Weber starter cubes


 
C

Chris O

Guest
After fumbling with newspaper in my chimney, I bought a box of these on "clearance" from Lowes. Man, I will never go back. These things are the greatest, no mess, light 'em then leave 'em for about 15-20 mins and the coals are perfect.

No relationship with the company, just thought I'd pass on my good results.
 
I picked up a couple of boxes last year on clearance from sears. They are really easy to use. I have started dropping three into a full ring of charcoal and lighting, instant Minion method. I just wait until they are burnt up, and by then I have about 12-15 nicely lits coals.

Ed
 
Ed...

I started using these last year and I now do exactly the same thing! No more chimney!

I got some on clearance as well, but I will gladly pay full price which works out to 24 for under $3.00 or 12 1/5 cents a piece...cheaper than the evening news!
 
Chris, The first time I used my new chimney I used newspaper. I had ashes floating all over my deck and grill. I got those little weber cubes and have been happy ever since. Nice idea from Ed to throw them on the unlit coals. Jeez, every time I log in I find some great trick on the site. Cliff
 
Do you use these cubes in the chimney? If so, do they go underneath where you would put the newspaper or on top of the coals? I have always used a chimney and I too dislike the ash from the newspaper, sounds like a winner to me!
 
just put the cube underneath where the paper useually goes.
 
I concur; the Weber starter cubes rule. While I had no trouble using newspaper to fire a chimney, the ashes tended to fly everywhere.

Cubes are far less messy.

P.j.
 
I used to start my chimney with starter cubes. Now I use a map gas weed burner. I put about 8 brickettes in the chimney and get them going with the weed burner then I dump the rest of the charcoal on top of the burning ones. I'll also use the weed burner to just start several brickettes in the charcoal ring kinda like the Minion Method.

Bill
 
I was at Home depot last night and they had their Weber starters on clearance! The price was a $1.12 per box. I snatched up all they had!

I have never used them b/4, I use the rectangular fire starters they sell. There about 2" X 6" X 1" in size. I just break a chunk off and light it and put the chimney over it. But at the price I had to try the weber starters.

Tom
 
I used the paper towel sprayed with Pam today. That worked better than I thought it would. The problem I had was that I was only lighting a small amount of briquettes. Since they were not bunched together, the fire never took off. The couple or so briquettes that did get going would have spread had the chimney been more full - my fault.

Since the fire didn't get going, I tried a different method - propane torch. This worked very well and I might not go back to anything else.

I had a couple lit briquettes so I threw them on top of my full ring of lump. I got out the torch and pointed it to the middle of the pile in the ring. In a couple of minutes or less, the middle of the pile was going well. Since I always use MM, this was just the way I like my fire to be when I assemble the WSM. One thing I noticed was that the lump took the flame from the torch very well and started very easily. The briquettes (the unstarted ones from the chimney) did not start as easily as the lump.

Well, the fire's going and a chuck pot roast is on and I'm eating in about 9 hours.
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I love Weber starter cubes also. We have a chiminea(sp?) that we fire up most evenings when it doesn't get too cold. I light 2 cubes
and put some lump on top and add as needed. No mess.
Jerry,
I had the same problem with trying to light a few briquettes in the Weber chimney. I solved the problem with coffee cans. I have 1,2,and 3lb cans with both ends removed. Depending on my needs,I place the appropriate can on top of the cone grill and fill it up and place it over a cube. One is usually all it takes. I don't know what i will do when the cans burn out as coffee comes in plastic "cans" now!!!
 
For lighting a small amount of briquettes in the Weber Chimney, simply turn the chimney over and put the briquettes in the inverted cone.

It was either Doug D. or Paul G. who pointed that out a while ago. So simple it makes you go "DOH!"
 
I think credit goes to Jim Warren for the inverted chimney idea. I, at one point, posted about dropping a starter cube into the inverted cone, adding a few briquets, and lighting from underneath, but won't swear to that being an original thought.
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I didn't have enough sense to figure out just to flip the chimney. I got a 2nd chimney, popped the cone out, turned it upside down, and popped it back into the chimney so that all the briquettes would fall down together.

I cheat, though - I fire 'em up on the turkey fryer burner.
 
I also have used the turkey frier burner. One disadvantage is that the bottom in my ECC (el cheapo chimney) has about sagged off of the rivets due to the heat. May have to get a good chimney.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Vernon N:
I also have used the turkey frier burner. One disadvantage is that the bottom in my ECC (el cheapo chimney) has about sagged off of the rivets due to the heat. May have to get a good chimney. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
You have to watch that with a Weber chimney as well.
 
Having used, abused and killed a few weber chimneys on turkey fryers here is what I've learned. 30 seconds on high will get the charcoal started then turn off the fire. Leaving the propane on even at very low can cause the grate to sag and fall out. Ranch fence wire thru the loops that sick out will stop the grate from falling out when it sags. The chimney grate is NOT a spare part last time I checked.
 
I confess. Paul G didn't come up with the idea of inverting the chimney. In fact, I use an old cheaper chimney which is smaller and has a narrower funnel. Put about 15 to 20 briqs in and light a cube under the bottom. This seems to better utilize the chimney effect than putting the cube in with the briqs. This way you have an extra toy to play with.
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Paul
 
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