I think I stink at Minion Method


 
J

J. Wilson

TVWBB Fan
Ok...so I don't try and use water as I don't like the cleanup and use a foiled clay pot. I don't have air leaks as I have sealed door and lid but my goodness does my WSM like to run hot! I come on this site and analyze things to death

I bury the chunks and I think this is my problem. After it burned for a loooooong while it finally settled at 262. I put in a chunk of mesquite and temps were easy to control.

Oh and I use KBB. So I am thinking this is what I'm going to do from now on.....load up WSM with coals only and then get it started Minion style....let it burn for an hour or whatever and put on meat. At this point I will add a chunk of wood one at a time. I think this will be much easier for me to control temps.

Do other do this??
 
I've tried filling (14-15 lit coals) a coffee can placed in the middle of the unlit then removing the can. The outer edges (like a third) never get lit. I've gone back to spreading those lit ones over the top of the unlit with the wood chunks semi-buried in the unlit. They all burn now but slowly like you want. Mostly use R.O. but gradually introducing KB. What works for someone may not for someone else.

Find what works for YOU.
 
I dunno, I just use the MM the way it makes it easy for me. Load up the ring with unlit than lay the smoke-wood on top, ( which I always hatchet into halves or quarters depending on the size) and add a small amount of lit coals and catch the temps on the way up.
No waiting on adding meat or smoke-wood, and I've been doing it this way since 08 with zero problems:wsm:

Like Len said, find what works for You!

Tim
 
A question, where do you set your vents at? Top and bottom. And which smoker are you using? I assume it is a WSM and if so, what size?
 
Len Dennis said:
I've tried filling (14-15 lit coals) a coffee can placed in the middle of the unlit then removing the can. The outer edges (like a third) never get lit. I've gone back to spreading those lit ones over the top of the unlit with the wood chunks semi-buried in the unlit. They all burn now but slowly like you want. Mostly use R.O. but gradually introducing KB. What works for someone may not for someone else.

Find what works for YOU.
Click to expand...
Jim, I think this is what Len is talking about...

SD10k.jpg


dump your lit coal in the can, then pull it out.... works real good
 
How long have you been at this? I mean, do you have a nice seasoning built up on the inside of your cooker? It'll run hot until you do then it's tough to get high temps afterwards.

Oh... and don't stress about it. 260*F is a great temp for low n slow BBQ. I normally cook at higher temps with great results. Take it easy. Relax. Enjoy the cook. Regardless of temp.
 
Jim Lampe said:
SD10k.jpg


dump your lit coal in the can, then pull it out.... works real good
Click to expand...

Jim,

I don't think your picture shows exactly what Len was talking about. That picture shows the way he USED to do it, unless I'm mistaken.

He said he USED to use the hole in the middle method but switched to spreading the lit coals kind of randomly on top of the unlit coals.

He also said he mixed the wood in with the unlit coals. He didn't say he placed it on top of the coals.

I'm always interested in how people start their fires. Good thread.:)
 
Last edited:
I used to do like Jim's pic and put the hot coals inside then pulled the can away. The outer (unlit) coals never got lit ie: the fire never spread to the outer edges (like I'm saying after 4-5 hours the outer 2" or so never got touched with fire. I gave that up and just spread the hot coals on top (where the wood chunks are in the pic). I mixed up the wood under the unlit briqs so they would be slow to catch.

1)fill the whole ring with unlit
2)bury 2-3 wood chunks
3)dump 12-14 lit coals on top of the unlit ones.

Wait an hour and it's good to go. Never an issue getting a constant 225 or whatever I'm shooting for. Vents control the up/down temps as needed.

Stan: I started like the pic but then changed to not using an empty center hole. It didn't work for me (multiple attempts).
 
Last edited:
Len Dennis said:
I used to do like Jim's pic and put the hot coals inside then pulled the can away. The outer (unlit) coals never got lit ie: the fire never spread to the outer edges (like I'm saying after 4-5 hours the outer 2" or so never got touched with fire. I gave that up and just spread the hot coals on top (where the wood chunks are in the pic). I mixed up the wood under the unlit briqs so they would be slow to catch.

1)fill the whole ring with unlit
2)bury 2-3 wood chunks
3)dump 12-14 lit coals on top of the unlit ones.

Wait an hour and it's good to go. Never an issue getting a constant 225 or whatever I'm shooting for. Vents control the up/down temps as needed.

Stan: I started like the pic but then changed to not using an empty center hole. It didn't work for me (multiple attempts).
Click to expand...

Yes Len, that's what I said. The picture Jim posted showed the way you used to do it, not the way you do it now.

I described the way you used to do it and the way you do it now.

Jim's picture showed your old way and I didn't want the picture to confuse people.

I do it the same way you currently use.

I find I get a longer burn by just spreading lit coals over the unlit coals as opposed to dumping the lit coals in a center hole.

(At least that's what I thought I described in my previous post). :)
 
I use a dry water pan (foiled to ease cleanup). I use NO heat sink. I DO use the tin can minion method. I use 8 lit coals in the tin can for the 14.5" WSM and the Mini-Joe Gold. I use 12-15 in the 18.5" WSM.

As soon as things get going well, I assemble the smoker and put the meat on. I get great consistency (typically cook at 275 degrees for long cooks. I generally have two bottom vents nearly closed and use the 3rd set to control temps. I do not close the top vent more than 50%.

When doing the high heat chicken method, I just dump a whole chimney of lit (with about a 1/2 chimney of unlit) with the 18.5" and use one chimney of lit with the 14.5" and Mini-Joe and run wide open. Temps run about 350 or so wide open.

FWIW
Dale53
 
You guys are seriously overcomplicating this. Ditch the chimney, get a Harbor Freight Weed torch, fill the ring up with your favorite fuel and fire it off.

IMG_4584.jpg


When the edges start to ash over, add your smoke wood and set up the bullet.

IMG_4585.jpg


IMG_4586.jpg


It doesn't get any simpler than this!

The man himself hipped me to this many years ago! Jim Minion at the 1st Annual Evergreen Eggfest with my local BGE dealer.

100_1951.jpg
 
Last edited:
Brian,

The torch looks like a great idea.

But this hobby is expensive enough as it is for me. What's 20lbs ;of propane
go for these days? I know the torches don't cost too much.

But still, I'll just go with my chimney and a few sheets of newspaper.:)
 
Len Dennis said:
The outer (unlit) coals never got lit ie: the fire never spread to the outer edges (like I'm saying after 4-5 hours the outer 2" or so never got touched with fire.
Click to expand...

All the charcoal not burning at once is the point of the minion method? If you left it longer then 4-5 hours would it burn?

I don't use an actual tin can but I do the tin can method (make sense?!?). I put smoke wood on the charcoal grate. Pour unlit kingsford over the smoke wood. I then grab my chimney and pick up 20-40 briquettes depending on how hot I want it. I pick them up out of the middle and sort of make a hole like the tin can would do. I light in the chimney and pour them back in the hole I created. It took me 5-6 cooks to really understand how to get steady temps for a long time but I have had great success ever since.
 
I'm in Timothy's and Len's camp...spread the lit one's around. I've tried just making a low spot in the middle and concentrating the lit coals there, but like has been said by others, "too many unlit ones around the outer edge".
 
Len Dennis said:
I've tried filling (14-15 lit coals) a coffee can placed in the middle of the unlit then removing the can. The outer edges (like a third) never get lit. I've gone back to spreading those lit ones over the top of the unlit with the wood chunks semi-buried in the unlit. They all burn now but slowly like you want. Mostly use R.O. but gradually introducing KB. What works for someone may not for someone else.

Find what works for YOU.
Click to expand...

I agree with Len, find what works for you. That said I'm going to throw in my $0.02 anyway. I have been experimenting trying to find what works best for me and still haven't come up with an answer, probably because there are so many variables (fuel, food, weather, water, how meticulous I'm being, if I'm cooking for the family or for a crowd [a.k.a what else I'm doing], etc.) that no two cooks are similar enough that I can point to one thing making the difference. But since the food turns out good, and I usually get a good story out of it, I don't care that much!

When I do shorter cooks (5-10 hours) I'll usually will just fill the ring and dump the lit coals over the top. The last time I cooked a brisket (~12 lb) I used the coffee can method and packed the ring as tightly as I could with Stubbs. After about 12 hours I did a hot-squat and used a fireplace shovel to concentrate all of the remaining coals (lit & unlit) into one place. My theory being that if you concentrate the coals they'll burn longer. Kinda like you cooking in a kettle, if you want a higher heat you'll pile the coals up but if you want it cooler you spread them apart. However in this case I'm controlling the airflow so the pile doesn't get hotter it just burns longer.

Anyway, by doing that I was able to cook the packer for 14.75 hours w/out having to add any more fuel (or relight what was there). Then I put the point back on for another 2-3 hours (can't remember anymore) with the same coals. After pulling the point, I let what was left (which admittedly wasn't much) burn out. All totaled I think I know I got 16 hours between 225 and 250, but I may have gotten another hour or two after I stopped paying attention.

Moral of the story, keep trying different methods and don't be afraid to tailor your Minion method to what, or how long, you're cooking.
 
DISCLAIMER: As said above, there are many ways to BBQ. Find the way that works for you and enjoy it.

I think the issue here is the the OP is shooting for that magical 225* that is plastered all over the web. If you are cooking any higher than 225*, it ain't Q. BS. Don't get me wrong. When I first got into smoking (on my gasser no less), I was trying for that 225*. Hard to do during the summer in SoTex. One burner on low, the rest off, and a piece of wood propping the lid open a bit. What a pain.

Then I learned that I could make good Q at 250 or 280. I stopped fighting it and let the equipment run where she likes. My WSM likes to run around 275* (+/- 25*). I've adjusted my times and quit fighting her. Ribs take 4 hours. Butts take 9. Brisket is done when it's done.

BBQ is supposed to be relaxing. Let go and enjoy. :)
 
If light my 18 WSM minion method like I described above and if given enough time all my charcoal will burn. If my cook is 4-5 hours sometimes not all the charcoal has burned but if I let it go the rest would burn. After installing a gasket kit if I close all the vents the fire will go out and I can reuse that un-used charcoal. In my mind after only 4-5 hours you still have unburnt charcoal and temps have been steady the minion method is doing its job. If you cannot re-use the charcoal I would suggest building a smaller charcoal ring to start with less charcoal.
 
After the 5 hr mark, using the coffee can method, the fire was dying/temp dropping and the outer 2-3" of coals were not lit.

I've had my say. TY very much.
 
Len Dennis said:
After the 5 hr mark, using the coffee can method, the fire was dying/temp dropping and the outer 2-3" of coals were not lit.

I've had my say. TY very much.
Click to expand...

At the 5 hour mark when fire is dying I assume you have the bottom vents opened all the way. That is interesting. I've never had that problem but I would assume the ash build up is insulating the unburnt charcoal. If you ever have a wild hair and want to try it again maybe get a fire poker and stir up the charcoal a bit so the ash falls through the grate. Once again that is just an educated guess! When I first started using WSM I spread lit coals all over the unlit charcoal ring not in the very middle and I had problems keeping temps down. When I switched to the tin can method I had an easier time. The difference in climate from Canada to Texas is much different as well!

Like everyone has said there are several ways to get the same result so do what works for you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top