How to extend cooking time with less charcoal in the firebox.
The Minion Method*
- Fill the charcoal chamber with briquettes – those with no petroleum binders are recommended.
- Separately, in a chimney starter, place about 20 coals. Light and wait until the briquettes turn to ash.
- Spread those coals over the unlit ones in the chamber.
- Assemble the cooker. Leave the top and bottom vents open during the entire cooking process. Start cooking.
*Jim Minion, a car salesman from Federal Way, Washington insists he wasn't looking for fame, just a way to control the temperature of his water smoker when participating in barbeque competitions. After winning with his new technique, Minion posted the information online so others with the same temperature-control concerns could use it. That's all it took: The Minion Method was born.
The process works well with the Double Chef in normal weather allowing a 9 to 10 hour burn.
- Works best with briquettes (DO NOT use Petroleum saturated charcoal.)
- Place 4 to 6 lbs of charcoal in the double chef basket & place 3 to 5 chunks of wood mixed in the charcoal.( Less for a shorter cook more for a longer cook time)
- Light 20 briquettes in a chimney & allow t light well.
- Place the lit briquettes in a corner of the filled pan.
- With practice you will learn where to set your vents for your cooker to maintain the desired temp.
- Try starting with 1 bottom vent closed and the second vent open halfway. Adjust the top vent so that almost all of the smoke comes out the top and not out the door and seams.
- In cool weather the vents need to be adjusted and open a bit more.