If you’ve ever wondered how to start a charcoal grill with a chimney or how to start a charcoal grill without lighter fluid, here’s the answer. If you can light a match, you can use a chimney starter to get your grill going without any help from butane or propane. You just need to follow this simple procedure, which will help you get cooking in no time at all:
Step 1: Buy a charcoal chimney starter
Chimney starters are made of metal, with a handle on the side that allows you to easily hold it while lighting the charcoal. You can find them at your local hardware store or online for less than $10.
Step 2: Fill up the charcoal
Before you even think about lighting the coals, you’ll need to make sure they’re ready. Whether you’re using a chimney starter or a charcoal starter, it’s important to fill your charcoal container with as much as possible. When preparing your first batch of coals, start with a full chimney and add more after if needed.
Once the container is completely packed, use a fire starter to light up some paper at the bottom of the chimney starter. This will help get things going because those little pieces of wood will catch on fire and give off heat that helps ignite all those coals deep inside the container.
Step 3: Add fire starters
If you’re looking for a quick way to light your charcoal grill, you can use fire starters. These are easy-to-use, inexpensive and will get the job done.
Fire starters can be bought at most hardware stores and are usually made of sawdust impregnated with wax or paraffin. They come in two forms: cubes and snakes. The cubes burn slowly, while the snakes burn quickly; both start easily and produce plenty of heat for getting your coals going.
Step 4: Light the chimney
Make sure the chimney is on a level surface. You should use a long match or lighter to light the coals.
Don’t use a flame from the grill to light your charcoal. This can cause flare-ups and damage your grill’s heat distribution system.
Don’t use lighter fluid to light your charcoal, as this will cause toxic fumes and impurities in the smoke produced by your food later on in cooking! If you want some extra flavor in whatever you’re cooking, feel free to add some wood chips into one side of your grill rack first thing before adding meat or vegetables during grilling.
Then turn on both sides of your grill and wait for them to burn low before closing up shop with all four doors closed tightly shut; this will keep heat inside while allowing air flow within each compartment until it reaches between 600-800 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 5: Pour coals onto the grill
Now that you’ve got your chimney started, it’s time to pour the coals onto your grill. There are a few important things to keep in mind as you do this:
Make sure the coals are spread evenly across the center of your grill but don’t worry about spreading them side to side yet. That comes later!
Do not put too many or too few coals on at once. Too many will cause an uneven cook and possibly leave some areas without any heat at all. Too few may result in food burning before cooking through and leaving potentially uncooked spots behind (and no one likes burned food).
Step 6: Wait until flames emerge at the bottom of the chimney
Once you’ve added your charcoal to the chimney, place it directly over a small fire. If you’re using a gas grill, make sure the heat is set on medium, and use tongs to poke holes in the bottom of the foil so that air can flow through.
Wait until flames emerge at the bottom of the chimney before opening up any vents or flaps on your grill. Do not let any coals burn out when starting with a chimney!
When using a charcoal grill without an attached flame source like propane or natural gas (i.e., one that uses wood as fuel), always light up some paper towels in order to get those hot coals glowing before adding them onto your cooking surface.
This will ensure that they’ll ignite quickly once they’re dumped into your grill, plus, it saves time by not having to wait for them all individually!
You should also avoid letting those hot embers touch anything but their final resting place; if they touch anything else while burning down inside their container (like another piece of wood), then there may be some ash left behind after dumping everything out onto your grilling surface.
Step 7: Top with grate when coals turn white
Spread the coals and add the grate once they are completely white.
You’ll be whipping up grilling recipes like it’s nobody’s business once you perfect a technique, whether you choose a chimney or an electric starter.
