A year ago when I began smoking I did a lot of reading. I tried everything they said from rolling newspaper to fire starters from FOGO. They all failed. Then one day I while cleaning my at the time COS with paper towels. I saw the paper towels full of drippings and thought maybe this will work.
Oh yes, the drippings are just enough accelerant to get the paper towels to burning hotter and longer to get the charcoal going .
Smoker:
Landmann Smoke Master Series Heavy Duty Barrel Smoker (COS) - With mods including 2 level rack system with pull-out grates
Masterbuilt 40.2" 1200W Electric Smoker
Masterbuilt ThermoTemp XL 40" Vertical Propane Smoker
Gas Grill:
BBQPro (cheap big box store model) Stainless steel 4 burnerswith aftermarket rotisserie.
Charcoal Grill:
Weber Smokey Joe Charcoal Grill 14"
Thermometer:​​​​​​
Fireboard 2 with Drive cable and 20 CFM fan and Competition Probe Package
Fireboard 1st Generation
ThermoWorks Mini Instant Read
Lavaworks Thermowand Instant Read
2 Maverick 733
ThermoWorks IR-GUN-S Industrial Infrared Thermometer
ThermoWorks ThermaPen Mk4 x 2
Govee Bluetooth Thermometer with 6 probes
Miscellaneous:
Anova Sous Vide Immersion Circulator - 1st generation
Anova Sous Vide Immersion Circulator - wifi/bluetooth connected
Favorite Beer:
Anything to the dark side and malty rather than hoppy. Currently liking Yuengling Porter and Newcastle Brown Ale. In a bar or pub I will often default to Guiness
Favorite Spirit:
Bourbon - Eagle Rare for "every day"; Angel's Envy for special occasions, Basil Hayden's, Larceny
Favorite Wine:
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Super Tuscan Sangiovese (Including Chianti Classico Riserva) Brunello di Montalcino
Favorite Meat(s):
Pork - especially the darker meat. I love spare ribs and anything made from shoulder/butt meat
Chicken - Mainly the dark meat and wings
Beef Ribeye steak
Favorite Cuisine to Cook:
Can't list just one: Indian, Chinese, Thai, West Indian/Carribean, Hispanic/Latin American, Ethiopian, Italian, BBQ
Favorite Cuisine to Eat:
Indian, followed closely by BBQ.
Reese Bobby from "Talladega Nights": "Oh hell, Son, I was high that day. That doesn't make any sense at all, you can be second, third, fourth... hell you can even be fifth." Translation -- you do your best, that's what matters!
Using a medium Green Egg, and yes, I have a Thermapen!
Me too, tumbleweeds are my favorite by far. I set a single tumbleweed on my weber smokey joe, light it, and set my chimney of coals over the tumbleweed. Coals ready in 15 minutes. I used to use newspaper but it's very smokey for my close by neighbors and I don't always have some around.
Same here...I have a container full of them. (Yeah, I remove them from the package all at once.)
A couple friends thought they were pointless/silly...they have since become converts as well.
Newspaper, brown packing paper, brown paper bags, lighter cubes (I usually reserve those for lighting a few briquettes in the SNS though), local mailed adds (if it's newsprint and non colored ink - call my superstitious )
Pretty much anything flammable, and all with good results - no odd flavors or failure to light.
I generally use Weber lighter cubes. I bought a 50 pack of the Quickfire starters a couple months back when someone posted a deal on them and they work great too. Just throw one or two of either of those those below a chimney of charcoal and it lights up without any problems.
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