How to Light a Charcoal Grill Without a Chimney Starter

When barbecue season comes around, many people turn to the convenience of a chimney starter to light the grill. Although using this device can be convenient, it certainly isn't necessary. In fact, you might find it easier to start your grill without the use of a chimney starter. Adhering to a few simple rules will allow you to light your grill with only charcoal, lighter fluid and paper scraps---and without the time and fuss of preparing a chimney starter.

Things You'll Need

• Charcoal
• Lighter fluid
• Cardboard or paper strips
• Lighter

Instructions

1. Clean the grill, even if this is its first use. This will eliminate the possibility of any unusual tastes from compounds or chemicals from the factory making its way into the food. Otherwise, clean out any ashes or unburned pieces of charcoal, making sure that any vents on the underside of the grill are unclogged.

2. Place several strips of either cardboard or rolled-up paper at the bottom of the grill; douse the strips with lighter fluid. These strips will act as kindling underneath the charcoal, helping the briquettes to reach maximum temperature and stay lit.

3. Place several charcoal briquettes in the grill. The briquettes should be stacked in a conical pile, then covered liberally with lighter fluid.

4. Light the charcoal briquettes. Use either a long-stemmed lighter or long strips of cardboard to light the charcoals. After the coals have been lit and every one of them is on fire let the pile stay lit and burning until the fire goes out by itself. When the flames are entirely extinguished, the coals should be gray in color and covered with ash. If the charcoals do not have that appearance, they should be ignited again.

5. Spread the charcoal evenly across the bed of the grill in a single layer. Once the charcoals are spread across the bed, you're ready to begin cooking.

Tips & Warnings

• Put the grate back in place over the charcoals and allow it to get hot before cooking on it.

• Never attempt to add lighter fluid to a bed of charcoals that has already been lit. Flames might travel up the stream of lighter fluid and into the container causing an explosion which could lead to serious burns and scarring.

• Don't breathe in too much of the smoky air from the grill. Aside from being extremely hot and thus capable of burning your throat and lungs, the smoke contains chemicals that could be hazardous to your respiratory system.

• Never use a charcoal grill indoors. The burning coals release potentially lethal levels of toxic gas that could result in suffocation and death if used in a non-ventilated, indoor space.

References

• Article on setting up a charcoal grill from Food Network.