How I LIGHT MY FIRE + yardbirds and abts

texbbqpits · Posted: Aug 12 2012 Post subject: How I LIGHT MY FIRE + yardbirds and abts

One of the questions I get asked a lot at church cooks is how do I get my logs lit in my stickburner. After talking with various ringers and seeing various posts such as http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=51291 I decided to leave off the gas starter in the fire box and my pit has no gas anywhere in the pit. I do have a fish fryer mounted on the front. Anyway I thought I would share how I get my sticks lit using charcoal. I start with 3/4 of charcoal lighter of charcoal in the firebox:

Then I fill a charcoal lighter and put it on the fish fryer burner:

After 20 minuters the charcoal is gray throughout and I add that to the unlit charcoal in the fire box:

Then I add acouple of oak logs:

All in and out vents wide open to get the stiks burning:

20 minutes later I have a good bed of coals for heat and good oak smoke:

Close down the intake vents but leave the exhaust vents wid open:

Logs on top of firebox to preheat:

Chickens slathered with mustard and rubbed with Hint of Houston (thanks Big Ron for your great rubs):

1/2 hour later, added a hickory stick;
One hour into burn:

Added one preheated stik and it started almost instantly:

Added ABTS:

I continue to add one stik every hour and occasionly an extra small stik if the coals are getting low. Temps holding at 230-235. Hope this helps someone get their fire started. Will post final pics when done.
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texbbqpits · Posted: Aug 12 2012 Post subject: All Done

Chicken and abts done;

No plate up today. Tom
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gotwake · Posted: Aug 12 2012 Post subject:

Yep, that is how I do it as well. Good looking chicken. Do you cook in the IBCA or LSBS?
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texbbqpits · Posted: Aug 12 2012 Post subject:

gotwake - I don't cook in cookoffs, but simply cook for family, friends and non-profits. Thanks for looking.
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gotwake · Posted: Aug 12 2012 Post subject:

The only reason I asked was b/c that is a split chicken. I love competition bbq, but my greatest rewards come from cooking for other people. Keep it up.
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texbbqpits · Posted: Aug 12 2012 Post subject:

When I was growing up chickens were plentiful on the family place so we ate a lot of them. Split is the way we smoked them then, 50 years ago and its still the way i usually do them now. Tom
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GF · Posted: Aug 12 2012 Post subject:

texbbqpits, that is a fine looking meal. Very Happy

You got a nice color on the bird and the ABT's look great, very nice job.

BUGSnBBQ · Posted: Aug 12 2012 Post subject:

DANG, texbbqpits, that looks really good!.

Congratulations on a FINE looking plate-o-goodlyness!!! Laughing

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RollinontheRvr · Posted: Aug 12 2012 Post subject:

Thanks for the post...that definitely looks tasty.
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1buckie · Posted: Aug 12 2012 Post subject:

texbbqpits / Tom !!!!!

Great looking birds & 'turds !!
That's some pretty rich color...

Thanks for the play-by-play on the fire too, as that is a good, clear demonstration on how-to....
Folks will benefit from that ~~> Very Happy

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k.a.m. · Posted: Aug 12 2012 Post subject:

Tom, nice tutorial on fire management and awesome cook on the bird it looks delicious. Nicely done my man. Very Happy

I have bookmarked your thread for future reference to those that need pics on how a fire should look burning as well as pre-warming the wood. Thank You for taking the time to do so.
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roxy · Posted: Aug 12 2012 Post subject:

Very nice pictoral..

Now thats some fine looking chicken and ABT's..

Excellent post.
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texbbqpits · Posted: Aug 12 2012 Post subject:

GF - Thank you.
BUGnBBQ - Thanks.
1buckie - Your welcome and thanks for looking.
k.a.m - Thank you Kevin, I appreciate your comments on the tutorial.
roxy - Thank you, Chicken and abts were just basic bbq but tasted good. I hope the pics help someone down the way.
Tom
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k.c.hawg · BBQ Super Pro Joined: 17 May 2009 Posts: 1752

Tom I love that cooker of yours! Good view on fire management! You've got those halves and abt's looking real good. I've always liked cooking the halves over any other method for my bird. Nice cook and thanks for sharing.
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texbbqpits · Posted: Aug 13 2012 Post subject:

k.c.hawg - I occasionlly cook quarters and have done a couple of beer can chickens, but much prefer the halves. Appreciate the comment on the cooker. I had wanted a Klose for years and saved for sometime to buy it. And I love it. Thanks. Tom
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MGeslock · Posted: Aug 13 2012 Post subject:

That is a great "How to". I wish that i had that when I taught myself.

Thanks!

texbbqpits · Posted: Aug 13 2012 Post subject:

MGeslock - Thank you. When I switched from my previous pit with a gas starter to this one without the gas I struggled to get an even fire going and read a lot on the web but no pitorial. Hope it will help someone.
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SoEzzy · Posted: Aug 13 2012 Post subject:

Like the pictorial! Wink

Wonder if you wouldn't also think about a charcoal basket too, that way you can control the spread of your fire base, by containing the fire base from the get go, you often find the fire is a little more efficient and helps raise your cooking chamber temperature a bit quicker.

the kept together coals put out more heat combined than when spread out over a wider area.

See disclaimer below! Wink

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texbbqpits · Posted: Aug 13 2012 Post subject:

Thanks SoEzzy. You are certainly right with regards to the basket. My main purpose is twofold, 1 and most important, to get the logs burning, and 2 to make a bed of coals. Klose makea a heavy charcoal basket that is supposed to have a 6 hour burn at 250, but I just enjoy cooking with sticks, so that's what I do.
By the way, Thanks to you and Gerry for all you do. There is so much knowledge here and we all learn from others. Tom
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Big Ron · Posted: Aug 13 2012 Post subject:

That is how I start a fire as well except I use a sterno under the chimney.

Thanks for the support and glad to hear you enjoy the rubs too Cool

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