How to Start a Lump Charcoal Fire Fast

Lump charcoal adds a gourmet touch to barbecued meat.

Grilling experts prefer using lump charcoal, charcoal in its natural form as produced by treating wood with high heat, instead of charcoal briquettes. Lump charcoal fires are hotter and cleaner than briquette fires. Lump charcoal is easier to light. Use a long-necked butane or electric lighter to ignite lump charcoal. Adding charcoal or fireplace starter cubes to the charcoal and lighting the cubes ignites the charcoal faster and produces an even more intense flame. Lighter fluid isn't recommended for starting lump charcoal; use an alcohol-based starter gel instead of cubes.

Things You'll Need

• Fireplace or grill starter cubes or alcohol-based charcoal starter
• Long-stemmed matches or long-neck lighter

Instructions

1. Remove the grilling grate from the top of your barbecue grill or place it on a high enough rack of your charcoal cooker so that you can fully access the charcoal tray. Clean the charcoal tray as necessary.

2. Place a starter cube under the bottom grate of a ceramic charcoal cooker or at the bottom of a metal grill and lightly pile lump charcoal on top of it for an intense fire. Pour a two-piece thick layer of lump charcoal into the charcoal tray or base of your grill and then place a starter cube on top of it or coat one or two lumps at the top with starter gel for a medium fire.

3. Light the starter cube or the coated lumps of charcoal with a long-stemmed match or long-necked lighter. Allow the fire to spread across and ignite the entire pile of charcoal before you place the grilling grate over the charcoal tray and begin grilling meat. Make sure air circulates through the charcoal by opening the grilling vents to keep the heat at its proper level as you cook.

Tips & Warnings

• For a low, even, slow-cooking flame, place a layer of charcoal at the bottom of the grill and create a chimney or open pyramid of charcoal in the center of the grill. Coat a lump of charcoal at the top of the chimney with gel starter and light the chimney. Allow the chimney to ignite and to heat the bottom charcoal slightly before you begin grilling.

• Never use petroleum-based lighter fluid or gel to light lump charcoal. This type of fuel is environmentally unsafe and dangerous to use. It also imparts an unpleasant taste to food cooked over a lump charcoal flame.

References

• The Naked Whiz: Lump Charcoal FAQ
• Big Green Egg: Natural Lump Charcoal