Minion method and lump?


 
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Eric Michaud

TVWBB Super Fan
Stupid question but I was wondering how all you lump users light your charcoal with the Minion method, every post I have read people are using briquets as the "igniter" for their lump. Why? just one other item I need to buy. I used to use Stubbs as my lit, then I bought a bunch of Maple leaf briqs when I was in Montreal, Maple leaf lump is what I use primarily. Ran out of Stubbs and Maple leaf briqs for my lit and used some Kingsford and saw a big difference in ash and figured I would use lump as my igniter and it worked fine. Just curious what the lump users do.

Thanks,
Eric
 
I start it @ one spot ontop with the weedburner. (30 seconds) and then assemble the cooker. Fast and easy. I dont own a mapp tourch,but propane works just fine.
 
While I usually use K for low n slow(that's when I do MM),I'll use lump for shorter cooks,like ribs or small brisket flats. When I do that,I'll take a couple larger pieces of lump and put those in the bottom of the chimney. Then smaller/medium size pieces go on to of that. Fire up as usual,and dump in your cooker. Easy,peasy!
 
I start with lump, adjusting starting amount based on the type of cook. No reason to do otherwise IMO. Catch temp range on the way up as usual
 
I am primarily a lump user but will buy briquettes when there is a sale so I have both around. Other than because I have both, I have no good reason why I use briquettes to start my lump charcoal. There really is no reason to do so but I agree with your observation - it seems a lot of us do just that. At the end of the day, fuel is fuel. Using lump in your chimney to start your lump minion style would absolutely work just fine. About the only think you'd want to do is make sure you pick a few of the larger pieces of lump so you don't have pieces of lava falling out of the chimney as you move it to pour it on the charcoal pile.
 
Had I a torch I would probably go the lump-only route. I don't. I should get one but never really think about it.

I use briquettes to start because it's easy and uniform. Dump a dozen into the chimney (or 2 dozen for a high heat cook - I start ALL cooks with a Minion and cook at high heat far more often), light, then go back in to make my rub. Depending on the lump, sometimes one has to pick through a bunch to get the right size pieces - not too big nor small - for the chimney. Their irregular size can sometimes mean having to position one or more of the pieces just so on top of the unlit. Not something I feel like doing though I certainly have when I've had lump only.

Using a torch would obviate all this.
 
Cool, thanks for all of your responses. I do have a torch, not MAPP but I am sure it wil do the trick, currently I set my chimney on the grate of my performer, use the gas assist to get it going then shake the chimney to make sure no small pieces fall out and spread it on the unlit, rearrange with some tongs and I am good to go. Was curious to see how the weather was going to effect my smoke, started the butt at about 1:30 in the morning and it was 12 degrees, came up to temp just fine although I did have to keep my vents a little more open than usual. Thanks again for your feedback.

Eric
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Eric Michaud:
Stupid question but I was wondering how all you lump users light your charcoal with the Minion method, every post I have read people are using briquets as the "igniter" for their lump. Why? just one other item I need to buy. I used to use Stubbs as my lit, then I bought a bunch of Maple leaf briqs when I was in Montreal, Maple leaf lump is what I use primarily. Ran out of Stubbs and Maple leaf briqs for my lit and used some Kingsford and saw a big difference in ash and figured I would use lump as my igniter and it worked fine. Just curious what the lump users do.

Thanks,
Eric </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

It's just easier to light a fixed number of briquettes in the chimney and control the light for me.


I use hardwood charcoal briquettes for the light but could just use blue K or whatever is handy for the purpose. When I do a bulk buy of lump I pick up some HW Lump Briquettes for the purpose.

I have done the minion with lump and would do it again if I was out of briquettes for the light. If I do though, it's easier when I light the small amount of lump with the torch I have from BBQ Guru:

Golf Club

Just take the tank from the Performer or from the soldering torch and have at it. This is a nice tool for general lighting of fuel BTW.
 
Half chimney of lump to light my Minion works for me. I just make sure I have large enough pieces not to fall through the chimney.
 
I use lump to light when I use lump as fuel, and just pour the bag into the chiney, until it's maybe half full for a typical cook (loose, not packed). Some pieces will fall through, and I just throw them back in the top of the chimney, or in the charcoal ring. When I dump the lit, I just spread the chunks around so the fire seems more or less even around the top.

You DO want to be careful of burning lump falling out the bottom of the chimney, if you're moving or transporting it hot.

I think some brands of lump will work better than others in the chimney. Cowboy, for instance, is notorious for having lots of tiny pebble sized pieces, and then big meteor sized pieced. That's hard to use in a chimney. Royal Oak has a lot more medium sized pieces, which works much better. Any really big pieces I pull out of the chimney and throw in the charcoal ring.
 
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