Firebox Door on the Side

[MTurney]

I love my Lang 36” but the only gripe I have is the placement of firebox door. Fuel-wise I start with a chimney of coals topped with large wood chunks. As the coals die down I use 1/4 splits the rest of the cook.

That said, getting a chimney of lit coals into a firebox with a side door isn’t easy. I basically "throw" them in using the chimney handle which causes the coals to scatter. Ideally I would have a nice even mound of coals.

Anyone have a technique or work around to make this process easier? Thanks in advance and Merry Christmas (Eve)!

[RonB]

You might try dumping the hot coals in a shovel and then transfer to the firebox. Another option would be to make a sheet metal slide so you could dump the coals on the slide where they would slide into the firebox.

[ecowper]

LOL check out my comment Ron

[ecowper]

Similar issues with a WSM or a Hasty-Bake (which I have both) when trying to refuel with lit coals ..... two different techniques I use. First is to pour the coals onto a flat shovel and then load them into the cooker. The other is to use the door of the WSM as a slide, so to speak. The third technique, flinging them out of the chimney, I stopped using for the very same problem that you have. You might also get a charcoal rake, and once the coals are in the firebox, you could use the rake to arrange them in a pile.

[MTurney]

You and RonB are clearly on the same page lol. Love the shovel idea and will definitely try that next cook 👍. My original thought was to find a basket that I can tilt or lean out of the firebox but the shovel sounds much easier

[Steve R.]

I ran into the same issue as ecowper with adding lit coals to my WSM, and I didn't trust the door slide method to not dump coals outside the charcoal basket. Then I remembered I had one of these:



The head is small enough to scoop directly from the chimney starter. The fact that the finish on the head makes it behave like a torch on the first use is either a pro or con, depending on how easily entertained you are.

[ecowper]

Me being the lazy butthead that I am, I just grabbed the "yard shovel" I keep near the porch and used it.

[Dewesq55]

If you are only using coals in the beginning to start the fire, then why not just pile the unlit coals onto the fire grate and use a starter cube, tumbleweed, etc. to start the fire right in the firebox and bypass the chimney altogether. That's how I start the fire in my homemade tandoor.

[MTurney]

The only option to pile the unlit coals would be to use my hands which I’d like to avoid if possible

[bbqLuv]

Now that is a simple answer.

[scottranda]

SNS has a charcoal cherry picker that works really well!!

https://snsgrills.com/collections/grilling-accessories/products/charcoal-cherry-picker

[scottranda]

This would get the stray charcoal back to the pile.

[Henrik]

Perhaps I’m missing something, but why don’t you place the charcoal in the firebox and _then_ light it, when it’s already in place?

[MTurney]

It’s the actual placing of the coals that’s a challenge. I could glove up and place them in a pile with my hands and use a tumbleweed or starter but that’s a lot of trouble and messy compared to say my kettle or a firebox with a top-side door where you simply dump the chimney. I think dumping the chimney on a shovel makes the most sense at this point

[Henrik]

I see, the shovel seems like an easy solution.

[CaptainMike]

As I wait (im)patiently for my LSG I have given this some thought as well. I have the small Weber chimney and was thinking this might be a good solution. I use it for a bed of coals for splits in my Santa Maria grill and it works well.

[jlazar]

I get dirty hands using a chimney for any smoker!!

[tbob4]

I’m thinking something like this. It is short but fat. Gives you room to lift and dump but looks like it holds a good amount of charcoal because it is fatter than average. This is from the Walmart site.

[fracmeister]

I’m thinking something like this. It is short but fat. Gives you room to lift and dump but looks like it holds a good amount of charcoal because it is fatter than average. This is from the Walmart site.

The best kind

[tbob4]

Hahahahaha

[ofelles]

Hey is that a fat joke. I'm sensitive you know!.

[kjbarth]

A piece of aluminum pipe.

[JimLinebarger]

Pit Barrel Cooker has a small chimney, also.

[Loren]

I loved me some garden spade for placing coal and moving sticks around; I felt like a fireman (on a very small boiler).

https://www.homedepot.com/p/18-in-Handle-D-Handle-Garden-Spade-PES-PE-HD/313184030

[Andrrr]

I don’t know how tall your firebox is but how about the char griller chimney where you pull the handle and the coals fall out the bottom?

https://www.chargriller.com/products/charcoal-chimmey-2units-per-master-carton