Start a Charcoal Fire With a Chimney Starter
The goal is to start a charcoal fire without using lighter fluid or other petroleum based fuels. This is to avoid unpleasant taste to the food, environmental regulations or for other reasons.
Steps
- Stuff 2 or 3 large newspaper sheets in the bottom cavity of the chimney.
- Load the top of the canister with charcoal.
- Remove the grate of the charcoal grill and set the starter inside the grill.
- Light the paper with a match at multiple points; convection sucks the flame up the canister and will light all the coals.
- When the coals are glowing and covered in ash, in 15 to 20 minutes, they're ready to be turned out into the grill.
- Put the grate back on and close the lid, giving the unit time to get hot before you start to cook.
Tips
- Forming a ring with the newspaper sheets helps air circulate better up the chimney.
- If you're cooking on a grill located on a wooden deck, it's handy to have a ceramic tile to set the chimney down onto after dumping the coals, as the chimney will be glowing red hot.
- Always use dry paper and charcoal.
Warnings
- Always have a means to extinguish a charcoal fire at hand when cooking outdoors. A fire extinguisher, a bucket of water or sand or a garden hose are good to have around the backyard.
Things You'll Need
- Make a Chimney Starter (Charcoal Starter)
- Newspaper
- Lump charcoal or briquettes
- A match or lighter
Related Articles
- Make a Chimney Starter (Charcoal Starter)
- Make Fire Starters from Egg Cartons
- Make a Toilet Paper Wick Heater
- Tie a Quick Release Knot (Highwayman's Hitch)
- Build a Fire in a Woodburning Heater
Sources and Citations
- For more information on charcoal, charcoal starters and the charcoal chimney starter see the Fire Pit and Grilling Guru All About Charcoal page which includes a video of using a charcoal chimney.
