My First Cook -- 10 Things I Learned


 
S

Scott in SoCal

TVWBB Member
I did my first cook over the weekend (chicken, following Wiviott's lesson #1). Here are 10 things I learned:

1. Being barefoot while working near a live smoker is stupid. REALLY stupid.

2. The inexpensive 16" tongs from Smart & Final are inexpensive for a reason.

3. It's good to have a pop rivet gun and an assortment of rivets in the garage. Why? See #2 above.

4. The smell of smoke and spices is enticing. It's very difficult not to peek (but I resisted the temptation). I didn't realize how tough this would be.

5. Wiviott says that if you follow his method, you'll get 250° temps. He was right (if the supposedly inaccurate WSM thermometer is to be believed). It'll be interesting to see what the temps show on the next cook with the Maverick thermometer that's on order.

6. Having an old gas grill comes in handy as a place to fire up the Weber chimney.

7. Having a work surface nearby is essential. My old gas grill served that purpose too.

8. Wiviott says to use newspaper to start the Weber chimney. What do people who don't subscribe to the paper use? (I used paper supermarket bags.)

9. The WSM should have wheels on it. That's on the to-do list for next weekend.

10. Smoked chicken is tasty. Smoking yourself makes it even tastier!

All things considered, I think the chicken was a success, and SERIOUSLY fun to do.
 
8. Wiviott says to use newspaper to start the Weber chimney. What do people who don't subscribe to the paper use? (I used paper supermarket bags.)

Weber lighter cubes work great and best of all leave no ashy mess.
 
Originally posted by Rodney B:
8. Wiviott says to use newspaper to start the Weber chimney. What do people who don't subscribe to the paper use? (I used paper supermarket bags.)

Weber lighter cubes work great and best of all leave no ashy mess.
Click to expand...

I do feel funny going to buy a paper just for my chimney.
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My father came to visit for a week and I still using it.

You can also use a paper towel with a little vegitable oil poured in it, then balled up. I then usualy wrap one more around it to keep it less messy. I only use this when out of everything else.
 
Originally posted by Rodney B:
8. Wiviott says to use newspaper to start the Weber chimney. What do people who don't subscribe to the paper use? (I used paper supermarket bags.)

Weber lighter cubes work great and best of all leave no ashy mess.
Click to expand...

I usually fill the chiminy up and then give it a good shot of lighter fluid.
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Originally posted by Rodney B:
8. Wiviott says to use newspaper to start the Weber chimney. What do people who don't subscribe to the paper use? (I used paper supermarket bags.)

Weber lighter cubes work great and best of all leave no ashy mess.
Click to expand...

A buddy of mine uses an elec element he places in the chimney and pores the charcoal in. To me that's a pain. I use the cubes.
 
In regards to your #8 - I use the Weber Lighter Cubes. Here in SoCal, I find them at Lowes or Home Depot. A box of 24 cubes is 3 bucks and change. I use them 2 at a time to light my chimney. They light very quickly (in about a second) and you don't get those tiny flying bits of paper.
 
Rodney B said:
8. Wiviott says to use newspaper to start the Weber chimney. What do people who don't subscribe to the paper use? (I used paper supermarket bags.)

Weber lighter cubes work great and best of all leave no ashy mess.
Click to expand...

I use paper from the charcoal bag. Although the idea of not having paper ash is tempting.
 
Russ Harris said:
In regards to your #8 - I use the Weber Lighter Cubes. Here in SoCal, I find them at Lowes or Home Depot. A box of 24 cubes is 3 bucks and change. I use them 2 at a time to light my chimney. They light very quickly (in about a second) and you don't get those tiny flying bits of paper.
Click to expand...

I've been meaning to look for these. Was just at Lowe's this morning getting a piece for my well and totally forgot to take a peak in the grilling section for these.
 
I use the Weber starter cubes also. However, a good alternative is the paper towel soaked in vegetable oil. Paper just leaves too much ash to deal with. If you have a side burner on your gasser, that will work too (though I've never done that, many here do).
 
I usually use newspaper (lighting the chimney in my kettle grill takes care of the ash problem), but the paper towel with vegetable oil does double duty if you first use it to oil the cooking grate, then light the chimney with it.
 
Some folks use cotton balls soaked in oil to start their charcoal. Cheapskatge me cuts the Weber starter cubes in two and uses one portion to get things lit.
 
Another vote for the Weber cubes. They do the job every time. Although if I did subscribe to one of those Rags posing as a legitimate reporter of the news I would be more then happy to light it on fire!
 
If I don't have access to a Side Burner and I"m out if Weber Cubes, I'll use paper towels with a little cooking oil on them. Very Little ash is produced this way.
Now if I happen to have some Liquid Oxygen handy, I just skip the Chimney all together.

FIRE IN THE HOLE!

liquid-oxygen-lighter.jpg
 
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I hate all the ash from paper. I use a propane torch with Map gas. I hold it in place for about 20 seconds and then turn the torch off letting it burn itself out, another 10 or so seconds. Sometimes I use it to light the chimney, sometimes I aim it at the charcoal in the bowl It's quick, clean and not very expensive. The bottle I started with this spring is still way above half. It was $11.00 and I'm lighting something 2-3 times a week
 
If you can learn 10 things in a cook, it's been a good cook!

Another vote for the Weber cubes (1 cube does the trick for me). I used newspaper for about a year but got tired of the ash, so I got Weber cubes at Home Depot. They're inexpensive (less than 15 cents per cube), they work fine, and no more newspaper ash.
 
When I started this journey, I used newspaper with cooking oil, but didn't like all the smoke. Went to paper towels for a couple of years, much cleaner. Recently, another member mentioned using an alcohol stove. Bottom half of a soda can and some rubbing alcohol later, haven't turned back. Lights faster too.
 
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