Question. Coals must be fully lit (white ashed over), but Snake & Minion?

[Stoneage]

have, & have to have a bunch of unlit coals that continuously go through the starting burn till whited all over during the cook.
How does that work, they seem mutually exclusive?

[Ashley Coalburn]

I think you haven't gotten a response because your question is difficult to understand. I've read it through several times and think I have the gist.

When using the minion/snake/fuse methods, there is a constant progression of coals being lit and burning out. They start from cold and go to "whited" (ashed over) as the burn progresses, then are eventually fully spent. This is different than a high heat cook, where you light the charcoal all at once (for the most part) and let it get fully ashed over and hot before you cook, then they all burn out at about the same time.

Hope that is what you're asking.

[LiquidOcelot]

Witchcraft

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[Stoneage]

Not quite.
method 1 burn till white (ashed over) this is good because the creosote only comes from partially burnt (not ashed over) briquettes.
Method 2, coals are constantly freshly lit & burn up to ashed over (white) while food is in there with them. Presumably the same creosote is released that we didn't want with method 1.

[Jtayres]

I'm following this because I have wondered the same question.

I use a slow n sear which has you using a fuse of lit charcoals with a full basket of unlit. I havnt noticed any off flavors but I don't understand why this would be any different than using half lit coals.


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[Ashley Coalburn]

You do understand that charcoal briquettes burn from the outside in, right? The ash on the outside just signifies it's ready, there is still unburned fuel in the middle of that briq which is being lit and burned as it progresses. Kind of a micro-minion. As the O2 and heat hit deeper and deeper into the briquettes the fuel lights. If you want proof of that just knock the ash off of any lit briq or look at what's left in your grill after the cook. Ashed over does not necessarily mean that all of the fuel in a particular chunk is lit. If it did, they wouldn't last very long, they'd be gone in...if you'll excuse the term...a puff of smoke.

The key is to keep the fire properly ventilated for nice thin smoke. Heavy dark smoke is unburned fuel, basically soot. Light smoke is a more efficient burn with little or no unburned fuel. This is the same with wood. If you get a lot of dark heavy smoke for some reason, please stop, rinse off the food, and start over.

[JEBIV]

I am waiting on @Darko to say something like " just light the fricken coals and cook something " LOL

[Stoneage]

That was exactly my understanding.
So why the difference?

[Ashley Coalburn]

Why what difference?

[powermatt99]

Coals don't have to be completely lit unless you are using MatchLight, which you shouldn't be.

Hopefully that is the question, OP doesn't really make sense.

[Stoneage]

Which part confuses you?
One method says fully ashed over, the other obviously is not?

[SMOKE FREAK]

My guess is that back when lighter fuel was "the way" to light your coals, fully ashed was the best way to not have fuel taste in your food.

Even though I light coals in a chimney, I rarely wait till they are all fully ashed to dump em in the kettle. No problem with creosote or soot.

I think maybe you're overthinking the whole thing.

[Stoneage]

Maybe, mostly I'm just curious.
Most of the time when I hear the fully ashed school of thought its about creosote, not fuel, but I guess it could just be a hangover.
I don't wait either once there is a "core" of hot coals in they go.

[Darko]

I am waiting on @Darko to say something like " just light the fricken coals and cook something " LOL

That's pretty much it.