by Steve » 15 Aug 2010, 15:32
Minion method is the way to go. These comments about taint in flavour from minion method aren't correct.
Personally I wouldn't do minion method with any kind of briquettes, they tend to stink a bit when lighting so you are running a risk of affecting flavour. However, lots of good teams in the US use briquettes for minion method. Also if you look at gravity fed charcoal smokers, they run a progressive burn not unlike minion method and smokers such as Stumps are regarded as some of the best smokers money can buy. Do you think they'd earn this tag if they produced tainted food.
IMHO if you light all your charcoal then you run a greater risk of tainting your food because you have to choke your fire back and will be doing constantly while cooking, every time you pop the lid, you'll feed the fire with oxygen and then the fire will choke again. Visible evidence of this is thick white smoke coming from the smoker.
It is easy to manage a fire with minion method and i can guarantee you that if done properly, you won't get a taint to the flavour.