So you're a BBQ Newb? getting your fire started

First off WELCOME to the club!!!

I dont want to come off like I know everything about BBQ, far from it, I got all my knowledge, (well lots of it also came from experimenting) from THE BBQ BRETHREN go there, no regrets! Tell them MMMMEAT sent you, that's me.

Dont be scared, click it!

Next we gotta be realistic, you cant buy a smoker and pile o meat and turn out a good result. There are LOTS of factors you need to take into account. You need to learn fire control, the MOST important of the addiction you will soon have controlling your life. To do that, you must practice, that's the only way. I could give you pointers all night long, but if you dont implement them in practice, you'll never learn the ways of your pit.

Definitions:
STICKBURNERS

 

STICKBURNER

CHARCOAL TYPE

Weber WSM

 

Brinkmann Smoke n Grill  

I guess we'll start the fire, and I SWEAR, if you picked up a bottle of lighter fluid to start your, I'm gonna stab a baby bunny with a pitchfork then feed it to a baby seal, before i club it. Dont do it, get a charcoal chimney starter. It will save you money, and takes just about the same amount of time to light off.

how is it cheaper?? a bottle of lighter fluid is right about 7 bux, and how many cooks does it do for you? lets say 5-6 even 7 that's a dollar per cook. While a WEBER charcoal chimney starter runs 15 bux after your 2nd bottle of lighter fluid ( and the nasty taste thereafter) is gone, you automatically start spending more money than the chimney starter, which will last years BTW.

Fluid BAAAAD

Chimney GOOOOOD

That's if you are using a charcoal smoker you can use charcoal in a stickburner (i do to get it started). What do you do to control the fire in a stickburner??  Well, that'll be another blog.

Next up is the smoke. I do not recommend wood chips. they burn up too quickly to effectively get the smoke flavor out, get chunks, and depending on your smoker you can be sparing with the chunks as they'll last a lil while. In  a stickburner here's hoping you'll have a bigole pile of wood to keep things goin for the length of the cook.

Chunks equal smoke

           

Chips equal fire

The next choice you have is in the charcoal you choose. I am a big fan of the Kingsford Bluebag. It's consistent and that is important for me. Lump charcoal is some people's fav because of how clean it is, pure wood no fillers, it often burns hotter, but in my experience it's inconsistent, from cook to cook, a learning curve, i am too lazy to overcome. But both are ok in my book, no thumbs required.

Kingsford Bluebag

Lump Charcoal

For now i'll leave you to your devices, I'll come back with some insights on each type of smoker (that i use or have used) and some of the modifications you can do to each of em to make them do what you need them to, to get that good Q.

OUT