My new friend! I just want to share that I am a recent subscriber and have already watched almost all of your videos. A few of them twice. Tonight I grilled bacon wrapped sirloin steaks with charcoal and a few pieces of hickory to smoke. I am 47. I have been married 17 years. Our daughter is 10. I used 100% techniques from your tips and videos. And these were the best steaks we have ever grilled. Even further, my wife said it was the best meat to ever come out of our home, period. My dau

Well done Sir! I am a Moderator on Smokingmeatforums and will be sharing this video as a great, clear and concise tutorial on the Minion Method...JJ

Thank you! Not the most exciting video I've made, but I've had a lot of questions regarding this technique. Cheers brother!

Great tips! Thank you for posting your video.

Dude I don't know anything about you but I have watched a couple of your videos now and you have a seriously good KZfaq channel in the works. Your style is well paced and packed with information. Simple but loaded with good tips for the novice, like me.

just came across your video. Good info. I was also advised to place the wood around your box to allow the moisture to evaporate as well as the tar prior to placing the wood into the box. Since doing this, it eliminates the tar taste to the meat.

@357tonto Thanks for the comment. The process was just reading reviews and speaking with the various companies. After talkin. To the owner of Gator Pit I was sold. Each pit is built to order and everything is top notch. I use this for smoking only. Any grilling I do is on my Weber. That being said, the grates clean easy with a brush and I don't have to deal with rust prevention like cast iron. That being said, I'm a big fan of grilling on cast iron grates.

Well, I have a Stoker that I really love. This pit cooks way more even and holds its temp a lot longer than my old pit. It will run a 5-6 hour cook easy with very few adjustments. I had an adapter welded onto my fire box door so I can still run my Stoker on my long cooks. It just makes it so much easier on my during the wee hours knowing that I don't have to run out an adjust the damper.

Thanks for checking it out!

You hit the nail on the head brother!

For my old Brinkman off-set I made the old style basket and that works pretty good but I am really liking the new coal box.

Heya, learned a bunch....6 years after the fact, lol. Thanks a lot!

Thanks for stopping by.

Oh man more smoker vids!!!! Woo! thanks man great smoker!

Thanks for your time bro!

Thanks! It's an ongoing learning process for me, but I'm trying. Take care!

Great video!! That was just the information i was looking g for. Looks like a very efficient pit..

Thank you for check'n it out!

Nice beef ribs!! Love your videos, great cook and nice smoker. Minion Method is what i'm trying to learn how to do, your video just help me out. Thanks so much T&T BBQ keep smoking!!

It burns like a wick, but eventually, the whole pile is lit. Of course, that's when adjusting the dampers kicks in. I bought this basket from Horizon Smokers. I'm now cooking on a Gator Pit and they made the basket for me. My new basket has channels in it, so it burns like a fuse. Really cool! I'm sure Gator Pit would build one to your specs. Cheers!

Thanks for the video. Learned a lot about smoking! :D

very informative, this kind of fine tunes the knowledge i knew. thanks.

Pellet smokers are good for setting & forgetting, but they generally give you a lighter smoke taste than charcoal and wood, just fyi. A GREAT reference for anything barbecue is amazingribs (dotcom). There's advice on everything from dos & dont's of different smokers, recipes, thermometers and the admin is a award winner and author so he knows his stuff. Discussion boards on every single topic within really help you tackle your individual needs. Cheers!

Very cool firebox, I wish I had one like that back when I had an offset smoker, bet it makes it way easier to control the temps.

Great idea!

Way to think out of the box!

I agree 100 % On my pits (pitts and spitts comp trailer and pit crafter pm100) when i cook I like to see smoke that looks like steam off a hot tub. someone told me a long time ago , think about opening up a smokey firebox or cook chamber for just a few seconds, it burns your eyes! so imagine a piece of meat sitting in there for 5-15 hours, everybody has experienced the over smoked creasote piece of BBQ before, nasty! We have found we get the best results (pecan our wood of choice) when we have an efficient, light colored smoke fire. We are looking into a minion fire basket from Pits by Klose in Houston pretty expensive but should take a bit of the work out of fire management Thanks for the video

Thanks for the video and info!

I remember your Nanook ribs. It's great how coals can be manipulated to maximize cook times. This new pit is soooo killer! My wife calls it "the other woman". I'm having a lot of fun on this thing.

Thank you Ritch!

I'm pretty happy with it so far.

Thanks for stopp'n by! Keep smoke'n!

Thanks Brian

I actually just made one yesterday. I'm no welder, but I was able to purchase a 24x24" sheet of the grate material at Home Depot for $20. Make a few cuts and bend it to create a box. I used some small bolts, large washers and nuts to hold it all together.

Thanks Allen!

Thanks! Jim Minion gets the credit for this idea!

Yoder's are great, but I have to tell you... After searching for a new pit for months, Gator Pit beat em' hands down. So many custom features and 1/4" steel! Built like a tank and air tight!

I ordered it in December, but had to wait months to get it! Worth the wait however. Yup, it's a Gator Pit. I'm very happy with it!

Great video. Ritch

At first I was using my old basket. Then I saw the design of the Gator Pit version and I ordered one of theirs. This one is designed for my pit.

Looks Good!

Thank you!

Great video, is the bottom of the charcoal basket , solid metal or expanded metal.. Thanks

I just came across this informative video and wondered if lodging the wood between the basket and the wall of a cheaper(thinner sheet metal) smoker would eventually warp it?

Yes, it is dry. I'm of the school that soaking wood doesn't really help with the cook. It's basically wasting heat to dry the wood, before it can combust and start to smoke. It can actually cool the fire box and create white smoke. Great observation!

This is a brilliant idea! You should patent it!

On my old smoker, I bought a nice basket from Horizon. If there's a fab shop near you, they're simple to have built as well.

Where did you get that Charcoal basket w/T plates? great set up

Thanks for sharing!

A good pit (like a Gator) is hand made, so the doors are very well sealed and the steel is heavy gauge, so it holds the heat much better. Thin cheapy pits leak and are so thin they don't hold heat. I've never cooked on a pellet smoker, but guys I know that have them like how they pretty much run themselves.

Thanks for watching!

Wy not build TWO of them and trade them out as fuel is needed?

Makes sense. I came from a video from Jamie Purviance who only says that it shouldn't be black (and seems to imply that 'lots' of white smoke is okay) but then again he was using a kettle.

Where did you get the charcoal basket? I need one that big. THanks

Another good vid; Would you happen to have a ratio of how much charcoal to use the Minion Method in a Weber kettle?

Can you mix in chunks of wood in the charcoal or will that mess up the method?

Whats the time difference (burn time) of the old basket verses the one with the channels?

Perhaps I should do a vid of cooking something on a exhaust manifold. Great vid as always Greg! How have you been BTW.

Gator Pit charged about $50 I believe. Pretty basic stuff if you have access to a welder (and someone that welds) though. Expanded steel and angle iron. Maybe 20 bucks worth of material??

What was the process that led you to the gator smoker over other makes?, been researching and there is a ton of options out there. what do you think of the grilling surface for cleaning, I think cast iron would be easier to maintain?. I had a Holland grill with that type of cooking grate or screen, more work than cast iron to me. As always your results are top notch!

You forgot to show off your new smoker Greg. Great video. Where did you get the pecan wood?

I have been using split wood for the last 7 years on my off set smoker and will be trying this method just because it's different, i was just wondering by using this much charcoal does it keep the temp between 225-275 perhaps or does it go pass 300 at times? I know by using split wood it always fluctuates and if you know your smoker well enough you pretty much know how manage the fire by adding wood to put in to maintain the temp you want it at.

do you need to use the bbq guru now with the new smoker?? Thanks!

kinda funny seeing videos of the minion method. I be been doing it for over 35 years in my smokers ..

ECS, or el-cheapo-smokers, are well known for being finnicky and hard to control, which is why they're not only affordable but cheap. You want air tightness, both for holding heat in, and for the dampers in keeping oxygen out (which will lower your temp when needed by choking combustion). I'm personally not familiar with Gators, but might I recommend a Yoder. Check 'em out at yodersmokers (dotcom). They're pricey but they're the kind you're gonna love.

LOL... I've been good man. How are you doing? Your dad told me you picked up an Audi? What kind you get?

How long did it take your custom gator to be built and shipped. From order til your door. Would you buy that same model if you did it again?

Where can i purchase the charcoal baskets? Looking to use one in my char broil off set smoker. Thanks

Hello, like your videos. Quick question. Why not use traditional seasoned hardwood logs to burn to coals instead of lump charcoal. This is a traditional stick burner right? Somewhere I read that using minion method produces too many toxins the lump wood should burn off to embers before putting food to cook.

Did you make that basket or did you purchase it somewhere? I'm very interested in that technique, I don't even use a basket but wanted to get one for this year- but after seeing this I want to try it. If you make it what would you charge me to make and ship me one, just slightly bigger? Does it really burn wick-like? I always use the Minion method but it ends up just burning the whole pile and spiking my temp even with the dampers well-controlled. I really like this idea!

Thanks for the great video! Going to call Ritch and get one of those baskets ordered for my Gator! It's funny everybody claims to build the same quality pit as a Gator. The standard by which all are judged!... When it comes to my brisket, I wouldn't risk it. Get a Gator.

How much did it cost to have that basket made ?

I could do that. Like BBQ 101 from beginning to end?

How do you avoid producing creosote?

I know!!! I just cut down a tree that morning and my patio is all jacked up with stuff piled about. I had to be real careful with the camera angle so the crap wouldn't show... I'll show off the pit after my patio is back to normal. :)

Well, however's idea it is, it works...

@jayemseventy4 Right off the bat I'd say a little less coal (unlit and lit). As the temp starts to climb, start closing the bottom damper. You had too much O2 flooding into your cooker. If your bottom vent is closed and the temp still climbs, you're going to have to start adjusting the top. No other options... Check out "the virtual bullet" website.

How cool is that? If I had an off-set, I'd be trying the serpentine method! Actually, I did try a variation of it with the Nanook ribs… Wrapped unburnt coals around the drip pan, and never had to add anything for 4 hours!

Hate to know the shipping cost on that pit from houston to san diego

You edited out some key factors but thank you for the video

During the summer I can get 6-8 hours off of one full basket and two large chunks of wood. That's burning at 250.

when did you get a new pit it looks like a gator pit NICE

The minion method shouldn't have any impact on flavor at all. What was the problem with the taste? If it was bitter then you probably needed to let a little more air into your fire box. A way to diagnose this is white smoke. If the smoke is white then you are producing creosote, which is very bitter.

Oh, and I got the wood from a local wood guy here named Pet Gaughan.

wow

Hey Greg if you still have that old basket and don't use it You should sell it to me It would fit perfect in my NBBD I need a basket :)

@rdwafer75 Where were you 5 months ago when I was shopping!!!! Good luck with you business. Shoot some. Ideo of your pits.

No real ratio. When I do this on my Weber I put one of the charcoal trays on one side of the kettle, fill it up and pile the coal up the side of the kettle. Then I just place about six burning coals on the top. Use the damper on the bottom to get the heat where you want it.

Mine is 12" 1/2, 22" 1/2, 6"

Creosote?? Cool, that means I can plumb the stack into my attic and prevent the termites from eating my rafters!

I don'r understand why gator does that rediculous air intake system where you have to turn it multiple revolutions to open the ven and why they make them so small.

when you say several hours how many are you talking?

Wow! Thanks for the kind words! Means a lot to me. Hey, so you know, I just uploaded a video contest that I'm hosting for my subscribers. Check it out... Lots of great prizes, including a Craycort grate. Thanks again for watching my videos!

Why use coals??? I was told not to use coals??? The meat will taste like coal.. is that true??

A 1990 Audi 90 Quatto 20 Valve DOHC.

Saul?

Just make sure you preheat the coals before you place the meat...

You know, the channel maybe adds another 45 mins to an hour? Not a huge difference.

2 hours chicken legs only take about 1 hour and 15 minutes u could have fixed them up lol

Why don't I just use gas?