How to Light Charcoals

It’s barbecue season. That means it’s time to fire up your grill and enjoy some irresistibly smoky food with friends and family.

Of course, it’s also the time of year when many of us are reminded of just how bad we are at barbecuing. Fortunately, you can level up your grill skills considerably just by learning a few handy tricks and tricks.

So click here to learn how to grill the perfect burger, or keep reading if you just need to know how to get the damn barbecue started in the first place.

How to choose charcoal

There are 4 types of charcoal with different properties to suit your needs, but they can also get pretty expensive.

Instant charcoal briquettes are the easiest to light but, after reading this article, you’ll hopefully be able to avoid using them. They’re essentially just regular charcoal briquettes that have been soaked in lighter fluid. They require very little effort but you’ll be able to taste the lighter fluid flavour on your food. Go for one of the other 3 types of charcoal instead.

Pressed charcoal briquettes are widely available and probably what springs to mind when you think of charcoal. The wood (and whatever else is in there) is pressed into uniform briquettes and offers a reliably long-lasting burn. For best results, let them burn for as long as you can before throwing food on the grill.

Lump hardwood charcoal is the charcoal of choice for most seasoned and professional grillers. Nothing is added to these chunks of charred hardwood, which means they burn cleanly but also intensely. They’ll also impart a smokey flavour on your food that is unparalleled.

Binchotan is premium charcoal from Japan. If you’re running a large grill, it’ll cost you an arm and a leg to fill it with this stuff. It’s high-carbon, kiln-dried oak wood that burns cleaner, hotter and longer than anything else on the market. If you want to run a smaller grill for long periods – and can afford it – Binchotan is the charcoal for you.

How to prepare the grill

Before lighting your charcoal, there are 3 steps you must take to prepare your grill for cooking:

Choose the right charcoal. Ideally you’ll want one that burns hot and clean. Depending on the event you’re grilling for, you may also require one that needs to burn for a long time. We’ve covered what types of charcoal offer what in the section above.

Clean your grill. You can skip this step if you’ve just bought one brand new, but you’ll want to make sure your grill is as close to spotless as you can get it before firing it up. A lot of people skip this step because it can be such a pain to get rid of all that grime. Don’t. It’s not that difficult to clean it before every use, but it will be extremely difficult trying to clean it after 10 uses.

Arrange your charcoal correctly. This crucial step may come as a surprise to novice grillers. You need to make sure your charcoal is properly arranged in order to both light it more easily and keep it burning effectively. How you arrange it depends on how you’re going to light it, so we’ll explain how to do it according to each method below.

Lighting charcoal with a charcoal chimney

Using a charcoal chimney is the grill-starting method of choice for professional grillers. If you plan to use your barbecue frequently, it’s worth investing in one (they’re not expensive) and following these steps:

1. Place your charcoal chimney on the grill with the closed side facing downwards.
2. Add your charcoal to the chimney. You want it to reach the top but not overflow.
3. Place fire starters under the chimney. You can use old paper, wood chips, and even lint from your dryer for this. The easier to light and the slower the burn, the better.
4. Light the fire starters under the chimney and keep an eye on the charcoal.
5. After about 10 minutes, the charcoal should begin to flame. That means it’s time to flip the chimney over and empty the charcoal into the grill.
6. Once the coals have turned white, spread them evenly in the grill and replace the grate. Now you can start grilling.

Lighting charcoal with lighter fluid

Using lighter fluid requires little effort but it can negatively affect the taste of the food you’re grilling and, if used carelessly, can even be quite dangerous. If you’re using it, be sure to follow these steps:

1. Arrange your charcoal in a pyramid shape. Start with a large base and then stack smaller and smaller layers on top.
2. Carefully coat your charcoal pyramid as evenly as possible with the lighter fluid. Remember, restraint is your friend here.
3. Light the coals in several places using a long match or grill lighter. Be patient and, once lit, do not add more lighter fluid.
4. Wait for the lit coals to turn white, then spread them evenly in the grill and replace the grate. Now you can start grilling.

Lighting charcoal with an electric starter

Electric firestarters are the easy but expensive way of starting a grill. Consider getting one if you plan to use your barbecue regularly but think using a charcoal chimney seems like too much effort.

1. Arrange your charcoal in a pyramid shape. Start with a large base and then stack smaller and smaller layers on top.
2. Plug in your electric firestarter and thrust the nose directly into the centre of your coal stack.
3. Once you start seeing sparks, pull the firestarter out to the periphery of the coal stack.
4. Start moving the firestarter around the stack, keeping it a few centimetres away, until the fire starts. Remove and unplug the firestarter.
5. Wait for the lit coals to turn white, then spread them evenly in the grill and replace the grate. Now you can start grilling.

How to light charcoal without chimney

If you want to avoid using lighter fluid but don’t have a chimney starter, you can attempt the following method for similar results:

1. Pour a teaspoon of oil over 2 sheets of newspaper and crumple it into a loose ball.
2. Place the newspaper ball in the centre of the grill and stack charcoal into a mound on top of it.
3. Light the paper in several places using a long match or grill lighter.
4. Wait up to half an hour for the charcoal to catch fire.
5. Once the coals have turned white, spread them evenly in the grill and replace the grate. Now you can start grilling.

How to light charcoal without lighter fluid

You can also start a grill quickly without lighter fluid by using fire starting alternatives such as any type of kindling (paper will do) and paraffin wax. Simply place it under the coals and light it with a long match or grill lighter.

Tips & Tricks

• The size and shape of your barbecue will affect the amount of charcoal you need. But so will the type of food you’re cooking and the weather. In general, you’ll only need about 30 briquettes for small and portable grills, or 50 to 75 for full-size ones. Add a few more briquettes on cold, windy and/or rainy days, and subtract a few when cooking anything that’s better cooked at a lower heat (i.e. burgers and sausages).
• Keep your coals close together using your tongs. You don’t want to pack them tightly either, but keeping them close will keep them burning longer and more evenly.
• Don’t have charcoal? Consider using wood chips instead. Just remember that the type of wood chips you use will affect the flavour of your food.

Health & Safety

Exercise caution at all times when using lighter fluids:

• Never add lighter fluid to an already lit fire. This risks the fluid container exploding.
• Never lean over the grill while using lighter fluid.
• Don’t leave your grill unattended for long periods. Always keep it in sight.

It is also important to safely extinguish your charcoal fire after use. Charcoal stays hot for a long time and can hide embers strong enough to start a fire even when it looks spent. When you’re done:

• Close any and all vents on the grill.
• Spray the coals with water and stir them with your tongs.
• Close the grill lid securely and let it cool for several hours before moving.

OK, so now it’s time to get grilling, but don’t forget what we told you about preparing your barbecue properly first. Click here to learn 6 easy ways to clean your grill.