How to Set Up Charcoal Grill Without Chimney

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It's summertime and you're at the charcoal grill, feeling the pressure of cooking meat and vegetables to perfection for your family and friends. The first step is to figure out how to get the fire going, preferably without scorching yourself in the process! With a bag of charcoal and some lighter fluid or a charcoal chimney--plus a good amount of patience--you'll be on your way to grilling up a delicious meal.

1. 

   1

   Remove the lid and cooking grate. This will allow you to reach the bottom charcoal grate.^[1]

2. 

   2

   Clean out ash and dirt from the grill. Sweep out any leftover debris at the bottom of the grill and collect them in a trash bin.

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3. 

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   Open the bottom grill vent. This will let air get to the charcoal and help it burn.

   • You can partially close the vent you start to grill your food to regulate the temperature of your coals while cooking, but allow enough oxygen to reach the coal so that the fire doesn't go out. You can also use the lid and lid vents to control the fire's temperature.

4. 4

   Use briquettes for an easier, faster light. Many people prefer briquettes because they catch easily, burn longer and are inexpensive.^[2]

5. 5

   Choose hardwood charcoal for a more intense flavor. Hardwood charcoal burns out faster than briquettes but gives your meat a delicious, smoky flavor.^[3]

6. 6

   Use a mix of briquettes and charcoal. You'll still get the classic barbecue flavor of the charcoal, but combined with the long-lasting burn of the briquettes.^[4]

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1. 

   1

   Group the coals in a pyramid shape at the bottom of the grill. The heat can rise from the bottom and the coals will help light each other, spreading the heat from one coal to the next.^[5]

   • Pour out enough charcoal or briquettes to form an even layer on the bottom of your grill.
   • Use more coal in cold or wet weather for a longer burn.

2. 

   2

   Pour a generous amount of lighter fluid onto the coal. Let it soak in for 3-5 minutes so that when you light the grill, the lighter fluid doesn't burn off the coal immediately.^[6]

   • Pour carefully to avoid getting lighter fluid on yourself. If you spill any while pouring, change clothes or thoroughly clean up the spill before lighting the grill.
   • If you don't have lighter fluid, place a piece of newspaper doused in vegetable oil under the charcoal and carefully light it with a match or lighter.

3. 

   3

   Add a little more lighter fluid to moisten the fuel. This will help the coals light more quickly.

4. 

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   Light the charcoal carefully with a long match or long lighter. Light it in 1-3 places on the moistened coal and allow it to spread to the drier coal.^[7]

5. 5

   Let it burn for 10-15 minutes. The coal will heat up and the lighter fluid will burn off. You're ready to start cooking once the coal is a white-gray color and glowing red at the center.^[8]

   • Wait until the coals are ready to begin grilling. If you start cooking your food before the lighter fluid burns off, your steak or chicken will taste like petroleum!^[9]
   • Do not add more lighter fluid to your grill once the coals are burning. It won't make the fire heat up faster and you may burn your hands.

6. 

   6

   Arrange your charcoal with tongs. The briquettes should spread out on the bottom of the grill slightly past the area where you place your food to allow for even cooking.^[10]

   • For vegetables and thinner meat like chicken, spread the charcoal evenly on the bottom of the grill.
   • To grill thicker meat like steak, make the charcoal higher on one side than the other. You will start cooking the meat on the side with more charcoal. When the outside is cooked to your preference, finish cooking the meat on the side with less charcoal.

7. 

   7

   Replace your cooking grate. Your coals are heated and your grill is ready to go. Time to barbecue!

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1. 

   1

   Fill the chimney with charcoal. Pour in enough charcoal to reach about to the top of the chimney or just below it.^[11]

2. 

   2

   Stuff newspaper in the bottom of the chimney. Crumple the newspaper loosely and stuff it so that the bottom of the chimney is full, but not too tightly to suffocate the flame.^[12]

3. 

   3

   Place the chimney on the cooking grate and light the newspaper. Use a match or lighter and wear heat-safe rubber gloves.^[13]

4. 4

   Let the charcoal burn until it's white-gray with ash. Give it about 20-30 minutes to burn, supervising the flame closely.^[14]

5. 5

   Pour the charcoal onto the grill when it's white and ashy. Lift up the grate and set it aside, then use heat-safe rubber gloves to pour the charcoal into the bed of the grill. Arrange the coal with tongs and replace the cooking grate on top. The charcoal will be very hot, so be careful not to spill.

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Add New Question

• Question

  Should the lid be on while the coal is heating up?

  

  No. Leave the lid off while the coal is heating up. It will allow for more air to help heat the coals. With the lid on, you will suffocate the fire. Let get coals get white all over before you add food.

• Question

  Does the vent on the bottom have to be opened, and why?

  

  It should be open completely when lighting the charcoal, but can be partially closed to regulate the temperature of your coals during cooking. If it is closed all the way, you may starve the fire of oxygen and the fire may go out. I normally leave the bottom vent completely open and use the lid and lid vents to control the fire.

• Question

  What is the smaller grate for?

  

  Some grills have a smaller grate under the grilling grate for the charcoal to rest on. This lets the charcoal get more oxygen and burn faster

• Question

  What if the grill is not hot enough?

  

  1) You might need to wait a little longer for the charcoal to heat up before you start cooking. Wait until they turn gray on the outside and glow red in the center before adding food to the grate. 2) It's possible that you didn't use enough charcoal. After you knock down the pyramid used to start the fire, you'll need a layer 2-4 lumps deep to create enough heat to last long enough for your grilling time. If this is the problem, use a grilling spatula or long tongs to move the coals into a pile on one side of the grill. You can sear your food over the tallest part of the mound, then move it to the other side and close the lid to finish cooking.

• Question

  Should I put the lid on my grill?

  

  If the flames get too high and hot, you can put the lid on to soften up the flames.

• Question

  What if I don't have lighter fluid?

  

  You can use a piece of paper dipped in vegetable oil and place below the charcoal and light the paper.

• Question

  Can I use white spirit to light coals?

  

  White spirit, or turpentine, will give off a nasty smell and taste when burned (which is toxic). If you use turpentine, wait long enough for the turpentine to burn off before you begin grilling. Also, note that turpentine and lighter fluid quickly evaporate. This may cause a "fire ball" if you use too much and wait too long to ignite it.

• Question

  When adding more charcoal should it be precooked or raw?

  

  Precook the coals to get them in the state they need to be in. This will accomplish two things for you: 1) your coals will be hot, so they will be ready for use when they get under your food. You want them to cook the food and not have the food getting charred from the flames of your coal that are still in preparation. 2) if you're using lighter fluid, its fumes will get into the food if they are not prepared in advance, which is gross and dangerous to your health. If need be, use a thick cookie or something similar to prepare the additional charcoal, then add them when they are ready. Be mindful of your food because you just added a lot of extra heat so add coal sparingly.

• Question

  My charcoal seems to be taking a long time to heat up. Is there a way to speed up the process?

  

  You may have spread your coals out too early, which means that the coals aren't sharing heat and will take much longer to heat up. Use tongs and thick rubber gloves to push them closer together. Also, make sure to leave the lid off while heating the grill; the lack of oxygen will cause the fire to be much weaker, if not extinguished completely. Make sure all your vents are open as well. In case of cold or wet weather, use more coals than you normally would.

• Question

  What happens when the flame goes out on a charcoal grill?

  

  First, you'll notice the charcoal will glow red and white. This signifies that you can re-light it by giving it an air current (by blowing it or fanning it). Or if you have lighter fluid in a metal container, you can pour it carefully around the edges to restart it. Second, if it goes it, it will not have enough heat to cook the food and it will eventually cool and have to be reset in a pyramid to light it up again.

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• For an even easier start, look for charcoal or briquettes that don't require lighter fluid or a "Barbecue in a Bag" product, which allows you to light a bag of briquettes directly in the grill without lighter fluid. Follow the package instructions carefully for whatever fuel you choose.

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• When you are done grilling, make sure the charcoal briquettes are completely out to prevent fires. Drench all of the charcoal in water and make sure it is cool enough to touch before you leave the coals behind or dispose of them.

• Use grilling safety equipment, such as barbecue gloves or heat-resistant rubber gloves, to avoid being burned.

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Things You'll Need

• Charcoal grill
• Charcoal briquettes
• Hardwood charcoal
• Lighter or matches
• Lighter fluid
• Charcoal chimney
• Tongs or spatula
• Grilling or heat-safe rubber gloves

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To light a charcoal grill, start by removing the cooking grate and cleaning out any ashes left over from your last barbecue. Once it looks good, open the bottom grill vent to help the fire get going. Add in your briquettes and use your hands to shape them into a small pyramid. Then, squeeze some lighter fluid onto the briquettes or place a newspaper soaked in vegetable oil on top of them. Finally, use a long match or long lighter to light the coal in 2 or 3 places and let it burn for 10 minutes before you start grilling. To learn how to use a charcoal chimney, keep scrolling.

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How to Set Up Charcoal Grill Without Chimney

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Light-a-Charcoal-Grill

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