| The best as well as the easiest way to light charcoal | | | | out faster, so I don't use it in the chimney starter. |
| briquettes is by using a charcoal chimney starter. This | | | | The charcoal is ready when you see a coating of |
| is an aluminum cylinder with a wooden handle on the | | | | white ash over almost all of the charcoals. |
| outside and a metal shelf on the inside that separates | | | | When the coals are ready, carefully poor the coals |
| the cylinder into to sections. The top section is about | | | | into the grill and spread them evenly around the grill |
| 2/3 the length of the cylinder and the bottom section | | | | bed. Remember to safely place the very hot charcoal |
| is 1/3 the length of the cylinder. There are round | | | | chimney starter away from pets and children so they |
| holes surrounding the bottom 1/3 of the cylinder as | | | | don't get burned. Also, don't put the hot chimney |
| well as holes inside on the shelf that separates the | | | | starter on the grass because it can cause a fire. |
| two sections. | | | | A second method to light the charcoals is with |
| To use the charcoal chimney starter, you need 2 to | | | | paraffin cubes bought at a store or made at home |
| 3 sheets of newspaper. Wad or roll the sheets | | | | with cardboard egg crates. Place a few paraffin |
| together loosely into a long cylinder. I don't wrap it | | | | cubes in the middle of your grill bed or charcoal grate. |
| too tight so that air can circulate while it is burning. | | | | Then build a pyramid of charcoal briquettes over and |
| Curl the the sheets into a donut shape with a hole in | | | | around the paraffin cubes. Light the cube and when |
| the center. Fit the paper donut into the bottom of | | | | all the briquettes are evenly lit and covered with ash |
| the chimney starter. Try to have a few stray pieces | | | | spread them evenly out around the grill bed. |
| of paper sticking out of the holes. This makes it | | | | I don't like or recommend starter fluid readily available |
| easier to light. If you want you can use paraffin | | | | in stores. These fluids can impart a taste to the |
| cubes either bought in the store or made out of | | | | charcoal that I don't like and I prefer a more natural |
| something like a cardboard egg crate you buy your | | | | non chemical way to start my fire. |
| eggs in. | | | | A chimney starter holds about 90 to 100 briquettes. |
| Fill the top section of the cylinder with charcoal. I | | | | This should cover 2/3 of the area of a standard 22 1 |
| prefer to use briquettes in the chimney starter. Lump | | | | 2 inch standard charcoal kettle grill like the commonly |
| charcoal burns too quickly. Place the chimney starter | | | | used Webber kettle grill. It is important to use the |
| on the floor or charcoal shelf of your bbq grill and | | | | right amount of briquettes so that you get an even |
| light the newspaper through the holes on the bottom | | | | heat. The charcoal briquettes should extend a |
| of the charcoal chimney starter. The charcoal lights | | | | minimum of 4 inches in every direction beyond |
| fairly fast and should be ready in about 15 minutes. | | | | whatever food you are cooking. This will allow an |
| Lump charcoal is a lot faster to start but also burns | | | | even heat and let your food cook evenly. |