've tried everything but a weed burner. That's just crazy. I didn't like the paper towel and oil, or the electric starter. I've ruined numerous shirts and burned my face from sparks flying out using a MAPP torch. I use Grove lump which is rated fairly high. My go to is the starter cubes I light 2 of them and the fire is good to go in 10 min. I guess it comes down to what works best for you.
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  • Buxwheat
    Buxwheat Posts: 727
    A while back someone mentioned using these little lighter packs that contain parafin. They come wrapped in a foil and are water proof (good for camping). I bought a pack at Lowe's and really liked them. Tried using one at first, but then determined two got the fire going the best in the shortest time. Trouble with them is price, especially compared to MAPP gas (I used only two tanks of MAPP for four years of egging). I think I paid about $2.50 for 8 of them. I have since found them at HD in a larger pack, but about the same price per packet. After burning a few holes in shirts using MAPP, I've just about decided that these packets are the best lighting technique for me. I also like the ability to light them and leave them rather than holding the torch to the coals. Not to mention I love using kitchen matches: stike anywhere type. The brand I have is by Char-Broil called Sure 2 Burn.
    Someone else posted a mail order source for these that made the price pretty cheap. Anyone remember who this was and where they ordered them?
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  • civil eggineer
    civil eggineer Posts: 1,547
    Use salvaged lump from the previous burn and you won't get the sparking while lighting. ;)
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  • Green Eggs and Spam
    Green Eggs and Spam Posts: 29
    Does anyone else like to use 91% Isopropyl Alcohol?
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  • SWOkla-Jerry
    SWOkla-Jerry Posts: 640
    I use that alcohol all the time. Load up my chimney starter, put on grid of egg with vents open, 1oz shot glass of alcohol, pour over lump in chimeny, wait 20 seconds and lite with bic fireplace starter. Whomp!!! Its going good in 15 mins, pour over new or old lump in bottom of my egg and I'm adjusting vents for the cook I'm doing. Add chunk of smoking wood, plate setter or adjustable rigs, pizza stone and Im ready for indirect cook.
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  • Green Eggs and Spam
    Green Eggs and Spam Posts: 29
    That's what I am talking about... I love the blue flames :laugh:
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  • SWOkla-Jerry
    SWOkla-Jerry Posts: 640
    I've been using this method for over a year. Have eggsperimented with other methods, including paper towel and oil, electric starter and parafin that was given to me when I first purchased my egg. Paper towel and oil would be my next method of preference if I had no alcohol.
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  • SmokeOrFire
    SmokeOrFire Posts: 49
    This is my favorite way (since the early 90s):

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBLr_XrooLs

    Seriously? I've tried all the sane methods: torch, starter cubes, electric, oil and cardboard. Torch pops too much; cubes are expensive; electric is a pain (pulling the extension cord then rolling it up); oil and cardboard burns too fast/furious to move the lump around it.

    Best of both worlds -- starter cubes for cheap. I used to have a fireplace and have a surplus of duraflame type wax logs. I break off pieces around the size of starter cubes and store in a ziplock. Put one or two on the cast iron grate and light them with the torch then push the charcoal around them. I'm sure light and drop would work too but the torch more fun. This gets hundreds of lights per log.
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