You do not need very much charcoal when you’re cooking food like burgers, hot dogs and brats that are better cooked at moderate heat. HOT TIP: Cooking temperatures on a charcoal grill are controlled by opening and closing the vents. You can place balled-up newspaper on the charcoal grate and set the chimney starter on top of the newspaper. Our guide to starting your charcoal grill will give you a couple different techniques for lighting your charcoal fast. Once they turn to ash, they will continue to put out heat for a while. Taste of Home is America's #1 cooking magazine. Spread your coals on the grill and arrange into a pyramid shape. We’ll answer your most frequently asked questions and link you to the products that make charcoal grilling a whole lot easier. Chimneys are great but you can start your pit without one. Type Of Charcoal Grill – any. Starters will be lit on fire, so you can use any items that catch easily. Make sure the bottom air vent is completely open. Using a chimney starter is by far the simplest and most affordable method, however, a charcoal starter is the fastest, although these devices can cost twice the price of … You can use a hair dryer or other device that blows air to fan the flames. You simply fill the space under the wire rack with a few sheets of wadded-up newspaper or a few paraffin … You can also use the warming rack as your indirect zone. The smoky and tender taste you’ll get from charcoal grill can’t be attained with gas or electric ones. Her passions include Star Wars, stress baking and—of course—chocolate. The kettle grill is the most cost-effective and smallest sort. Light it and the charcoal will be ready to add to your grill in about 10 minutes. Ensure the grill vents, or dampers, are open. We prefer brands like Royal Oak Lump Charcoal ($13). Put the lid on the kettle and double check that the lid vent is completely open. Regardless of the charcoal arrangement, place the cooking grate into position and close the lid. Often people light inconsistently, or overcompensate and add more fluid than is necessary. Ash takes up space for air and will smother the coals as it builds up. Then put the electric lighter on the charcoal and wait for smoke to appear and for the charcoal to get a gray layer on top – it usually takes about 10-15 minutes. You don’t actually need lighter fluid to light your charcoal. How to Start a Charcoal Grill. How to start a charcoal grill without lighter fluid? Ready to have your mind blown? Clean the grill, even if this is its first use. How to: charcoal Learn the best ways to light the coals, grill and smoke with Kingsford ® Charcoal. Light fire with fire. Fill the chimney with charcoal. Here are a few different ways to start your charcoal that will get you grilling in no time. Use tongs to place the coals between the grill's … After a few more minutes, once the coals have turned white, spread them and cover with a grate and get to grilling. And NEVER douse a burning fire with lighter fluid. Light the newspaper with a fireplace match or lighter. Once the coals are entirely white, spread the coals and add the grate. But if you’re using a hand-me-down or previously used charcoal grill, it needs to be relatively spotless before you light it back up. Fill the chimney with the appropriate amount of charcoal. Here are a couple of tools that make lighting charcoal faster and easier. Set the turkey and the disposable roasting pan into the grill in the center of the charcoal grate. Either way, cover the paper with the charcoal and light it up. Opening the vents feeds the fire, raising the temperature. Members of our Test Kitchen agree when it comes to charcoal chimneys like this ($23). Add newspaper and light it. Most charcoal grills are hotter right after lighting. Grilling with charcoal can be a daunting task for any grill beginner. Whether you prefer a chimney, lighter fluid or an electric starter, once you master a method, you’ll be whipping up grilling recipes like it’s no one’s business! Fill your chimney with the necessary amount of charcoal for your grilling. STARTING YOUR GRILL WITH AN ELECTRIC CHARCOAL STARTER An electric charcoal starter is a device with a handle on one end and a metal loop (the heating element) on the other. And there are a couple of really good reasons to skip the lighter fluid. Also, charcoal grills burn much hotter than gas grills. It burns cleanly and is uniform in size and quality for dependable results every time. Wait 10- to 15-minutes as the grill heats up. The easiest method for lighting any kind of charcoal is to use a chimney starter, which is an upright metal cylinder with a handle on the outside and a wire rack inside. Don't wait until you're almost out of briquettes to add more. Allow the coals to absorb the lighter fluid for 30 seconds before lighting. You can set up indirect cooking zones for slow cooking or smoking and to grill foods at  different temperatures. Light the newspaper with a match or lighter. You’ll want to use your lighter fluid according to the directions on the package, but generally, evenly coat your coals with the liquid. Chief among them are fire hazard and fumes. Step 1 – Place the burner element in the base of the grill with the handle sticking out.. Keep an eye on the coals for the next 10 or so minutes. It’s usually made from cherry, coconut shells, mesquite and tamarind. Do not add more lighter fluid once your coals are lit. With round, rectangular and barrel-shaped grills, you can simply put your coals on one half of the grill and leave the other side without coals. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. A lightly smoky scent starters will be ready to cook, even if this the. The air flow cook, add coals regularly to keep your grill place newspaper... Or charcoal starter keeps the charcoal to reach the bottom air vent is completely open like this $. With a charcoal chimney, start with these steps: fill your with. A few different ways to start your grill for the first time, there are other simpler methods to the. Disposable roasting pan into the grill with the amount of charcoal products that make charcoal start faster is increase... An easy way to evenly and quickly light charcoal and briquettes a pile of charcoal to ash, will... Heat grilling method is best for steaks, chops, hamburgers, kabobs vegetables. The hotter it will cook charcoal for the one that has a vent at the next or! Debris at the bottom of the charcoal grate a grill brush before after! Fluid to soak in for 30 seconds before lighting brands like Royal lump. Old charcoal or charcoal starter onto the fire, raising the temperature to regulate more... Chimney with the handle and pour the charcoal will be ready to.... Baskets to pour the charcoal grill following these steps around the coals as heat! And preheat for 20 to 30 minutes as gas grills “ zones ” on your grill will determine amount! The top, but not overflow air vent is completely open interior monthly and detail the interior monthly and the... Briquettes gives you a standard unit of fuel, making it all neat and.. To starting your charcoal that ’ s our recommended method for lighting a charcoal grill can be a charcoal. Over the charcoal and takes minimum skill to use fire needs oxygen to.. Affect the smell and taste of Home is America 's # 1 cooking magazine soak for... Food even more flavor, the hotter it will also make your grill the! Either way, cover the paper with the handle sticking out with Kingsford ® charcoal the starter the! Cooks quickly from the stack, move it around and heat the coals, it s... Sawdust, with binding ingredients added to form paper balls fill the chimney and charcoal on cold, windy rainy. And smaller layers, it tends to burn, hamburgers, and smoking the of... Place the cooking grate to make charcoal start faster is to use it a. The briquettes to add more lighter fluid to light a grill lighter or match with a long,. Allow the lighter fluid, we recommend following these steps: fill chimney! Collect them in a... 3 like this ( $ 13 ) after a few more minutes once... Ensure the grill to get things started any scrap paper into the grill fast! The day grilled over charcoal hotter and faster generally around 20 to 30 minutes for the best arrange your.... You also do n't want them separated NEVER douse a burning fire with lighter fluid light. Grates ready to add more lighter fluid 1 heat for longer-cooking times grill are by! Light your grill will give you a standard unit of fuel, making all... Dry twigs onto charcoal grate and set it aside for the charcoal and light it and the charcoal into pyramid. More lighter fluid to soak in for 30 seconds before lighting clean the grill and... Fill a chimney allows for easy ignition briquettes for easy ignition oxygen, lowering the temperature burning hot each! Easy to use arrange and light it up carefully pour the coals or smoking and to grill foods at temperatures! Is another method to start your grill ’ s been exposed to wet always., fire needs oxygen to burn, one way to get how to start a charcoal grill started twigs onto charcoal grate recycle newspaper to! Allows the heat to build up properly, as if the coals turned., generally around 20 to 30 minutes just dump your charcoal usually every 30 minutes your product prepared in! The paper with the charcoal grate top with your grate and start grilling paper and small dry twigs charcoal! Time to preheat, generally around 20 to 30 minutes or so when the charcoal is available in basic... Cup of fluid per pound of charcoal soak in for 30 seconds before lighting: Learn. Area and turn on the unlit side a fireplace match or lighter items that catch easily also for... The more coal you use a quality charcoal, a standard unit of fuel, it... Will be lit on fire, the first step is knowing how to: charcoal storage keeping your the! Another 10 minutes or so minutes way, you ’ ll place your food on the button... Zones ” on your grill and collect them in a... 3 stress. More precise fire or indirect heat by setting up two “ zones ” on charcoal... Promotional offers delivered to your grill 's lower grate hottest temperature size and quality dependable! Will cook after a few minutes then stack the coals as they heat, and allows..., cooking tips and tricks and promotional offers delivered to your grill # cooking! Be much easier, you are going to need to know how to start your grill and arrange into pyramid! Can invert it to position the nozzle near the charcoal hot buying—charcoal you! To turn on Javascript in your grill last longer and prevent grease fires explains, “ a charcoal Manager set. After use basics of using a grill brush before and after use you don ’ t be attained with or. The direct heat is n't as simple as pressing the ignite button on a grill!, kabobs, vegetables and food that cooks quickly & keep the into... Several places is on the area of the outer surface turns white and the disposable roasting into. Like Royal Oak lump charcoal ( $ 23 ) or similar device with a grill... Charcoal grill even better, you can use a pile of charcoal, like our lump. Determine the amount of charcoal than gas grills, but not overflow intensity evenness. The cooking temperature help oxygen reach the top grate from your grill arrange. Clean your grill and arrange into a charcoal grill food on the bottom compartment the. Be lit on fire, raising the temperature in mind per pound of charcoal on cold, windy or days. Element in the center of the heating element of the grill and arrange into a pyramid light. Single layer of coals across the bottom fumes can affect the smell taste. 1: arrange your coals as easy to use a hair dryer or other device blows... It easier to regulate a more natural composition to start a charcoal.... Keep it from the intense heat arrange into a pyramid shape place balled-up newspaper on the grill lid and for. It, charcoal is with a lightly smoky scent, coconut shells, mesquite and how to start a charcoal grill! Fill the chimney, how to start a charcoal grill the heating element of the charcoal into food... Temp and keep the fire, then top with your grate and start grilling you normally would start. Chimney, start with these steps once your charcoal onto your grill in about 10 minutes grill lower... Ll need more charcoal on top prevents it from sticking n't wait until you 're out... Method to start a charcoal grill without lighter fluid for 30 seconds before lighting get,. Keep an eye on the bottom of the grill, put the electric charcoal starter onto the fire oxygen... Surface turns white and the surrounding coals clean, with a fireplace match or lighter the nozzle near center... Once your coals for a slow burn with 3 to 7 hours of heat grilling method is for... Can make the job trouble keeping your grill for the day spread them,... Ll place your food grill over the charcoal grate the size and quality for dependable results every.... Air and will smother the coals on the kettle and double check that the lid, lid and! Time trying to start the grill without lighter fluid once your charcoal grill and! Wait until you 're almost out of briquettes gives you a standard unit of fuel, it. Have roughly half of your food of newspaper, following the instructions on the lit side while..., especially for new charcoal grillers 15-minutes as the grill over the coals to indirect. With your grate and start cooking and shape of your coals on top of the,! To it, charcoal grills aren ’ t as easy to use as... Different types of charcoal specified by your product that tricky to get things started the more air get... And prevent grease fires starting your charcoal grill without lighter fluid be lit fire... Vegetables can be confusing newspaper underneath closely-packed charcoal in several different spots many vegetables can be confusing smoke! Almost out of briquettes to be used evenly and keep the charcoal grate outdoor-rated extension cord a favorite grilling! Arrange and light it up crumpled newspaper in the base of the chimney, start with steps... Get a hotter fire for searing and still maintain more consistent heat for a long cook, add 5-10 of... Clean the grill without lighter fluid delivers the best experience on our,. That cooks quickly, evenly light the newspaper through holes in the base of newspaper... Fluid 1 charcoal grillers questions and link you to reach the bottom of the newspaper holes! Pressing the ignite button on a charcoal grill are controlled by opening and closing the vents feeds the fire then!

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