Lump - Cold or Hot

Rob, Like you, I started with the chargriller and then got the BSKD later. Different beasts for sure. I've decided that the BSKD is a hungry fellow who likes lots of fuel. I switched to all oak as that's readily available where I live and not expensive. Should be easy to find where you are. Check the classified ads in the local paper for firewood vendors. Just explain to them what you want the wood for.

Oh Yeh, your buck board bacon seasoning is in the mail.

chargriller said:

Hello All,

While testing my new smoker out I was expermiting with using lump. I normally add a small gallon bucket to the fire when it gets a little low, which last about 15 to 30 min it seems.

My question is should the lump be cold (not on fire) or hot (on fire)?

Am I doing it wrong by adding it cold?

Should I add it sooner so that the fire is not to far gone, and keep a bigger fire going at all time?

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Rob, lump has the ipurities already burned out of it, adding it cold won't hurt a thing. Briq is a different story, it's still loaded with impurities and should only be added cold in very small quantities.

As for a "bigger fire" I always try to burn a small but very hot fire (cleanest combustion and smoke that way). This requires a lot of attention (additions every 30-45 mins) but makes for a clean fire and great tasting Q.

Once again, different cookers vary. I primarily use briquettes with some wood chunks for good smoke, but I've had few problems adding them cold. Like KC said, though, I only add a few to the top of the fire. Since all I have (for now . . . ) is an ECB, I usually have to restart the entire fire at least once per cook. I've got this down to a science, though. Basically I lift the cooker off the fire, grab the fire grate with some tongs, lift out the hot coals, dump the ash, replace the fire grate, fill the bowl with briquettes, then dump the hot coals on top to start the Minion Method all over again. I've timed myself at about three minutes from lifting the cooker off to putting it back on. This seems to be a fairly common method of dealing with the ECB and similar low-end bullets. I would think that adding a little lump cold would not hurt anything, as long as the fire is hot enough to get it going quickly to keep the temp up.

VitaminQ said:

Once again, different cookers vary. I primarily use briquettes with some wood chunks for good smoke, but I've had few problems adding them cold. Like KC said, though, I only add a few to the top of the fire. Since all I have (for now . . . ) is an ECB, I usually have to restart the entire fire at least once per cook. I've got this down to a science, though. Basically I lift the cooker off the fire, grab the fire grate with some tongs, lift out the hot coals, dump the ash, replace the fire grate, fill the bowl with briquettes, then dump the hot coals on top to start the Minion Method all over again. I've timed myself at about three minutes from lifting the cooker off to putting it back on. This seems to be a fairly common method of dealing with the ECB and similar low-end bullets. I would think that adding a little lump cold would not hurt anything, as long as the fire is hot enough to get it going quickly to keep the temp up.

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The very reaso I want to replace my ECB. Once I find a good safe space to place the cooker I am getting a new/bigger toy.

icemn62 said:

The very reaso I want to replace my ECB. Once I find a good safe space to place the cooker I am getting a new/bigger toy.

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We're on a mission.

Char,
For cheap wood, do like some do here: Find a tree trimmer and ask if you can get some of cast offs in exchange for some good Q. Some of the best wood is the stuff about the size of a beer can in diameter, and most people just haul that to the burn pit.