Firing up with the Guru


 

Mike Felt

TVWBB Member
My first Guru run will be on Sunday...I'm cooking a brisket, so plan to use the standard Minion method to lighting the fire. Do I need to alter this approach at all with the Guru in place? Thanks
 
Mike,

The Minion Method works great with the Guru. Being in Minnesota, adding a few extra lit coals won't hurt. I find using 15 to 20 well lit coals in the winter gets my WSM up to temp in 30 minutes. This being the case, I always put the meat on when I put the lit coals on.

Enjoy your Guru and let us know how your cook goes.
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Bill
 
You might consider not using water in your water pan any longer. A couple sheets of crumpled foil in the pan, and then one sheet of foil to cover the entire pan, then light as usual. No sense in using charcoal to heat the water when your Guru will maintain the smoker temp for you from now on.
 
The good folks that make the Guru suggest NOT using water.
I fire up the same way, toss 20-25 lite coals evenly over a basket full of lump, let it burn until I get "clean" smoke, then put the meat on. I tried putting the meat on right when I dumped the hot coals on, but my preference is to wait now. Neither way is wrong, just my preference.
Another thing to add, if you have a lot of meat on and you keep the pit probe to close to the cool meat, you can get "false" readings at the start of the cook and it will run your pit hotter than you want, so be careful where you put it.
 
Thanks Bob - that makes sense about the probe if its located near cold meat. My plan was to attach it to the top grate, where the brisket would be. If the probe is several inches away from the meat, will that reduce the risk of false reads? Thanks
 
I try to find a happy medium between the cold meat and the rising heat wall around the perimeter of the WSM. Also, I don't clip it to the grate its self but to another therm that's in a block of wood to raise it about 1/2" above the grate. (If the grate rung you're clipping your therm to runs under the cold meat, it will radiate some of that cold along that rung thus giving you a false reading) If the top grate is too crowded, I'll clip it to the very end of one of the meat probes (on the metal, near the braded wire) and turn the meat probe so that it's far enough from the meat to give me a good pit temperature reading.

Bill
 
I just clip my pit probe to the top vent so it hangs down about 1.5 to 2". Been doing that for many cooks now with no problems. I also keep a cheap dial therm in the top vent also, and the Guru doesn't vary from that by more than 5 degrees.
 
I've got the probe clipped to the meat probe, so that seems to be working. So far, so good. Meat went on at 10pm, checked it at 6:30am and the temp is correct.
 
I've been using a Guru a couple years now and always use the Minion method. Following Guru guys' recommendations, I do not put water in the water pan, but do put a couple foil balls in it, under a large sheet wrapped around it, but creating a "well" in the foil. This is where I collect drippings for gravy. Even w/no water pan none of the meat ever seems to get dry: meatloafs, brined turkeys (half and whole), butts - all fine. My last brisket was just a shade dry: Bob @ Guru suggested foiling for the last 20 degrees of meat temp (i.e. foil at 175 if your target is 195). That will be my next experiment (he also suggested just a little Coca-Cola in the foil).
 
I posted this to another forum, but I want to see if I get the same/a better answer here:

Questions regarding startup: (All questions relate to the Guru in regards to bringing the pit up to temp)

I am using Kingsford briquettes in my WSM. I will be lighting maybe 5 coals and letting them ash over before adding them to the load and firing up the Guru. (just got it in the mail yesterday.)

I imagine there are five ways you could use the minion method for lighting the coals.

* All piled up on top in the center of the fuel.
* All piled up closest to the fan. (On the edge of the fuel)
* All piled up furthest away from the fan. (On the edge of the fuel)
* All piled up 90* from the fan. (On the edge of the fuel)
* Scattered over the top of the fuel.

Is there recommended start point? And as a follow up:

1) If I am doing a huge cook I fill the charcoal chamber full. If it is for an hour or two cook I will use a chimney or two. Does it make a difference how I light these two loads of fuel? What are your recommendations?

2) Do you recommend buring from the center of the fuel out? or from the edge in? or from Top down as evenly as possible?

3) Do any of these methods contribute to hot spots versus others that don't? (not sure if you have tried these all, but thought I might ask. )

Thank you for the information. I know that the question if probably a bit anal, but having spent time in the QA department I had it drummed into me to test all of the permutations.

Thanks!!!
 
Scott I have a Guru (DigiQII) and when I use it I go with one of two methods. If I am doing the low and slow method, I generally use the Minion method, and start with 8 lit coals in the center. If I am looking to cook at high heat temps, I will generally use half of a chimney full spread out over the entire charcoal bowl, and I will also open the two remaining vents on the bottom until I have reached targeted temp. Either way I like to start in the center of the ring and let it burn outwards.. I hope I have answered your question and good luck with your cooks.
 
Scott, I too, use the middle on low-slow cooks. I like using a can w/ both ends open placed in the middle. Then I'd put the 5 lit coals in the can and pull the can out w/ tongs. Works very well for me.
 
I scatter the lit over the top of the unlit. I do this for even heating and burning on the unlit charcoal.
 
I spread the coals over all the charcoal, usually about a 1/2 chimney. No matter what, the fire can't spread any faster than the air flow will allow. I don't think it matters much where you put the coals. If you want the temp to rise faster use more burning coals and or open more vents.
Just my 2 cents!
 
You can't go wrong with any of the above comments. I have tried pretty much all of them. The key is let the GURU do the work. It only takes a little fire on startup to have a long and slow smoke.
 

 

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