How to safely start a chimney for my 18" on a new deck


 
PeterD

PeterD

TVWBB Super Fan
Hi all,
So, last year we finally replaced our 30 year old deck with a gorgeous composite Trex deck. On my first smoke a briquette fell out of my starter chimney and briefly landed on the Trex melting the top slightly. It wasn't in a conspicuous place and some touch-up paint made it a little better, but now I'm trying to figure out a safe way to light my coals in a chimney and transfer them to the WSM. The smoker really does need to be on the deck itself, but I'm at a loss for how to git 'er goin' without risking a catastrophe. On my old wood deck two years ago, during an overnight smoke, I actually had a fully lit briquette burn right through two boards and onto the ground below, so I'm now officially worried about doing this all safely.

Thanks.
 
Hi Peter,

I grill and use the smoker, both on a wooden deck, and I take several precautions. First of all, whenever I use the WSM, I use a $10 auto store steel drip tray underneath. This gives me an extra layer of heat protection in addition to the WSM heat shield and also protects against stray coals falling on the deck. I light the chimney in either the WSM charcoal bowl or in my Performer grill, depending on the situation. The riskiest part is dumping the chimney, which I do wearing leather gloves, and I'm careful when pouring it and careful to make sure the chimney is fully empty before I set it down. From the days when my only grill was a 22 OTS kettle, I have a small wrought iron table that I set the hot chimney on after dumping the coals. With lump charcoal, there can be small pieces that will fall through the chimney when you move it, and with briquettes, they seem to cling to the bottom of the chimney sometimes, and will fall through after they burn down, so you have to be mindful of those things.

I hope that helps a little. Cheers!

Chris
 
I always start my chimney in my performer grill. The propane starter works great to get the coals going so I don't have to use another source. I'm lucky enough to have all cement so I don't have to worry about burning wood. I have poured the coals from the chimney to the wsm and spilled some too. After I stepped on one barefoot I learned a real quick lesson about spilling them and shoes. I would probably use an automotive oil drip pan underneath if I were you.
 
I am on a wood deck also. I have grill mats in the grill/smoker area and I light the chimney in the Kettle. Once lit, it is stored on a cement paver.
 
The problem is actually the transfer of the hot coals. I can easily heat them up on my gasser's side burner, but I always find hot bits fall down from the chimney during it's 2-foot move from the gasser to the WSM. I'm thinking of more grill mats between the gasser and the WSM, and maybe a couple of flagstones or pavers where I could actually start the chimney closer to the smoker.
 
Peter:

I would recommend using the metal drip pan under the smoker one of the prior posters mentioned. That will eliminate spillage on the dump. As for transport, maybe putting a pot or an upside lid or something else under chimney once its lit? Can you set up the smoker next to the gas grill you are using to light coal. If so the drip pan might cover the gap between the two.

Side note. Having a pail of water around to douse any strays might cool coals before they can melt trex.
 
PeterD said:
The problem is actually the transfer of the hot coals. I can easily heat them up on my gasser's side burner, but I always find hot bits fall down from the chimney during it's 2-foot move from the gasser to the WSM. I'm thinking of more grill mats between the gasser and the WSM, and maybe a couple of flagstones or pavers where I could actually start the chimney closer to the smoker.
Click to expand...

Or maybe get a 1/4 sheet pan (baking pan) to put under the chimney during transport? I wouldn't light the chimney on it, but if you're using your side burner to get it started, just lift straight up and slide the sheet pan underneath (both hands gloved, of course). Any bits that might fall out will stay there in the pan and you can just dump 'em in with the rest of the lit coals. Then, put the pan back under the empty chimney and move it back to the side burner to cool down.

Actually, you could use anything big enough to cover the bottom of the chimney; our local thrift stores have a never-ending supply of cheap aluminum or stainless fry/saute pans, something in the 10-12" range would be perfect and probably only cost a few bucks.
 
I have a buddy that just bought some outdoor patio tiles and put them on his wood deck and put his grill on top of them. doubt it cost him over $20. when the get gunked up he just buys new ones. lots of people have left over ones they sell on craigslist cheap.
 
How about using Weber starter cubes, and starting the chimney in the base of the WSM itself (with the charcoal grate in place of course)?

Travel distance? = 0 inches. :)
 
W Tyler said:
How about using Weber starter cubes, and starting the chimney in the base of the WSM itself (with the charcoal grate in place of course)?

Travel distance? = 0 inches. :)
Click to expand...

The only problem is if he's using Minion Method, which requires a full ring of coals on the charcoal grate at the same time the chimney is lighting..
 
I use a round metal oil changing pan to set my charcoal chimney in and just carry the pan with chimney in it, to dump the hot charcoal. I too have a wood deck with outdoor carpet installed. I've never brought the charcoal grill up on the deck, but have 4 of the metal garbage floor drip trays under my gasser.
 
W Tyler said:
How about using Weber starter cubes, and starting the chimney in the base of the WSM itself (with the charcoal grate in place of course)?

Travel distance? = 0 inches. :)
Click to expand...

That is what I do, not need to move anything with hot coals. I also have a BBQ mat under the WSM
 
You could also get a smokey joe and set it on a mat next to your wsm. Then it could be used for the chimney and you would gain an additional BBQ out of the deal. I see them on Craigslist for as little $15 sometimes. Before I got my performer I used to use my jumbo joe for the chimney.
 
Dan A said:
You could also get a smokey joe and set it on a mat next to your wsm. Then it could be used for the chimney and you would gain an additional BBQ out of the deal. I see them on Craigslist for as little $15 sometimes. Before I got my performer I used to use my jumbo joe for the chimney.
Click to expand...

I think THIS is the best suggestion in the thread. :D I might just have to "lose" that little metal table I mentioned and get a jumbo.
 
Since you always use the minion method, why don't you skip the chimney. I haven't personally done this, but I've read that if you kinda of bury a weber starter cube in the charcoal and light it off, you will get your charcoal going. A paper towel with vegetable oil on it would work too. If you're willing to spend a little money, you could get a weed burner to light off your charcoal. I could also imagine lighting off some charcoal in a chimney off of your deck (never directly on concrete) and then putting the lit charcoal into a metal bucket before you transfer the lit onto your deck and into your WSM. Personally, I'd get the weed burner.

As others have said, a drip pan or grill mat of some sort makes sense no matter how you light it if you want to keep your deck nice. The WSM will drip and the lid will leave a nasty ring if you set it down directly on your deck.
 
I agree with the weed burner process to start. I used to use a chimney and now my chimney since in my shed rusting away. I do highly recommend using this torch (see amazon link below) over a weed burner that attaches to a 20lb propane tank. This is much easier to carry, use, and then put away....plus it has a built in igniter. It uses the 1lb propane bottles and they last for many cooks lighting your charcoal. I just use it to light 3 spots in the ring by holding it in each spot for about 45 seconds. Once I do that, then I put my smoke wood on top the charcoal and assemble the WSM. YMMV, but this works great for me and saves me a ton of time and hassle using the chimney.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00008ZA0F/tvwb-20

Good luck,
Kg
 
I put the WSM on a large metal oil pan. It provides enough room for the charcoal bowl, the lid, and the chimney. I light 30-40 briquets in the chimney on the WSM charcoal grate using the Weber lighter cubes. Once hot, I move the chimney to the metal pan, fill the ring with unlit charcoal, and pour the hot coals over the unlit. Since I'm working on a concrete surface, I can then move the empty chimney to the concrete surface to cool.

If I were using my routine on Trex, I think I'd want something more substantial between the hot chimney and the decking. Maybe a grill mat topped with a metal pan, or a metal pan with a paver where I place the chimney. Or as Keith suggests, just go with a little torch to light a few spots of charcoal right in the ring and forget the chimney altogether.

Good luck! Let us know what you settle on.
 
I used to have Kingsford chimneys & was always dropping lit coals when using them.
After they wore out I bought a Weber Rapid Fire chimney & the difference was night & day: it lit much quicker & rarely drops new lit briquetts.
Still have to make sure it's empty before putting it down, though. The mini Weber chimney is what I use for Minion stars. It's been great.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top