[Steve]

I usually set a few sticks on top of my warming oven to "pre-heat" before putting them in the fire box, but that is with my big stick burner.

Personally I have never had much luck in my small NBS offset with a charcoal basket/minion method. After watching Brent with his Brandywine at one of the first EPICs at his place, I went home and built one out of expanded sheetmetal, but never could get it to work as well as his.

When I am doing a small cook just for our family, I usually will light a load of charcoal in a chimney lighter and dump it in on top of a load of unlit coal and let it catch, then watch and add a piece as necessary. Also keep in mind, I use lump charcoal, not brickets.