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Light the Charcoal Grill: Instructions with and without a Grill Lighter

When the grilling season starts, you can light your charcoal grill in a variety of ways. We’ll show you how it works with and without a grill lighter.

Light the charcoal grill with the grill lighter – this is how it works

Barbecue lighters are practical and safe tools to get the charcoal glowing. The trade offers grill lighters in solid and liquid or gel form.

  • Coal: First, stack some coal into a pyramid. The mountain shouldn’t be too big at first.
  • Fixed grill lighters: If you use fixed grill lighters, they are usually cube-shaped. The optimal distribution of the grill lighters varies depending on the manufacturer. So look at the package information and place the grill lighters as specified.
  • Liquid grill lighters: Simply spread liquid grill lighters evenly over the charcoal or briquettes. With this variant, you have to wait for a little before you light the charcoal. It takes a few minutes for the grill lighter to soak the charcoal.
  • Lighting: Now you can light the charcoal. This works best with a long matchstick.
  • Provide oxygen: A really good ember can only be created with oxygen. If there is a socket nearby, a normal hair dryer is quite suitable for supplying oxygen. Alternatively, fan the embers with a fan.
  • Patience: Wait about half an hour before pouring the second layer of charcoal over the embers.

Light the grill without a grill lighter

An important safety note first: neither spirit nor petrol nor turpentine are suitable grill lighters.

  • The risk of an explosion and thus serious injuries is very high. In addition, toxic fumes are produced.
  • Newsprint is also not a good choice. The ash whirls up when grilling and settles on your grilled food.
  • A safe way to light charcoal without a lighter is to use egg cartons. Tear them open and place the boxes underneath the charcoal.
  • Make sure that enough air gets to the boxes. If you light the egg cartons, they will only burn slowly.
  • This creates an even ember of charcoal. However, you have to reckon with a lot of smoke when grilling.
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Written by John Myers

Professional Chef with 25 years of industry experience at the highest levels. Restaurant owner. Beverage Director with experience creating world-class nationally recognized cocktail programs. Food writer with a distinctive Chef-driven voice and point of view.

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