I used them last night in the Vortex. Base layer of briqs, 2 cubes light, fill V 4/5 full. They work great and no ash from paper. Bought them initially to use traveling with Jumbo Joe so you dont have to pack a chimney.
Just a heads up, they tend to flake a bit when taking them oot of packaging. Or at least mine do. Thought the "ease of use" could use some improvement. Butt the lil bastards do work
One should have a chimney anyway... as you now know
Well, I started out with a gas smoker. I liked it pretty well but it had trouble getting enough heat in the winter and with heavy meat loads, so I got a pit barrel cooker. I used the starter cubes with it. I had some problems with it getting hot enough when loaded up. Then I bought a chimney starter because I hate lighter fluid. I have about decided I got a bad batch of charcoal because it still doesn't act right.
OK I put two of them underneath a chimney full of lump...Lit the lil buggers and waited...Suddenly things were hot...Very hot...Flamed-up cubes lasted long enough to get the coals well lit...Seemed faster than what I get with paper...
At the price I paid, two cubes cost about 33 cents...
Just a heads up, they tend to flake a bit when taking them oot of packaging. Or at least mine do. Thought the "ease of use" could use some improvement. Butt the lil bastards do work
They did the same thing with me. I had white stuff flying everywhere when the wind was blowing.
I used to use them but decided newspaper is either going in the trash or find a use for it. It now starts charcoal.
~ May your glass be ever full. May the roof over your head be always strong. And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead. ~ Dwain
I have about decided I got a bad batch of charcoal because it still doesn't act right.
Do you store your charcoal inside? I grilled some filets on a relatives Weber last summer. Took aboot 2x the amount of time to start in a chimney with newspaper. The briquettes were stored outside for aboot 3 months,under cover, unopened, and apparently absorbed some of the moisture. The family said WHERE'S THE BEEF?
Craig, had some previously used coals in the Vortex from last night. Put in a Weber cube and lit. Covered with used briqs, and in aboot 10-12 minutes, she was ready to go again. Temps on relight of used briqs was abooot 375 on lid. Good enough for me ..... Reverse seared some marinated Flank strips in aboot 8-10 minutes, then closed all vents. She could have done more cookin for sure. This was from inside a 22.5" kettle. Been messing around more with the Vortex lately. Not only is it a great cooking tool, it's really economic on fuel use. The re-lighting of the used briquettes with the cubes worked slick
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