I had one of those rare “free” nights last week where everybody had other plans for the evening and I had the house to myself. I decided to pick up a couple bottles of my favorite beer and a thick Rib-eye steak on my way home from work and throw it on the grill.
Smile on my face and the plan set in motion, steak seasoned and beer in hand, I headed outside to light the charcoal lump I had arranged in my grill. This is when it all came to a screeching halt. I had forgotten to pick up more easy to use fire starters that I usually have on hand for lighting the charcoal.
As I stood staring down at the unlit charcoal at the bottom of my grill, several names along the lines of ‘big dummy” came to mind. That’s the clean version :). Luckily I know several different charcoal lighting techniques and have backups on hand or I would have been a sad puppy that night.
Since that day I kept thinking to myself, “I know I am not the only one who has done this before, I need to share what I know”. Sometimes real life lessons are the best learning tools.
Ok, enough about me and my “DOH” moment. Let’s get right to the different charcoal lighting techniques, and those I would never recommend!
Let me start by explaining that there the two types of charcoal. They are either lump charcoal (pieces of hardwood, with no additives, that have been charred into uneven lumps of charcoal) or charcoal briquettes (briquettes are manufactured wood by-products compressed into uniform shapes with additives that help them light and burn consistently). Either one is a good option.
Charcoal Lighting Techniques
Chimney Starter:
Chimney starters are basically a hollow metal cylinder open on both ends and a grate on the inside towards the bottom. There are built in handles for picking the chimney up and pouring the charcoal out safely.
You start by rolling up several pages of newspaper and stuffing them in the open bottom under the grate. You could alternatively use cube fire starters or the like instead of a newspaper but the latter is the cheaper choice. Next, you add the charcoal to the open top.
Now place the chimney directly on the bottom charcoal grate in your grill and light the newspaper. The flames from the paper will suck in oxygen and cause the hot air and flames to rise through the coals which will light them rapidly. The top of the chimney will become extremely hot so be careful.
They will put out a lot of smoke at first, similar to a chimney but once the fire is going, the smoke will die down. In about 15 minutes, the coals will be white hot and ready to transfer directly to your grill.
The only downside is that when the newspaper burns, it will create ash and on windy days can blow out of the grill. You need to pay attention so that any nearby bushes or low hanging trees don’t catch a spark. (Quick tip: drizzle a little vegetable oil on the newspaper. They will burn slower, last longer and not create any ash.)
A typical chimney starter can hold up to 80 briquettes. After a little practice, you will figure out how many briquettes you need for your desired temp. My suggestion for a chimney starter would be a Weber brand chimney starter. They are reasonably priced at $14.99 and built to last.
Overall, chimney starters are extremely easy to use and convenient. I would highly recommend owning one.
Fire Starters:
There are several types of fire starters on the market that you could choose from. They are usually in cube or pyramid shape (although I have seen round, pencil, and other shapes), and light quickly and easily. They usually come in a box of 12 or 24 and if used properly, one per cookout is all you’ll need.
You start by stacking the desired amount of charcoal in a pyramid shape in the center of the grill grate. The pyramid shape will allow for the maximum amount of air flow and cause less smoke.
Light the fire starter (you can use one or two cubes) and when there are no more flames and your coals are a nice white hot color with a little ash on them, they are ready.
Using long-handled tongs and a heat resistant glove, spread the coals out evenly on the grate and put on the top grilling grate.
I usually just buy what is on sale as long as they are smokeless, odorless, made for grilling and environmentally safe. The packaging should have that information. Once again though I most often end up using the Weber brand Lighter Cubes for around $3.98.
The Looftlighter:
The Looftlighter is a Swedish invention that lights your charcoal with super-heated air. They are electric fire starters so you will need a power source near to hand when using them. While the Looftlighter is the most well know and popular version of the electric hot air lighter, there are several knockoffs out there as well.
Again you start by stacking the desired amount of charcoal in a pyramid shape in the center of the grill grate. Touch the pyramid with the tip of the Looftlighter. When you start to see sparks appear, pull it backward a few inches and continue to aim at the same spot for 60 seconds or so. After about 15 minutes your charcoal will be ready to use.
This is another great product all but a more expensive option. The Looftlighter goes for around $64 on amazon but I have seen similar products ranging from around $35 to over $100 as well.
The only con to this option is if; you do not have a power source nearby your grill, you are mobile or it is wet outside (yes, some of us are crazy enough to grill in light rain or snow).
Electric Charcoal Starters:
Not to be confused with the Looftlighter type fire starters, Electric charcoal fire starters have a looped type heating element on one end and a plastic handle on the other. You place the starter in a mound of charcoal and plug it in.
After about 8 to 10 minutes (it is not recommended to leave them in the charcoal pile any longer due to overheating and explosions according to the manufactures warnings), you pull the lighter out. 10 or so minutes later, the coals should be ready for cooking.
This product also works well but has a few drawbacks. It is a little more frustrating to try and stack the charcoal so the heating wires are covered. Pulling the starter out makes the charcoal tumble and you will have to rearrange them again with your tongs. These are electric so the same power source issues with the Looftlighter apply.
Price ranges for these are anywhere from $15.50 to $35.
Propane Torch:
If you really want to go full blown Tim the Tool Man Taylor and get “More Power”, then a propane charcoal torch is for you. Propane burns cleanly with no odor or taste.
Build your pyramid of briquettes, start your propane torch and point the flame to the middle center of the pile. Hold the flame steady until you see the inside center of your pyramid turn white. Your coals will be ready in 15 to 20 minutes.
Handheld propane torches run around $15 to $20 and the gas cylinders cost about $4. Each cylinder will give you around 10 to 20 lights.
Rolled Newspaper:
Take a wad of 3 or 4 newspapers or paper napkins and put them on your charcoal grate. Drizzle cooking oil on the paper (optional). Now build your charcoal pyramid on top of them. Light the newspaper and wait for it to burn off. This method might take a little longer as the paper usually burns out quickly. You may have to add additional paper. When ready, spread the coals out evenly and grill.
Again be aware that sometimes glowing newspaper ash can blow out of the grill.
Now To The Two Methods I Would Not Recommend (But Work Just As Well)
Lighter Fluid:
Probably the most commonly used method for the novice griller. Lighter fluid is not only dangerous but can add a bad chemical taste to your food.
Start with the charcoal pyramid, liberally coat each piece with fluid. Allow up to 3 minutes for the fluid to soak in. If you light it right away and the fumes have not all escaped, you can create a big flash that can be dangerous. Another reason to wait is if you do not let the fluid soak in, once you burn the fluid off the top of the briquette the fire will most likely go out.
Make sure to let your briquettes burn until a white hot and ashy state before adding food. This will help burn off most of the lighter fluid chemicals.
Never add lighter fluid once the coals are already lit. This can cause a flame up and serious injury. Always use a long-handled lighter or drop a lit match onto the coals. Do not use a cigarette lighter unless you want to risk your sleeve catching on fire. Lighter fluid costs about $4.
Easy Lighting Charcoal:
Another favorite of the novice griller is the matchlight style briquettes. They are very easy to use and could be lit quickly with a simple match.
These have been soaked in mineral spirits until they are saturated all the way to the center. This means that the chemicals are in the smoke all the way to the end and will not burn off like lighter fluid. This is the smoke that your food is cooking in.
As with the other pyramid style lighting methods, once the flames have died down and the coals are a white hot color and ashy, they are ready to be spread and used.
I will not hide the fact that I am generally against using this type of charcoal, but even I have used it in a pinch. If you still think this is a good option for you, just open the bag and take a good whiff. If that doesn’t change your mind, nothing will. A medium bag of easy light charcoal goes for about $7.
No matter the lighting method you use, remember that the key to lighting charcoal successfully is airflow. The better the airflow the quicker and hotter your flames will be. Never close your grill lid after the lighting process as you will extinguish the fire and have to start over.
That is all I have for today. If anybody else has a favorite method I missed, or a fun and creative option they would like to share, please do so in the comments.
I hope this information was helpful to you and you are one step closer to joining me in “The Grilling Life”!
Cheers,
Patrick
Thank you for providing us with the newly technology to be used.i will try to purchase the very interesting charcoal which i found it great to me which is called electric charcoal stater, which is easy to use and simple.I will try to order this electric charcoal stater.
Thank you for the great review.
Cheers
Jose
Hi Jose and thanks for reading. The electric charcoal starter can be very helpful and would be a good choice. If you ever need any help or a quick tip,let me know. Happy Grilling.
Patrick
Hey Patrick, these are great tips. I didn’t know there were so many options for lighting the charcoal. Of course, I can’t remember the last time I grilled with charcoal. I recently got rid of my junky old gas grill and was debating getting another gas grill or charcoal. Gas is more convenient but charcoal tastes better, if done correctly, like you mentioned. With these tips maybe charcoal isn’t as inconvenient as I thought. I already have a propane torch but never thought of using it to light charcoal. I’d say I’m leaning more toward charcoal. Great post. Thanks for sharing. What charcoal do you recommend?
Cheers,
Gary
Agree that the Easy Lighting Charcoal isn’t a good idea. We tried not too long ago and it really changes the taste of the meat. A similar effect occurs when using a liquid lighter.
Firestarter tablets are our favorite ones and we use to have them always at home. The alternative plan B is the classic newspaper roll.
However, the looftlighter looks interesting. Do you have any link to some more information and/or reviews about it?
Hi and thanks for stopping by. Firestarter tabs are my usual method of choice as well. I just start them up and am able to walk away to work on other things until the fire is ready. The Looftlighter is a great tool though and fun to use. I found a pretty good review of this product the other day that includes a video showing it in action. Hopefully this helps. It can be found here: http://hrmcreativebbq.blogspot.ca/2012/04/looftlighter-bbq-lighting-tool-review.html
Happy Grilling.
Patrick
Great article, Patrick. I’ve been wanting to switch to traditional grilling for a while, mainly for the flavour but also to satisfy the traditionalist in me. Great tips on hitting the newspaper with vegetable oil – I wouldn’t have considered that. Are you planning to do a how-to video for these methods? I think that would be a great compliment to your already top-notch article. Thanks for the tips!
Hi Mike and thanks for stopping by. I’m glad you liked the article and tips included. I will definitely be adding how-to-videos in the future but for now I just wanted to get the information out there for anybody that may find it useful. Check back from time to time for more useful info. If you have any topics you may want to know more about, let me know as well and I will be happy to share. Happy grilling!
Patrick
I always have a hell of a time getting my charcoal to fire up and stay nice and hot. I love that there are so many different ways to go about it. I will have to give them a try!
Hi Jamie and thank you for stopping by. I am glad you found the information helpful. If there is anything else you have questions about, please let me know and I will work them into future articles. Happy Grilling
Patrick
I really enjoyed the story about the sad puppy! I love reading sites with some “personality”! I can say I have had a few “DOH” moments myself! I would have gone straight back to the store in that situation, lol. It’s great that you know how to improvise! I know I would love to invest in one or more of those products to prevent second trips in the future!
We have all had a “DOH” moment, and I have had my fair share. Luckily I had a back up this time. I’m glad you found this information useful. if there is anything else I can help with in the future, don’t hesitate to ask.
Happy Grilling.
Patrick
Propane torch is really powerful. just 15 20 minutes is nothing compared to others. I am not a patient guy who can wait for delicious steak. I will look at the propane torch
Hi Furkan and thank you for reading my article. The propane torch is a convenient method for sure. Let me know if you ever have any questions or need a quick tip or two. Happy grilling.
Patrick
I love to grill and this post is right down my alley. I like all that you wrote about and I am coming to use them all. Thanks paul
Hi Paul, I am glad you enjoyed it. If there is anything else you have questions about, please let me know and I will work them into future articles. Happy Grilling
Patrick
Hi Gary and thank you for reading my article. Grilling with charcoal will always be a little more work but there are definite benefits. That is not to say using a gas grill doesn’t have it’s pros as well. I discus the pros and cons of grilling with gas vs charcoal in another article I wrote. You can find it here: https://thegrillinglife.com/and-the-debate-goes-on-cooking-with-charcoal-vs-gas-grills Maybe this will help you in your decision making process. As far as the type of charcoal I recommend, I prefer to use lump charcoal. I briefly describe it in this article. As for charcoal briquettes, I have always had good results with the Kingsford brand. If you ever need any help or a quick tip, feel free to reach out. Happy grilling.
Patrick
This is a great article and very useful to me. I didn’t know there were so many options for lighting the charcoal and the better the airflow the quicker and hotter the flames will be. Thank you so much for this great information. You did a nice job.
Sophie
Hi Sophie and thanks for stopping by. If there is anything else you have questions about, please let me know and I will work them into future articles. Check back soon for more useful grilling information. Happy Grilling
Patrick
I’ve never seen a chimney starter before! These are great gift ideas for the grill master men in my life! I have to say…my history with charcoal lighting is quite successful! And it was very dangerous. Let’s just say I used lighter fluid method. A lot of lighter fluid. Like…think the amount you think is a lot…and double that. I was an excited 12-year-old girl whose daddy told her she could light the grill, but I only had one chance. If the charcoal didn’t light, I would have to wait until next time. So I made sure those puppies would light! And light they did!
Not only did I get the charcoal in the grill to light, but the bag of charcoal I left sitting on the table next to the grill, too! Haha! I still remember the heat of the flame after I threw the match into those charcoals and the emotions felt during it all. Fear, excitement, thinking “cool!” after watching that giant flame, then the mild desire to do it again, joy to see the charcoals were staying lit, fear when I saw the bag of charcoal also lit up, thinking “cool”, fear, relief when the flame on the bag died down, pride when my daddy told me “good job”, horror when the bag of charcoal starting smoking behind him as he told me “good job”, love when I watched my mom smother the bag with a fire blanket… *sigh* Good times!
Another awesome article that was enjoyable to read with tons of personality! Thank you for the new info and I might have to take a stab at lighting up a charcoal grill again 😉
Oh my god Liz, I can almost feel the heat from that fire all the way over here! On a serious note, I am glad nobody got hurt and nothing major caught on fire. Phew! Just remember, lighter fluid = bad! Chimney starters = good! So get with the program girl and get yours today. If I have too, I’ll come light your next BBQ to show you the way. Thanks again for stopping by. Don’t forget to check back in from time to time. I appreciate the support. Happy Grilling!
Patrick
It was worth visiting your site just to learn about chimney starters! They seem like a great safe way to get your fire going.
I had recently learned about the safety issues with lighter fluid but I never considered the effect on the taste of your food. I never tried the easy light charcoal because I didn’t really see the need to pay extra for it.
Nice tip about soaking newspaper in vegetable oil. I don’t use newspaper, but it will make me look like quite the expert when I share that information with friends that do.
Hi Chaz and thanks for stopping by. A chimney starter is definitely worth the investment over the long haul. It will save you money, time and is better for the environment. That was enough to convince me. I’m glad one of my tips was helpful for you. Let me know if I can be of any additional help.