Need a safe way to make your charcoal last for hours? The minion method is one of the best grill smoking techniques for any budding grill master. Learn the elite technique here.
The key to getting the most out of your smoker is mastering slow and slow cooking. But keeping temperature fluctuations under control isn’t easy and can make or break the success of your kitchen. Luckily we have the minion method. It is a smoking technique that allows us to easily control our smoker and maintain good and stable cooking temperatures for hours.
Today we’re going to take a look at one of the best cooking methods in the grilling world: the minion method. Similar to the snake method, this is an approach that relies on the subtle shapes and forms of the charcoal to ensure your grill is lit, fuel efficient and time efficient, and is kept at a good temperature for a long time.
As with the snake method, the basic premise is that the arrangement of the coals allows the hot coals to slowly ignite the dead coals. This allows you to keep the smoker undisturbed for much longer without having to add more coals, disrupting the airflow and heat in the chamber.
The difference with the snake method is that instead of a long snake formation, it looks more like a stack. Although a neatly arranged pile.
This method is most effective on drum or bullet smokers, but can also be used on kettle smokers(like the Weber Smokey Joe ). If you have a staggered kitchen, you don’t need this method.
With offset smoker designs, the heat source is placed to the side of the food being grilled, already perfectly positioned to indirectly cook the meat. With bullet or drum smokers, the heat is placed under the cooking grates. While this can make everyday use easier, it poses problems when meat is exposed to direct heat, which can leave it dry and charred.
Enter the minion method. A fantastic approach to charcoal setup that makes the most of your smoker’s small space, allowing you to cook indirectly without having to significantly limit your cooking load.
What is the minion method?
Jim Minion, a BBQ competitor, originally invented this method. It consists of the sitter placing unlit charcoal and some pieces of wood in the hearth and placing hot charcoal on top.
The burning charcoal ignites the unlit charcoal and the wood underneath, giving you a long cooking time with consistent temperatures and delicious smoke. Not only that, it also means you can use less charcoal. There are two settings that are most commonly used: the donut method; and the top-down method.
With a little hands-on charcoal training and the use of a simple pan of water, we can create the perfect grilling environment.
The water pan helps to improve heat distribution while keeping the overall temperature constant and at a healthy level. The energy required to heat the water pan helps keep temperatures down, while reusing the heat for steam aids in distribution.
An added bonus is that this steam can also help keep the meat over-juicy as it cooks.
Benefits of the Minion Method
- Perfect for long roasts of more than 6-8 hours.
- Quick and easy to set up(usually ready to cook in just 20 minutes)
- It is not necessary to add more charcoal during cooking.
- Easy to create a stable and reasonable smoking temperature
- The water bowl contributes to an even heat distribution.
Disadvantages
- Not suitable for elevated temperatures(e.g. browning or cooking at a minimum of 350°F)
- The steam from the water pan makes it a challenge to form a crust on meats like brisket
The donut method
In this method, the bottom of the firebox grate is lined with donut-shaped charcoal and several pieces of wood are buried in the charcoal.
The amount of charcoal lumps YOU use will depend on the size of your smoker, but the goal is to have a thick donut shape that goes around the perimeter of the grates.
Use the dead coals in a donut to light a new set of coals in a charcoal fireplace. Once lit, transfer them to the center of the donut and fill the hole. Place two or three grilling sticks on top.
With the coals and firewood lit, it’s time to complete the rest of the installation. Fill your pan about half full with water. Open the vents wide so we can still get some heat.
At this setting, your smoker or grill should take between 15 and 40 minutes to reach an ideal cooking temperature of between 100 and 250°F, depending on the size of the model you are using.
Charcoal burning slowly ignites unlit charcoal and wood chips, and the fire provides consistent heat and smoke for a long period of time.
You should aim for a two to one dead coals to hot coals ratio so you have twice as many dead coals when you start grilling.
If the temperature inside your smoker starts to rise, adjust the vents. Start by half-closing the inlet flap at the bottom of the chamber. If this doesn’t have enough effect, close it more. A full shutdown should only be a last resort.
If you notice a sudden rise or spike in temperature, it is very likely that the water bowl has been emptied. Refill when this happens.
Minion Method Guide(Donut Style)
The classic Minion Method approach is the simplest. Perfect for beginners and a reliable resource for professionals and more experienced pit masters.
Is required:
- coal fireplace
- stucco coal
- 2-3 pieces of firewood for roasting
Times required:
- 30 minutes for setup
- Boil 8 hours
Create a donut
Form a thick donut shape from coarse coals at the base of your smokehouse.
Light the center of the embers
Light a set of coals in a new charcoal fireplace. Once lit, place the coals in the hole in the center of your donut arrangement. Add 2-3 pieces of your chosen grill wood.
Use a bowl of water
Place a half-filled saucepan with water on the top rack. Close the lid of your smoker and open the vents. Allow the smoker to reach the desired temperature of 225°F.
Temperature pass
If temperatures get too hot, adjust the vents accordingly. If the temperature rises quickly, check if the water bowl needs to be refilled.
The top-down method
Another is to place charcoal and pieces of wood on the bottom of the firebox grate and then the option of pouring hot coals over the unlit ones. The same process takes place; The burning embers ignite the dead embers and wood, producing consistent heat, smoke, and a long burn.
The Minion method can cause a lot of ash to form, so keep an eye on the damper to make sure it’s not clogging and put out the fire. For the Minion method I recommend natural briquettes. They don’t have a lot of fillers so ash is minimized. They also burn cooler than log charcoal, making it easier to keep the temperature down.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the Minion method last?
On average, this setup can take at least 8 hours. Variables include smoker size, ventilation settings, and amount of charcoal.
Writer & content creator. BBQ fanatic!
