Unlit on top or bottom

[John Solodar]

I've seen a few variations of charcoal lighting steps. In some, they put a starter full of unlit on bottom and add a starter full of lit on top. In others, they have switched it.

Does it make much of a difference? Would unlit on bottom last longer with lower temps since it might take longer to ignite?

Doing my first attempt at ribs this weekend and just checking a last few items.

John

 

[PaulFisher]

I put my lit coals on top of the unlit ones. I'm not really sure it makes any difference.

 

[Steve St]

For me, I use a full load unlit and about 10 to 15 briquets lit poured into an indentation on the mound of unlit. This forces the charcoal to burn down at what I believe is a slower burn. May make it easier to control the burn.
Steve

 

[Wolgast]

Think of it like a candle.

Slow burn: the candle gets heat from above.

Fast burn turn the candle uppside down.

I ALWAYS put the lit ontop or i might aswell go with all lit for High heat.

 

[Russell McNeely]

For low and slow I always put unlit on bottom and some
lit coals on top. For high heat- all lit coals.

 

[John Solodar]

Thanks for the replies. Pretty much what I suspected, but glad to get confirmation.

Appreciate all the assistance on the newbie portion of the forum. Takes a lot of the potential frustration and shortens the learning curve. Straight to good BBQ!

John

 

[TravisH]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Wolgast:
Think of it like a candle. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Better yet - a match.

Hold a match flame up = slow burn, low heat.

Hold a match flame down = fast burn, high heat ... and burned fingers!

 

[John Mason]

If you're looking to do the Minion Method, you want a ring half to all the way full and about 12-14 lit in an indent on top.

If you put a full chimney of lit on top the temps will get away from you.