How do I start / heat a charcoal barbeque properly?!
My room mate and I have just recently bought a charcoal barbeque!. Neither of us have had any previous experience using one and aren't having much luck heating all the charcoals thoroughly!.
The instructions that came with the barbeque said to use vegetable oil soaked paper or kindling wood!. Since we don't have kindling wood we've been using vegetable oil soaked paper!. The paper lights up fine, but we find that these don't stay lit long enough to heat the charcoals thouroughly!. We've opened the bottom vents and have kept the lid open as the instructions specified!.
also it says to stack the charcoal in a pyramid shape, but we have the natural wood irregular shaped pieces not the square type, so it's hard to stack properly!.
Is there anything that we should be doing!? We want to avoid using manufactured charcoals (i!.e!. square brick shapes) and lighter fluid!. We want to use the most natural way to heat the charcoals!.
Thanks!Www@FoodAQ@Com
The instructions that came with the barbeque said to use vegetable oil soaked paper or kindling wood!. Since we don't have kindling wood we've been using vegetable oil soaked paper!. The paper lights up fine, but we find that these don't stay lit long enough to heat the charcoals thouroughly!. We've opened the bottom vents and have kept the lid open as the instructions specified!.
also it says to stack the charcoal in a pyramid shape, but we have the natural wood irregular shaped pieces not the square type, so it's hard to stack properly!.
Is there anything that we should be doing!? We want to avoid using manufactured charcoals (i!.e!. square brick shapes) and lighter fluid!. We want to use the most natural way to heat the charcoals!.
Thanks!Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
Ok your best bet would be to get a chimney!. It is like a coffee can with holes in it with a handle!. The best thing about this is you don't use fluid which can smell and taste funny!. You ball up some newspaper and put it in the bottom of this device and put your coals in the top and light the paper and as soon as the coals start to turn white on top you can pour them into your grill and spread them out how you like!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
what i would do is clear a small space in the center of the wood stack and put the paper there and then make a small rope out of extra paper to extend just a few inches outside the stack
after doing that arrange the wood like a tee-pee surrounding the paper with smaller pieces of the wood going over the paper and the larger pieces making the tee-pee shape
also if you can, try to find a slightly stronger oil to extend it's fire life so the paper will stay lit a bit longer
or you could arrange it like a tee-pee and then buy a scripto flame torch/wand and light the wood itselfWww@FoodAQ@Com
after doing that arrange the wood like a tee-pee surrounding the paper with smaller pieces of the wood going over the paper and the larger pieces making the tee-pee shape
also if you can, try to find a slightly stronger oil to extend it's fire life so the paper will stay lit a bit longer
or you could arrange it like a tee-pee and then buy a scripto flame torch/wand and light the wood itselfWww@FoodAQ@Com
Stack the coals in a multi layer format!. Only use a drop of lighter fluid near the top of the briquettes!. Once lit then pour on the remainder of lighter fluid over the remaining charcoal to get it going!. Watch closely as some parts of the charcoal might not ignite as time goes by!. re apply lighter fluid to the dark spots!. Once the enitre grill appears ashy and white, place the grill over it and scrub it down with a wire brush to kill any leftover gunk or whatever!. Then begin to grill!Www@FoodAQ@Com
try putting the charcoal in a pile the best you can!. and have the vegetable oil soaked paper dug into the pile with it sticking out a little so you can lite it!. so that when you light the paper the flame will go down all the way through the charcoal pile!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
get the charcoals and put them in get them cubes which makes the charcoals heat up and go in flames but u have to light it fan the fire until it is like embers and glowing and actually on fire and then start putting in foodWww@FoodAQ@Com
i use a device called a chimney and it takes newspaper and gets the coals really started well!. available wherever grills are sold and well worth it!.Www@FoodAQ@Com