Is the Weber chimney TOO efficient?


 
M

Mickey M

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Has anyone else noticed that by the time the top coals in a Weber chimney have a light dusting of gray ash, the coals on the bottom are at least half shot, maybe more?

Is there any way to overcome this?
 
Yes and that makes me dump the too early sometimes....I wonder if two lighter cubes would help?


Lighter fluid, anyone? :eek: sorry, I actually like the smell of lighter fluid. It brings back memories of the rare occasion we might have grilled food.
 
JRPfeff said:
Why are you trying to light the top coals in your chimney?
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JRP,

I'm talking about preparing for searing and then grilling steaks or cooking hamburgers etc. here, not low and slow smoking.

I understand if I were smoking, not having the top coals ignited would be good. But that's not what I'm asking about.
 
Mickey M said:
JRP,

I'm talking about preparing for searing and then grilling steaks or cooking hamburgers etc. here, not low and slow smoking.

I understand if I were smoking, not having the top coals ignited would be good. But that's not what I'm asking about.
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Mickey,

So am I.

Start the chimney until your starter cube burns out and the burning coals are sustainable. Dump the coals and let them get hot after spreading them in the kettle. Then start cooking when they are hot enough.

Try it this way next time. Your coals will be as hot as you need them in very little time after dumping.

Jim
 
Sometimes I decided to use 2 chimneys.
When the first is well igniTed in the bottom, I Overthrow the briqs in the second chimneys. So, the upper briqs become the lowest and went ignited in a moment
 
I've always let the coals run in the chimney until the top ones have a light dusting of gray ash, and not one time have I ever had to add coals to a cook.
Most of the time I run my Performer at 350 and it's held this temp for well over 3 hours. I'm not sure what I'd be grilling that has to cook longer than that.
Now on my 18 OTG I use the smaller chimney and even with that I've cooked up over 100 poppers without adding any more coals.
The Smokey Joe is mainly for hot and quick cooks, so no problem there.
Lastly the 18.5 Bullet runs until I shut it down at around 250, so no adding there either.
So I just never thought about it. One thing I do when I dump the coals is try to do an even dump. I'll go back and forth between baskets to get the heat even.
 
Once the chimney is stoking good I give it a shake or two (don't do this with bare feet :) ) to stir the coals a little and then dump, if there are unlit briquettes they end up on the bottom of the dump and within in a couple minutes you are ready to go. If I want a hotter burn I add lump after the dump and give that about 10 minutes to really get going. I do this method when wanting a good sear on steaks. I found the lump will provide a hotter fire.
 
I just let it burn till there is about two layers unburned and then dump and spread evenly. the heat is enough then and you will not notice the unburned ones. besides, they will light up rather quickly.
 
I use 3 cubes when lighting a large amount of briquettes. Placed at 12 o'clock - 4 o'clock - 8 o'clock. Wait until the flames are dancing out the top then pour them in. I've had no issues doing it this way.
 
TonyUK said:
I use 3 cubes when lighting a large amount of briquettes. Placed at 12 o'clock - 4 o'clock - 8 o'clock. Wait until the flames are dancing out the top then pour them in. I've had no issues doing it this way.
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Where do you put the cubes: on top of the briqs or below? I've always just used twisted/coiled newspaper in the bottom and that's worked fine. Never tried the starter cubes at all since, well, newspaper is cheaper.
 
That's my problem, I was being cheap with one cube then waiting for the bottom coals to lite the top ones- the cube has long since burned out by then.
 
Before I got my CL Performer with gas lighter, I used an empty inverted tuna can to set ONE Weber cube on top of. This puts it up into the chimney (you set the chimney over it) and is more efficient. I wait twenty minutes and dump. Never a problem.

Before I got my Weber chimney, several years ago, I had been gifted with a generic chimney. Using the directions that came with it - two or three sheets of newspaper, many times it would go out, delaying the cook. After I got the Weber and many, many cooks the Weber chimney has NEVER failed to light. If the charcoal you are using lights faster, just dump it sooner. I use Kingsford Original almost exclusively, if that matters. I have used various other brands of briqs and lump and they all light well (except for the rocks I got in the lump:rolleyes:)...

NOTE: It is NOT necessary for either the Weber cube nor the gas lighter on the Performer to burn until you dump the coals. With the gas lighter, I time it at THREE minutes, then turn the gas off and wait a total of 15-20 minutes before dumping the chimney. With the ONE cube, I just light it, set the chimney over the cube/can and after 15-20 minutes the chimney is ready to dump.

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
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Those Weber cubes are great. I never bought them because I thought they were a little 'gimicky', and I always had the Performer gas assist to use. After picking some up and using them, I was really impressed. Just ordered my second box of them.
 
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ChadVKealey said:
Where do you put the cubes: on top of the briqs or below? I've always just used twisted/coiled newspaper in the bottom and that's worked fine. Never tried the starter cubes at all since, well, newspaper is cheaper.
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Always put the cubes below the briqs. I don't like all that newspaper ash flying about when I dump the lit briqs.
 
I used the cubes and usually only use one even lighting a chimney full and they work great no matter if I am doing a short or long smoke
 
I didn't see the paper towel technique posted so here you go....

take your average kitchen paper towel roll and rip off about 4 sheets (still connected in one sheet). Twist them the way your dad taught you to do with newspapers to start bonfires. Once all twisted up, roll them up like a donut/disc. Then apply some vegetable oil to the rolled up paper towels on both sides. Put this under your chimney and light it up. I have found this technique to be quite effective at producing enough sustained fuel to light up the coals more efficiently. I barely use my propane starter on the performer because this technique works better and tends to get the coals in the middle of the chimney to light up faster because the vegetable oil slows down the burn of the paper towels.

laters...
 
As soon as I see flames licking the top ones, I dump them on the grate and let them start in the grill. Only a few bottom ones are about 1/3 gone, the rest all good.
 
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