On Sun, 14 Sep 2014 12:40:40 -0500, Janet Wilder >
wrote:

> On 9/13/2014 9:49 PM, sf wrote:
> >
> > Now I know why "they" said not to invite people over the first couple
> > of times! I thought we had mesquite briquette, but we had 2 bags of
> > lump. I've never - ever cooked with lump. Not using lighter fluid
> > wasn't the problem. The amount to use was. It took me two hours just
> > to figure out how to get my cooking chamber (the heat comes from
> > elsewhere) up to "temp". This meal is going to be finished off in the
> > oven tonight (thanks for the tip Cheri) and it will still be 9PM!
> > Live & learn.
> >
> > Wishing myself better luck next time.
> >
> >
> Nothing wrong with lump charcoal. I use it all the time in my smoker.
> Royal Oak brand.

I was going to use a combination: start with a bed of briquettes and
put the lump on top. I had two bags and thought one of them was
briquettes - but both were lump. Starting them was much easier than I
thought it would be, thanks to the Blox - but I didn't have a clue
what amount of lump to use so I erred on the side of caution and had
to build it up.

The place I bought my chips from also sell sawdust. I didn't buy it
because I didn't know why I'd need it. I think I've figured it out:
to use to make fire starters. Do you make your own? I like these,
they are 1.5 or 2 inch squares that are only maybe .25 inch thick.

I didn't "tune" my box much because it's not set up to be a
combination grill/bbq in one unit (I'm discovering that's what the gas
side is for) - but I used a couple of unglazed quarry tiles as a
baffle and I think it worked out very well!

I need to find a screen to lay over the drip pan, then I might be able
to convert it into a charcoal grill. One of the videos I watched on
youtube said to never grill in the firebox because it creates a mess
that's hard to clean out, so I'm thinking that my "notebook" grill
will be getting more use than I thought.


--
Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them.