Do you love grilled food but don’t know how to light a charcoal grill? You’re not alone! Grilling is a popular way to cook food, but it can be tricky to get the charcoal started. In this blog post, we will discuss different ways that you can light your charcoal grill and we will provide some tips on temperature control!
How to Start?
I start by removing the old ashes from the bottom of the grill. Next I make sure the vents on the bottom and top are open all the way. I like to pile up my leftover charcoal on the side and place the newly lit charcoal on top of it. If I have enough leftover charcoal then I will relight it instead of using new charcoal.
Paper Towel
Let’s start with the most cost effective which is a piece of paper towel. Yes, you read it correctly. Place a few pieces of charcoal in a mound on the bottom rack of your grill then add a little olive oil to a couple pieces of paper towel. Add a few pieces of charcoal on top of the paper towel then use a match or lighter to ignite the paper towel.
Chimney Starter
If you are using lighter fluid to start your gill it is time to switch to a chimney starter. I use a chimney starter to light my charcoal when using my kettle grill. I save old newspapers and crumple two to three sheets and place them in the bottom of the chimney. I fill the chimney with coals then use a lighter to ignite the paper.
Newspaper not your thing? Try a paraffin starter. I like to use a paraffin starter when it is really windy and dry so I don’t start an unintended fire in the neighborhood. I find that 1 cube works well for me but depending on the wind I might use two.
I dump my charcoal on the bottom grate when I start to see flames coming out of the top of the chimney. Be sure to place the chimney starter in a safe place to cool off. We put ours on a patio brick out of the way of foot traffic.
Electric Starter
Once we bought our smoker it did not take long to realize we wanted an easier way to light a large amount of lump charcoal so we invested in an electric starter. We add charcoal then place the electric starter on the coals then add more coals on top. Once the coals start to catch we unplug the starter and carefully remove it. Be sure to place it in a safe place to cool off. We place ours on a clay planter base.
Other Methods
Some people gravitate towards lighter fluid or instant-light charcoal but I am not a fan of either of these methods. If you use lighter fluid make sure your coals are gray before you start to cook ensuring the fluid has burned off. Instant-light charcoal is easy to use but releases fumes during cooking. I personally think that either of these methods changes the way BBQ food taste, and not for the better.
When is the Charcoal Ready for Food?
Regardless of the method you chose to light the charcoal, it is ready for cooking when you see a light layer of ash which is a gray color. This can take anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes depending on how fast the coals are lit.
Charcoal Temperature Control
If your charcoal grill is too hot then start by closing the bottom vent by half. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Check your temperature if it is still too hot then close the top vent by half as well. If it is now too cold then open the top vent a little at a time until you get the grill where you need it to be.
Depending on air flow there might be times where you cook with the bottom completely closed and the top open by half or other times when the bottom is completely open and the top is mostly closed. Keep an eye on what your temperature is doing as you close the top or bottom vent and you will know which vent you should be fiddling with for that grill. It changes each time.
I like to do move each vent in stages because every time I grill it is a different experience. Sometimes it is really windy and other times there is no wind at all. The air temperature factors into my coal temperature as well. At times it will be really cold 20° F or really hot 95° F outside. It all affects the air flow and temperature of my charcoal grill and factors into how hot my coals are. A little patience and you will get there in no time.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know how to light your charcoal grill you are ready to make some delicious food! After your food is done cooking be sure to close both vents completely so your leftover charcoal does not burn up! Wondering how to dispose of charcoal ash? Check out our article here. Be sure to peruse our other blog posts for grilling recipes and tips.
Happy grilling!