How to Start a Barbecue Grill With Newspaper

Your charcoal grill is ready faster when you use newspapers and a chimney starter.

Starting your charcoal barbecue grill need not involve the expense and potential danger of using lighter fluid. With a few sheets of newspaper and a device known as a chimney starter, you can light coals safely and quickly without flare-ups or the petroleum odor of lighter fluid. Essentially a metal cylinder with a handle, the chimney starter holds newspaper at the bottom and charcoal filled to the top. Lighting the newspaper causes the charcoal to burn evenly and quickly for cleaner, faster grilling.

Things You'll Need

• Chimney starter
• Newspapers
• Charcoal
• Matches
• Hot mitt

Instructions

1. Raise the lid of your grill, if it has one, and lift out the cooking grate to set the empty chimney starter inside the grill in the center.

2. Crumple five to six sheets of newspaper into tight balls and place them in the bottom of the chimney starter.

3. Pour charcoal briquettes into the chimney starter to the desired level.

4. Light a match and start the fire by igniting the crumpled newspaper through one of the side holes at the bottom of the chimney starter.

5. Use the mitt to raise the chimney starter by the handle when the charcoal on top turns white. The coal will spill safely through the bottom of the chimney starter into the grill. Rake the coals into a single layer with the bottom of the chimney starter.

6. Place your food grate on the grill to start cooking.

References

• The Virtual Weber Bullet: How to Use a Chimney Starter
• "Kitchen Daily"; How to Use a Chimney Starter; Sara Bonisteel