Set Up The Charcoal Grill
Before using the charcoal chimney, place your charcoal grill outdoors for safety. Once your charcoal grill is ready, set up the chimney.
Always make sure the grill is cool and not in use before putting it on the hook. Wear protective gloves if you have recently used the grill to add an extra layer of protection against accidental burns.
Set Up The Charcoal Chimney
Wear fire-resistant gloves before you light a fire on the charcoal chimney.
Place the lighter cube: Lighter cubes are the fuel to burn the charcoal in the chimney. These lighter cubes should be placed on the grate inside the charcoal grill. The grate is a metal grid or rack that sits above the charcoal or wood. There are two grates inside the charcoal grill upper grate and the lower grate. The lower grate is where you keep your food to grill. Keep two lighter cubes on the lower grate of the grill. Place them exactly where you will put the chimney.
Put charcoal chimney in the grill: Keep the charcoal chimney on the lower grate over the lighter cubes. Make the chimney stable ensure it isn’t moving and sitting correct on the lower grate to avoid accidents.
Fill the charcoal: Add your charcoal briquettes to the chimney.
Fire the lighter cube: Firmly lift the charcoal chimney from one side to light the cubes under the chimney.
Let it burn: Close the lid of the charcoal grill and wait for it to burn. The charcoal will take about 15-20 minutes to be grill-ready. You will know it’s time when you see ash covering the charcoal briquettes over the chimney.
Remove the chimney: Once the charcoal is ready, take off the charcoal grill lid. Hold the chimney handle and pour the charcoal on the grill bottom. Try to pour the hot charcoal slowly to avoid sparks and embers flying out causing burns or starting inadvertent fires. When controlling the grill ensure that there are no combustible materials or substances around and keep children and dogs away.
Removing the lid from a charcoal grill can expose you to high temperatures and flames so do it slowly and cautiously. Use heat-resistant BBQ gloves to keep your hands safe when removing the grill lid and handling the hot chimney full of ignited charcoal. Never bend over the grill to open it or pour out the coals, as the rising heat might cause burns.
Distribute the burnt charcoal: After you pour the hot charcoal, you need to distribute it inside the grill for further cooking. Use the charcoal rake to distribute the burning charcoal evenly.
When arranging the hot charcoal exercise extreme caution because the embers can be quite hot and could spark. To stay safe always wear heat-resistant BBQ gloves.
The Best Way To Use A Charcoal Chimney
Here are a few things to keep in mind for starting charcoal with a chimney:
- Always set up your charcoal chimney over non-flammable materials.
- Wait until the charcoal is evenly burnt before distributing them in the grill. It ensures an even, hot grill ready for cooking food.
Reasons To Use A Charcoal Chimney
- Efficiency: A charcoal chimney starts your grill faster than other methods, cutting down on your grilling time.
- Taste: Using the lighter fluid for grilling gives a chemical smell to your food. Using charcoal eliminates such odor. Your food gets a smoky flavor when you grill them using charcoal.
Starting charcoal with a chimney simplifies the preparation process and adds a smoky flavor to your grilled foods.
FAQs:
What To Put In The Charcoal Chimney Starter?
Put charcoal briquettes in the charcoal chimney. You can also use flavored wood chips if you don’t want to use charcoal.
How Long Do You Leave Charcoal In A Charcoal Chimney Starter?
It is better to keep the charcoal burning for 15-20 minutes.
Can You Use A Rusty Charcoal Chimney?
A rusty charcoal chimney is safe to use unless it starts falling apart. Burning charcoal in a chimney will turn the steel rusty and black over a period of time.
How Do You Know When Charcoal Is Ready?
The chimney will release smoke once the charcoal is completely burnt. That is how you will know the charcoal is ready for grilling food.