| If you are like me, you love outdoor cooking on a | | | | starter and remove it. You may need to wait a while |
| charcoal grill or barbecue. There is nothing better than | | | | longer before the rest of your charcoal has ignited |
| sitting outside on a nice summer afternoon or | | | | and the majority of briquets have a layer of grey |
| evening, enjoying the warmth of your grill or fire pit, | | | | ash on their surface. Pros - The electric charcoal |
| enjoying a drink and grilling up some delicious food. | | | | starter is an easy way to start your grill. You don't |
| The flavors and aromas imparted by real wood | | | | need to deal with flames, flammable materials or |
| charcoal are irreplaceable. A charcoal grill or a wood | | | | matches. There are no chemicals involved and it is |
| fire pit and my favorites because of the real wood | | | | reusable. Cons - Obviously, you need an electrical |
| fire, smoke and aromas they give off. | | | | outlet nearby your grill for this to work. If you are |
| However, charcoal can be hard to work with, | | | | grilling at a park, beach or campground, this may not |
| especially if you don't have much experience with it. | | | | be practical. Occasionally these can take a bit longer |
| So should you just give up the charcoal cooking and | | | | to start your charcoal but are generally faster than |
| buy a gas barbecue? Not just yet! There are some | | | | using lighter fluid. |
| tips for getting your charcoal going quickly which can | | | | - Charcoal Chimney Starter - This is my personal |
| help make the prep work on your outdoor grill easier. | | | | favorite way to start my charcoal! Chimney starters |
| I am going to cover three types of charcoal starter | | | | can also be found in most home supply stores and |
| that can be used to fire up your coal and get | | | | anywhere grills and barbecue supplies are sold. I |
| cooking. Read carefully, because I have tips on how | | | | recommend finding the largest chimney you can find |
| to use each one better and my recommendations on | | | | so that all your charcoal can be started in one step. I |
| the best of the bunch, their advantages and | | | | personally use the large Weber brand chimney starter |
| disadvantages. | | | | which is widely available. Otherwise, after the |
| Ok, so here we go! | | | | charcoal in the chimney is dumped out, you have to |
| - Lighter Fluid - Lighter fluid is the traditional way to | | | | add more briquets that take time to ignite off of the |
| start your charcoal. It works, but can be difficult and | | | | initial charcoal. If you have a very large grill, another |
| messy. How to use it - Start by building a | | | | option is to use two or more chimneys at the same |
| pyramid-shaped pile of charcoal in your grill or | | | | time to get your charcoal ready. How to use it - The |
| barbecue. It helps to have a small indentation at the | | | | chimney is basically a large cylindrical metal tube with |
| top rather than a point. Turn your bottle of lighter | | | | a large handle and a metal grate in the middle to hold |
| fluid upside down and firmly squeeze for about 3 to | | | | your charcoal. The bottom edge has holes in the |
| 5 seconds, aiming the fluid into the indentation at the | | | | metal sides to light your fire. The first step is to fill |
| top of the pile of charcoal. Close and store your | | | | the top portion of your chimney with charcoal. Fill to |
| lighter fluid and then light the charcoal with a match. I | | | | just below the top rim, but avoid over-filling it. Next, |
| recommend using long fireplace matches to avoid | | | | crumple up two or three pieces of newspaper and |
| burning your hands! The coal will immediately ignite in | | | | place them in the bottom part of the chimney from |
| flames. However, flames are not the goal, you want | | | | below (below the grate holding your charcoal). You |
| the charcoal to get hot enough to start burning | | | | don't want so much that it is packed tightly as it |
| themselves, developing hot, glowing embers. This | | | | needs some oxygen circulation to light easily and burn |
| takes some time. Some tips are to give the charcoal | | | | hot. Set the chimney down inside your grill on the |
| some time and avoid wind. Wind will blow out your | | | | charcoal grate. Now light the newspaper. This is best |
| fire. However, you don't want to cover your grill just | | | | accomplished using long fireplace matches which you |
| yet because it needs oxygen to get ignited. Your | | | | introduce through the holes in the bottom of the |
| charcoal is ready when most of the briquets have a | | | | chimney. Light in multiple places to ensure all your |
| layer of grey ash developed over most of their | | | | newspaper gets ignited. If you don't have long |
| surface. If your charcoal stops burning before it is lit | | | | matches, you can lift up the chimney and use a |
| and does not seem to be progressing, you | | | | lighter or small match to light the newspaper. Now |
| occasionally need to add more lighter fluid. Try to | | | | just sit back and wait! The burning newspaper inside |
| avoid using too much and be careful, it will flare up as | | | | the chimney will ignite the lower charcoal. As this |
| soon as you spray more lighter fluid on those hot | | | | burns the flames will ignite charcoal higher and higher |
| coals! Pros - Lighter fluid is available everywhere, | | | | in the chimney. Keep an eye on it, but wait until there |
| cheap and it does work, eventually. Cons - Lighter | | | | are small flames starting to be visible near the top of |
| fluid is much less reliable in getting your charcoal lit, | | | | your chimney and you can see the lower levels of |
| often taking several tries before your coals are | | | | charcoal glowing. At this point simply tip the chimney |
| ready. It can take longer than the other methods. | | | | over and pour out your burning charcoal on the the |
| Also, you are using chemicals, like kerosene, to ignite | | | | charcoal grate in your grill. They are ready to use |
| your charcoal. While this does burn off before you | | | | when there is a layer of grey ash covering most of |
| add your food theoretically, I definitely don't want | | | | the briquets. Pros - The chimney starter is easy to |
| chemical aromas or fumes in or near my food. | | | | use. It ignites all your charcoal quickly and does not |
| - Electric Charcoal Starter - These are basically a | | | | require any chemical starters. It is reusable and lasts |
| metal loop attached to a handle which plugs into a | | | | a long time. Cons - Very rarely, your charcoal will not |
| standard power outlet. The electrical supply creates a | | | | ignite with the first try and will require the addition of |
| current in the metal loop which heats it to very high | | | | one or two more pieces of wadded up newspaper. |
| heat, similar to an electric stove burner. This heat is | | | | Otherwise, the only downside to the chimney fire |
| used to ignite your charcoal. These electric charcoal | | | | starter is that you need a few pieces of newspaper |
| starters are generally available in home supply stores | | | | handy to get it lit! |
| and anywhere grills and barbecue supplies are sold. | | | | Well there you have it! Three options for starting |
| How to use it - Spread a layer of charcoal briquets | | | | your charcoal for easier, quicker outdoor grilling. |
| on your charcoal grate in your barbecue. Next, lay | | | | These are not the only ways to start charcoal, but |
| the metal loop of your electric charcoal starter on | | | | they are the most common and in my opinion the |
| top of this layer of charcoal. Then cover the starter | | | | more reliable and easy. |
| with more charcoal. Plug in the electric starter and | | | | For other tips on outdoor cooking on a fire pit, grill or |
| wait. After about 8 to 12 minutes the coals around | | | | barbecue or even cooking in your fireplace, see The |
| the starter have ignited sufficiently, getting a grey | | | | Fire Pit and Grilling Guru Guide. |
| ash covering their surface, to get the rest of the | | | | Have fun and enjoy your charcoal grilling! |
| coals around them started. Unplug your charcoal | | | | |