minion method take #2

[krazylegs]

Okay boys I dont get it. i know if you are cooking with just charcoal that this is the way to go. But what about wood mixed with a little bit of charcoal?

I dont think that I could obtain the "blue" smoke if the dampers are almost shut. that would surly bring on the dreaded white-yellow smoke. But, if you open the dampers to allow for the blue smoke i would think that you would have a really hot fire really fast.

I know in the begining I could throw a couple of chunks on and be okay. But I wanted to use this method and have some chunks scattered through out the pile of unlit charcoal. What do you guys think.

I want to be able to take a cat-nap like Doc1680.

[bigabyte]

krazylegs, I have an offset (Brinkmann SnP) and the way I do the minion method is to shovel all the lit coals to the side of the firebox towards the cooker. I have a double baffle so there is a wall inside the firebox by the opening to the cooking chamber that I push these up against. Then I fill in behind those lit coals towards the intake. This keeps them from all lighting up from the incoming air at the intake. They are burning backwards. I have done it the exact opposite way before and found I had big temperature swings. By making them burn backwards they light much more consistently. I usually leave my intake wide open, but really windy days I have taken it all the way down to 1/3 open. I get a 1 to 1 1/2 hour burn before refueling, and a really steady temp throughout the cook. The first batch of coals always needs refueling after 1 hour, the second about 1:15, and then about 1:20 to 1:30 after that. When I refuel, the wood that I was using previously is down to embers and isn't putting out any more smoke. I add more chunks then, putting some on the lit coals, and some on the unlit coals. I don't get too much or too thick smoke using this method. I use dry chunks of course, and I only use chunks with no bark and no discoloration. It took me a while to figure that one out, but leaving the bark off helps to keep the smoke thinner when the wood is lighting. This of course means I have more waste, but I am really happy with the results.
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--Chris Baker
--Mad BBQ Scientist
--When my lab fills with smoke, that means it's working!

[Doc1680]

I just tried the minion method this weekend krazylegs. It worked out o.k. I tried the doughnut hole technique. I filled my firebox with 2 to 1 lump and duraflame birquettes. Scoop the middle out to the sides to make a hole. Just fill the hole with about 15-20 lit coals. The fire will slowly make its way outward. Once the wind died down I got about 1 1/2 + or - few mins. of burn time.
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Love the voodoo that Q do.

Doc