Explain something to me ok?

[Mike in Roseville]

Dave, just get on board already. You’ll have 7-10 by end of 2018.
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But I am genuinely wondering if there is a benefit I’m missing out on by lighting chimneys on a SJ.


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If you are wondering if it makes your fire hotter or your food taste better the answer is ...no.

I️ light mine in a spare 18WSM bowl, the kettle I’m cooking on, or in an aluminum foil pan on the ground.


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[addicted-to-smoke]

... Lighting a chimney on concrete is not a good idea.

I agree, and should have been more clear in my earlier post. I was meaning to say that cement can be (in my experience) an acceptable place to set a hot (empty) chimney ... they very quickly cool down. But I prefer using another grill for that. Less walking around and bending over.

It should also be noted lots of guys light a chimney sitting in some kind of metal tray or pan. I think you'd still have to be aware of what's below the now-hot pan when doing it that way.

[Lowbrass]

I use an old black SJ to start my chimney most of the time.  It is a habit that was formed because I started out on a WSM.  The charcoal grate isn’t available when doing the minion method and I needed a place to start the chimney that wasn’t my concrete patio or driveway.  Enter the beat up SJ I got from a friend!

The SJ gives you a place to put a hot chimney after you dump out the coals.

This. ^^^. I also use mine at the end of a cook.  I use my ash scoop and charcoal rake to scoop up the hot coals and into the SJ to kill them out faster.  I then reuse them to top off the baskets or vortex or as starter charcoal for the minion method on a long smoke.


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[hawgheaven]

I cook on my SJ from time to time, and never gave it a thought as a coal starter. I set an old, crummy grate in the kettle I'm cooking on, light the chimney, remove from the grate, remove the crummy grate and dump the coals. Put your good cooking grate in place and go to town!

PS: I don't use newspaper. Just Sterno.

[charred]

I converted from using newspaper to Weber cubes a couple years ago, even on my Performers. The cubes produce no ashes like newspaper and don't need to be shut off like the Performer.

What does this have to do w/ using a Smokey Joe to light a chimney? Nothing.

As for a place to put a hot chimney after dumping, I've put them down on grass, patio block, and concrete sidewalk w/ no ill effect. There is very little hot that touches these surfaces, assuming the chimney is stood upright. I dump the hot coals, do a quick back and forth wave to cool the chimney, then place it down.