mbshop
Babbling Farker
i use it all the time and have no issues.
When you look at the physics involved (yes, I'm an art major but I got all As in physics), no matter what method you use, you want to have your fuel pre-heated and burning as quickly as possible. Cold fuel creates a lot of bad smoke as it tries to get burning. The same s true for any carbon-based fuel.
The whole idea behind the Minion Method is not stretching out your fuel supply, IMO, but keeping a steady supply of lit fuel, supplied by super heated unlit fuel.
Think about a 1967 Chevy small block with a carburetor on a cold morning. To start that engine, you are going to have to pump the gas and pull the choke. It is going to burn a whole lot of gas, very badly, until it gets up to operating temperature.
When I dump my lit coals onto my Minion method setup, I know it is going to be like starting up that 67 chevy small block. It will need time to start burning efficiently. Once it gets going, it keeps going better than any other method I have used.
The only deviation I use is to add small chunks of smoke wood to the fire if I stop smelling wood smoke too early in the cook.
CD