Minion Method and Smoke

[Steven Simpkins]

When using the minion method and starting with only 12 lit briquettes it is only possible to get one piece of wood on the lit briquettes. With only one piece of wood lit in the beginning how can I get the smoke taste on the meat.

Bones

 

[K Kruger]

Top the unlit with several small pieces of wood (I chop a couple fist-sized chunks into 5 or 6 pieces each, then use 8 or 9 of these smaller pieces); scatter the 12 lit on top; done.

 

[Michael G. (Canada Mike)]

I also put a few pieces beneath the charcoal so it smokes up later. We like a strong smoke taste up here in the north.

 

[LarryR]

If you zoom in on the picture below you'll see that I like to bury wood in my fuel, I then dump my lit and I'll place a chunk on the fringe of the lit in the center. Great smoke beginning of cook as the chunk will slowly start to burn vs. being engulfed and then as my fire spreads the buried wood chunks will burn giving me a consistent smoke the entire cook.


What looks like lit on the left side is ash from when I dumped my lit in the center.

 

[Bill S.]

I start my minion differently. I space the briquettes evenly around the the outside near the ring (usually 9 briqs) then I put the remaining 3 or 4 in the middle. If you do it that way, you'll be able to get more than one chunk in there. I just put a chunk on a couple lit briqs.