There are many different ways to light a Smokey Mountain Cooker. In this article, we cover the most common and simple method for lighting your fuel in your smoker.
Lighting your Smokey Mountain Cooker without a Chimney Starter
1, Make sure that the dampers on the bottom of the kettle and the damper in the lid are completely open
2, Remove the top and the middle section of the smoker.
3, Arrange the briquettes in the charcoal ring on the charcoal grate. Place 4-5 lighter cubes in the briquettes and light them. The charcoal is ready when it turns grey with ashes.
4, Put 3-4 wood chunks on the top of the lit briquettes (or more if you want a stronger smoked flavour)
5, Put in the middle section and put the water bowl in place and fill it with water. Check the level of the water each 3-4 hour. If the temperatures becomes too high, you can place more cold water in the bowl.
When the temperatures of the smoker is around 125°C (250°F) it is ready to start smoking!
You can regulate the heat by using the top lid vent while cooking. For the best results, leave the lid on the barbecue for the full cooking duration.
For other low & slow methods, we suggest you take a look at this article.