A couple of nagging questions.......


 
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Pat Trammell

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While I've been at this awhile, there are still a few things I wonder if I'm doing "right" or at least close to what everyone else is, so.....

1) When you put your smoke wood in the Kingsford, do you lay it on top, or shove it down into the Charcoal?

2) How Much do you fill up the charcoal ring for each cook, and is there any guide for specific cooks (ie; ribs, butts, chicken, etc.)

Just Wondering. Thanks and I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day!
 
I lay it on top-- it smokes longer. I usually, for most cooks, use two Weber chimneyfuls of Kingsford, lit using the standard method. I specify Weber because it is 30% larger than most other chimney starters. For those using the Minion method for long cook times, I believe the convention is to start by filling the charcoal ring full of unlit, and add 15-20 lit coals on top.
 
Pat,

Identical to Doug. Standard method, 2 chimneys full; Minion method, full chamber with 15-20 lit coals. Wood chunks on top. If it ain't broke don't fix it!
 
Thanks Guys, one follow up. What do you consider a long cook, and what a short cook? In other words would you use the Minion Method on some meats, and your regular two Chimneyfuls on others? And which ones?

Thanks!
 
Pat,

I consider pork butts, briskets, and chuck rolls long cooks...anywhere from 10 to 16 hours, or longer. Short cooks, 3-6 or 7 hours; ribs, turkey, chicken, etc. I would use Minion method on any long cook I was doing, however, I have found that using it on shorter cooks enables you to control temps better as you are controlling them on the way up instead of trying to bring them down as you do with the two chimney (standard method). Hope this helps.
 
I use the Minion method for every cook I do. As Bruce stated, it is much easier to control the temps from low to high, rather than bring a hot cooker down.

I just vary the amount of charcoal. No real guideline, as I have become familiar with the "eyeball" method of measuring.

Matter of fact, I no longer use a chimney. Place the coals you need in the ring. Then, using those coals, make a pile in the middle. In the middle of that pile, I place a Weber starter cube. Once I get 10-15 coals ashed over, I simply spread them around and flatten the little pile I had made. This eliminates one piece of equipment. I leave the WSM UNassembled for this starting technique. It only takes about 5 minutes longer than using a chimney.

As far as wood, I bury a chunk in the coals and leave the others on top.
 
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