UDS Charcoal lighting instructions

rocketmanray · Feb 17, 2009

I have a question about lighting the charcoal in the charcoal basket. :?:
I built my Weber grate with the expanded metal basket.
How do I light my charcoal? I have a brush burner, and a charcoal chimney starter.
Fill basket half full then light a couple of pieces of the charcoal then dump the rest on top?
Fill the basket full, light top with brush burner?
Light charcoal chimney in chimney starter, dump in bottom of basket, the fill to top with charcoal from bag?
The obvious next question where do I start with the nipples and valves?
Suggestions??
Help? Is there a “best way” to light the charcoal? Is there a thread previously posted?
Pictures of UDS will be posted after it’s properly labeled with Georgia Tech logos, handles and accessorized with bottle opener.
Thanks,
RMR

Divemaster · Feb 17, 2009

I might be able to help...

rocketmanray said:
I have a brush burner, and a charcoal chimney starter.

Those are a great start!

rocketmanray said:
Fill basket half full then light a couple of pieces of the charcoal then dump the rest on top?

Actually I normally fill the basket and then put about 1/2 chimney started on top.

rocketmanray said:
Fill the basket full, light top with brush burner?

That works too....

rocketmanray said:
Light charcoal chimney in chimney starter, dump in bottom of basket, the fill to top with charcoal from bag?

Don't recommend it... It would work but there are better ways...

rocketmanray said:
The obvious next question where do I start with the nipples and valves?

I like to start with my valve wide open to see what the smoker is going to do... If I need more air, remove one of the caps and close down the valve a bit... If it is running hot, close down the valve a bit... Just make sure that the valve is not facing the wind or you'll get more air than you expect...

Smoke & Beers · Feb 17, 2009

I load my basket (made with Weber grate and expanded metal and 3- 3" blots for legs) with about 10 lbs of K briquettes and lump mixed, plus my wood.

I take my trusty weed burner and light the top layer... let it burn for about 5 minutes then place it into the drum. I put the lid on and open all the valves and watch my temp. When it is about 200*, I plug one of my three holes (3/4" nipples) and shut the ball valve on the other down to 1/2 open and let the temps settle in...usually around 220*-230*.
On windy days, I may shut it down to just 1 open and whenever I have to open it up to spray or place or remove meat, I will shut them all down for about a minute prior, so I minimize heat spikes.
This is how I do it, and what I've been told, each UDS has its own personality, so this may not work exactly the same for you, but it is something to start with... Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

Barbarian · Feb 17, 2009

rocketmanray said:
Fill the basket full, light top with brush burner?

I do it this way, but I have never had to fill my basket full. Depends on what & how much your cooking and how long you need the fire to go. I bet most guys never run out of charcoal during a cook.

:-D

Norcoredneck · Feb 17, 2009

I have lost my Nordic Eyebrows too many times trying to dump a chimney into a UDS (once). I just start center with weed burner and leave chimney for yard art.

swamprb · Feb 17, 2009

Weed burner!

ComputerMike · Feb 17, 2009

I use the coffee can method. I have a coffee can with the top and bottom cut out and a wire handle installed. I put the coffee can tube in the basket and fill charcoal all around it. I throw a handful of wood chips in teh bottom of the coffee can so that they fall through to the ash pan beneath. I fill the coffee can with a lit chimney of charcoal and then pull out the coffee can. As the lit charcoal burns down it falls on the chips and gives me the smoke (or so the theory goes). I manage 18 hrs + on this set up.

I start with all three vents (holes covered with magnets) wide open and then throttle way back (about a 1/4 open) on all three. That usually sits nicely at 225 - 250 ish. I tweak the magnets for the first 30 min or so and then let it go.

Rookie'48 · Feb 17, 2009

Weed burner here!

Bbq Bubba · Feb 17, 2009

Like already said.....

Light with weedburner, close down valves and catch your temp coming up! :biggrin:

NorthwestBBQ · Jul 7, 2009

swamprb,

May I ask you where you bought your weed burner and what model is it?

Desert Dweller · Jul 7, 2009

I do both weed burner or charcoal chimney, depending on how busy I am when getting stuff ready. I usually am working alone and have a lot to do, so most of the time it's starting with a nearly full basket of lump/briquette/wood mix, and a nearly full chimney. I avoid burns by wearing long sleves and gloves while dumping the chimney into the basket of the drum, (Norco, where was your face when you singed your eyebrows???) Nipples/valve/holes wide open for about ten minutes to start rest of basket. Then leave grate off, lid on to bring close to temp, lift lid, wood split on top for luck, put on grate(s), food, lid and bring to temp, closing valves/holes in amounts required by each drums uniqueness to lock in cooking temp.

helljack6 · Jul 7, 2009

On my first cook, i filled the charcoal basket up and then removed about 12 pieces and threw them in my chimney starter, doused them with charcoal fluid and lit them up and then let them ash over. Then I used a pair of extended tongs and placed them gently on the top of my other coals spread out and then put my foil packet containing my wet wood chips on top. I messed around with the intake valve for just a few minutes. It was pretty easy to tell when to start shutting down the air to keep it locked in at 250.

NorthwestBBQ · Jul 7, 2009

Charcoal fluid? Say it ain't so helljack6!

Bbq Bubba · Jul 7, 2009

Fluid?
Foil pack?
Oh, the humanity....

helljack6 said:
On my first cook, i filled the charcoal basket up and then removed about 12 pieces and threw them in my chimney starter, doused them with charcoal fluid and lit them up and then let them ash over. Then I used a pair of extended tongs and placed them gently on the top of my other coals spread out and then put my foil packet containing my wet wood chips on top. I messed around with the intake valve for just a few minutes. It was pretty easy to tell when to start shutting down the air to keep it locked in at 250.

helljack6 · Jul 7, 2009

Bbq Bubba said:
Fluid?
Foil pack?
Oh, the humanity....

Yes, charcoal fluid and foil pack. Gotta use what's available and at the time, I didn't have any paper, don't own a flame thrower and didn't have money to go out and buy full sized chunks of wood (that and most of the local stores were out around here due to the 4th of July weekend).

I'm still curious about Mike's way of using wood chips beneath the heat source.

Wampus · Jul 7, 2009

helljack6 said:
Yes, charcoal fluid and foil pack. Gotta use what's available and at the time, I didn't have any paper, don't own a flame thrower and didn't have money to go out and buy full sized chunks of wood (that and most of the local stores were out around here due to the 4th of July weekend).

I'm still curious about Mike's way of using wood chips beneath the heat source.

No paper? NO paper? Interesting.
Charcoal bags (at least Kingsford) are usually 3 layers of paper. I constantly use up my bags as I empty them (when I run out of ALL paper in the house and garage:wink

. I've even torn off the outer layer of paper when the bag still had coals in it.

If you have a chimney, lose the fluid.
Chips'll smoke just fine just thrown on the fire too.

Sorry....couldn't resist a little flame. All in fun.

Fluid.....phooey!!:mrgreen:

ytsejam · Jul 7, 2009

i fill the basket with 10-15 lbs of a mix of lump and briqs, with a few wood chunks mixed in. then put 12 briqs. in the chiminy starter. and light them.
Open 2 of my air vents all the way. when the 12 briqs are completely ashed over, dump them on top of the basket, and put it in the drum.
as the temp starts to rise, i slowly shut one vent, about a 1/4 inch per 15 mins or so.

Barbarian · Jul 7, 2009

Hey Hjack you could just gone down and bought the daily newspaper for a quarter or so and used it instead of tainting the food. I thought everyone in Neb. owned a flame thrower.

Like Wampus, I could not resist a little fun with a newbie.

1FUNVET · Jul 7, 2009

Barbarian said:
Hey Hjack you could just gone down and bought the daily newspaper for a quarter or so and used it instead of tainting the food. I thought everyone in Neb. owned a flame thrower.

Like Wampus, I could not resist a little fun with a newbie.

Newspaper,pages from a magazine,paper towels and even toilet paper, i've used 'em all.Toilet paper did burn kinda fast:biggrin:

helljack6 · Jul 7, 2009

1FUNVET said:
Newspaper,pages from a magazine,paper towels and even toilet paper, i've used 'em all.Toilet paper did burn kinda fast:biggrin:

Toilet paper, why didn't i think of that? I could get double use out of it!

UDS Charcoal lighting instructions

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