This has been the question for pitmasters using charcoal to fuel their pit since charcoal was invented. How to light charcoal quickly, cleanly, cost effectively and not leave any chemical taste on the food being grilled/BBQ'd. The choices when my Dad used to grill for us was lighter fluid or one of those electric heating coil things which was my Dad's choice. The electric coil starter is clean, cost effective but not very fast.
For years lighter fluid was pretty much the choice for most backyard pitmasters. Cheap, somewhat fast but not very clean as critics would argue. The argument being it's a petroleum product which leaves a residue behind that can add an unpleasant chemical flavor to the meat being cooked.
There are a few more choices now in this generation than in my Dad's. lighter fluid and electric starters are still aroud but now there's a chimney starter and just recently another electric option appeared, a Looftlighter. At $80 a Looftlighter is a bit pricey but clean although from what I've seen, slow. The chimney however is faster, cheap and clean (except for the ashes left from newspaper ashes to start it) so I chose the chimney.
Since a chimney was the logical choice for me to light the charcoal, the next choice became what's the best way to light the chimney? Using a wad of newspaper leaves all those flakey paper ashes flittering about which is not preferrable to me. That left fatwood and Weber Firestarter Lighter cubes. Fatwood being pine wood taken from the most resin impregnated parts of the tree. Firestarter cubes are made of some sort of combustable material that are non toxic and smokeless. They only leave behind a very small cube of ash about half their original size.
I tried fatwood which was pretty good but found the Weber Firestarter Lighter cubes to be the clean and inexpensive choice (not very fast though) and used them for quite awhile until I found the Cadillac of charcoal lighters below!
A propane fueled turkey deep fat fryer base! Truly the Cadillac of chimney starters, IMO! It allows you to start cooking with charcoal in approx the same time as a gas grill takes to come up to cooking temp.
Pros
Cons
Since I have it on my redwood deck I wrapped it with aluminum flashing to contain the sparks from hardwood briquets or lump. As a base I use a thick masonry paver to insulate the deck wood from lit briquets falling through the chimney and almost setting the deck on fire. Don't ask...
Takes about 5 minutes of propane to get the briquets blazing
This is 12 minutes after lighting, 7 minutes after turning the gas off.
I'm always on the lookout for clean, fast, efficient ways to light charcoal. How do you light yours?
For years lighter fluid was pretty much the choice for most backyard pitmasters. Cheap, somewhat fast but not very clean as critics would argue. The argument being it's a petroleum product which leaves a residue behind that can add an unpleasant chemical flavor to the meat being cooked.
There are a few more choices now in this generation than in my Dad's. lighter fluid and electric starters are still aroud but now there's a chimney starter and just recently another electric option appeared, a Looftlighter. At $80 a Looftlighter is a bit pricey but clean although from what I've seen, slow. The chimney however is faster, cheap and clean (except for the ashes left from newspaper ashes to start it) so I chose the chimney.
Since a chimney was the logical choice for me to light the charcoal, the next choice became what's the best way to light the chimney? Using a wad of newspaper leaves all those flakey paper ashes flittering about which is not preferrable to me. That left fatwood and Weber Firestarter Lighter cubes. Fatwood being pine wood taken from the most resin impregnated parts of the tree. Firestarter cubes are made of some sort of combustable material that are non toxic and smokeless. They only leave behind a very small cube of ash about half their original size.
I tried fatwood which was pretty good but found the Weber Firestarter Lighter cubes to be the clean and inexpensive choice (not very fast though) and used them for quite awhile until I found the Cadillac of charcoal lighters below!
A propane fueled turkey deep fat fryer base! Truly the Cadillac of chimney starters, IMO! It allows you to start cooking with charcoal in approx the same time as a gas grill takes to come up to cooking temp.
Pros
- It uses clean propane so no chemical taste on the food
- lights instantly
- Is at peak heat instantly
- Lights charcoal faster than anything short of a weed eater blow torch
- Leaves no ashes
Cons
- Not easily portable
- Equipment cost: Turkey deep fat fryers cost between $50-$100 new. Much cheaper if used.
- Propane cost, a 5 Gal tank costs $24 to fill but will last me approx one year
- Can be somewhat dangerous if misused
Since I have it on my redwood deck I wrapped it with aluminum flashing to contain the sparks from hardwood briquets or lump. As a base I use a thick masonry paver to insulate the deck wood from lit briquets falling through the chimney and almost setting the deck on fire. Don't ask...
Takes about 5 minutes of propane to get the briquets blazing
This is 12 minutes after lighting, 7 minutes after turning the gas off.
I'm always on the lookout for clean, fast, efficient ways to light charcoal. How do you light yours?