# 1st. cook with charcoal



## muddave (Apr 5, 2011)

Today was the first time I cooked with charcoal. I used an old Brinkman smoker with the charcoal pan moved up to the top. I filled my chimney 3/4 full with Kingsford charcoal. Let it burn for 30 minutes until all the brickets were completely white. I cooked 7 pieces of boneless skinless chicken. It only cooked about 2/3rds of the way and the charcoal started cooling off. So I had to finish cooking them on the gas grill. Where did I go wrong? Any advice is greatly appreciated! 
Thanks
Dave


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## bigwheel (Apr 5, 2011)

Think you most likely burned up the charcoal before using it. Next try just lighting it and start cooking when it quits stinking and putting out black smoke. That should work.


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## ChuckBBQSmoker (Apr 5, 2011)

letting it go 30mins in the chimney. Way to long! All you need to do is wait about 10-15min tops till you see some flames coming through the top. Doesn't need to be roaring through it just some flames popping through. You were then good to go. Even with the top coals not "white" as you pour them out the fully lit ones are on top and the ones not fully lit underneather will burn. You can then even throw a couple un-lit on top of you want to ensure longer cooking also.


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## bbquzz (Apr 6, 2011)

Google MINION METHOD, basically a layer of unlit charcoal and then a few of your white hot coals on top of them, they slowly ignite your unlit coals and prolong your heat.


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## BigAL (Apr 6, 2011)

Aside from that, how was the chicken, Dave?


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## muddave (Apr 6, 2011)

It was great, i got the taste i was looking for. I have been trying with my old gas grill for week or so but know taste. Charcoal is the way to go for me. Dave


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## friesian_rain (Apr 6, 2011)

Glad to see you are using a chimney to start your coals; and you can also try switching over to lump, it burns hotter and longer,  or using a combo of lump and coal..... 
You'll never go back to a gas grill now  !


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## bigwheel (Apr 6, 2011)

Best way to light charcoal is first to forget the chimney non sense. Snag yourself a propane prickly pear burner from Harbor Freight. It will get it going quicker than a minner can swim a dipper. Keep eyes closed when you put a fire in the hole. 

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsea ... eed+burner


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## friesian_rain (Apr 6, 2011)

bigwheel said:
			
		

> Best way to light charcoal is first to forget the chimney non sense. Snag yourself a propane prickly pear burner from Harbor Freight. It will get it going quicker than a minner can swim a dipper. Keep eyes closed when you put a fire in the hole.
> 
> http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsea ... eed+burner





Flame on, I want one of those !   No more messing with rolled newspaper !


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## BigAL (Apr 6, 2011)

muddave said:
			
		

> It was great, i got the taste i was looking for. I have been trying with my old gas grill for week or so but know taste. Charcoal is the way to go for me. Dave



Glad to hear it, Dave!  You'll fix the charcoal problem.  Important part is taste.  CONGRATS!  



BW, how long does it take to use a weed burner(what we call them)?  I've got a couple, iirc, but never thought about it.  Got any pix?
Only problem w/not use'n newspaper is what else to do w/the liberal, radical media postings?


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## muddave (Apr 6, 2011)

I used Kingsford is there a better charcoal out there, My wife said she could taste chemical taste


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## Smokey Lew (Apr 6, 2011)

I use a combination of Stub's BBQ briquets and mesquite lump charcoal for all my grilling. The Stub's briquets are hardwood and they don't have any filler in them. You can get them at Lowe's building supply stores.

Here's what I use for starting my coals.


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## muddave (Apr 6, 2011)

Thanks i will try a bag. Dave


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## Vermin999 (Apr 6, 2011)

When I had just my Weber OTG I used to use my weed burner all the time. The same thing BW posted to light my coals. I just banked the coals to one side hit the charcoal in a couple of spots till I saw orange on the coals. Maybe a minute max. I would set my vents go inside do my last minute prep. Once you get it down to a science you can be cooking in 15-20 minutes. Now that I have the Performer I always use the gas assist.


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## bigwheel (Apr 6, 2011)

Well aint no pics handy. Guess about 30 secs or so should do it. I got the flame thrower with the after burner which you just flippy the switch and it belches fire like the space shuttle taking off so it dont take long. Good point on whut to do with the liberal rags which attempts to pass for newspapers. If you live in a fishing co moonity it good for wrapping dead fish up in it. Or if you got a parakeet it handy to line the cage to catch the para poop seed hulls etc. Now I did have a little hamburger grill which would cook 4 quarter pounders in a min or two using 7 sheets of crumbled up newspaper and they tasted great. If you ever see one buy it. They dont cost but about 12 bucks. Now the old boy in the link claim they are good for steaks and chicken but they really aint. They need cheap hamburger meat to make enough grease to cook it right. Best bet on charcoal for bullet smokers is Ozark Oak Lump which is made by Arkies up in Snow Arkansas. It says its from Yellville on the sack but it aint made there. Must just be a catchier name. Got two places to buy it retail here but otherwise might be hard to find for some folks. Somebody say its easy to find in E. Texas but wouldn't bet my life on it. 

http://users.aristotle.net/~shicks/qwikcook/index.html



			
				BigAL said:
			
		

> muddave said:
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