What is the best way to light a charcoal grill?!
What is the best way to light a charcoal grill?
By best I mean which is the Fastest way to get the charcoals to ash over?
Answers:
I prefer a charcoal chimney (you can make one from a coffee can) - just pile the briquets on newspaper and light. The rising heat gets the briquets going faster than just pouring on the lighter fluid
your face
Make sure you have read your grills instructions and that you understand them.
Thoroughly clean out the grill removing ash and grease.
Determine how much charcoal you are going to need. A one layer for burgers and steaks or two layers for roasts and chickens.
Pour enough charcoal into the grill to make the layers needed.
Stack charcoal into a cone shape.
Pour lighter fluid over the charcoal cone, using more in the center than he edges. Use about 1/4 cup to 1-pound charcoal.
Let the fluid sit on the coals for about 30 seconds.
With a long match light from the bottom on at least two sides.
Let coals burn until all coals are white on the surface.
With a long handles instrument, spread the coals evenly across the coal grate.
Close lid, wait 5 minutes and start cooking.
Get you an old coffee can ( the big one) and cut the bottom out of it (top is already gone). You can buy one of these at your local grillin store and it is called a chimney.
Set the can on your grill, put the charcoal in the can and light it as usual. Once the coal are hot and getting ash around the corners, use a pair of long handled pliers to lift the can off. Spread the coals around and they should be ready for burgerizing shortly.
Keep a spray bottle of water handy so the flare ups don't burn the dead cow.
There is a chimney with a handle on it so you put news paper in it throw your briquetts in, light the newspaper and there ya have it.You can find these at most sporting good stores or any where they sell grills and supplies they are wonderful.We use this little contraption all the time as we cook in Dutch ovens quite frequently. We usually have quite a crowd of hungry people so sometimes we just put the chimney right over a blaster and get those babies fired up in a hurry.I really don't know the name of the thing I have alaways called it a chimney,it is about 12-16 in. high and about 4-6in.in diameter. It has holes all around it so the air can circulate the heat faster.and it has a wooden handle on it,and it is black.Hope that helps.