building fire in smoker.

[dataxman]

Okay, so how do you build your fires in your smoker's fire box?

Who uses the minion method? If no "special box" for the minion method, what do you do?

Any other tricks you like?

And, this could be in an offset pit or vertical pit.

Also, does anyone use the "donut" method? Where unlit charcoal is placed in a circle with the lit charcoal in the middle. If so, how did you like it? How long does it burn like that?

[kfd82]

Are you talking about a small vertical smoker that will cook a small brisket or turkey, or are you talking about a BBQ Pit?

[Free2Hunt]

I start charcoal in a Charcoal starter, pour it in the fire box and start adding wood. Takes about an hour to get the fire and the temp right for low and slow.

[dataxman]

Are you talking about a small vertical smoker that will cook a small brisket or turkey, or are you talking about a BBQ Pit?

Was editing while you wrote.

[josh3]

Use a propane torch to start fire in my big smoker.

[Bowtechlady]

Add my logs and turn the lighter on and get it going. Once it is going really good, I turn the lighter off and let it get going really good. I let it go for at least an hour or longer.

[czechaholic]

I have a propane line ran to mine along the bottom.....put logs in get fire started, turn the propane off once logs are rolling

[Wood Man]

I start by lighting about 5 lbs of charcoal then adding my wood on top. I get a big bed of coals going before I add meat to the pit.

[Palmetto]

Pear Burner

[KHoes203]

Use a propane torch to start fire in my big smoker.

X2

Best method their is. In addition you can use it to burn the scrap meat off the grates after you finish cooking or before.

[JeffJ]

Use a propane torch to start fire in my big smoker.

Yep. We use a pear burner. This is the best, fastest, easiest and Manliest way to do it. We can get our big smoker up to 225-250 within 20 minutes this way.

[Buckwheat]

I start charcoal in a Charcoal starter, pour it in the fire box and start adding wood. Takes about an hour to get the fire and the temp right for low and slow.

^^^^^^this

[Jason Slocum]

I use a about a cup of gasoline, in a cast iron ashtray on the bottom of the fire box. Stack some wood around the tray and start cooking when the gas has burned off, and the the temp is where I want it.

Jason Slocum

[Burnadell]

I use a about a cup of gasoline, in a cast iron ashtray on the bottom of the fire box. Stack some wood around the tray and start cooking when the gas has burned off, and the the temp is where I want it.

Jason Slocum

[TX_bowhunter37]

I start charcoal in a Charcoal starter, pour it in the fire box and start adding wood. Takes about an hour to get the fire and the temp right for low and slow.

x2