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A fun barbecue party with delicious charcoal food is always a great idea on weekends or special events. However, those who have never done it before are often quite confused while preparing.
This blog is here to teach you how to start a charcoal BBQ in the quickest and safest way! Let’s take a look
Table of Contents
How To Start A Charcoal BBQ?
There are many methods to start the party, but we will only introduce you to the two most popular and convenient ways.
Lighter Fluid Method
Amongst several methods available, this is probably the most commonly used one. However, it can easily get many people into messes due to the lack of control over lighter fluid.
Not only will this ruin your outdoor party, but it can also pose dangers to everyone around. Therefore, you should learn carefully and implement it according to the correct process.
To start, arrange the coals in a pyramid or neat block. You can crumple up a few sheets of newspaper and place them between the coals. This is to increase the flammability of the coal, but it is not strictly required.
Next, pour or spray an even amount of lighter fluid on top and focus more on the top of the pyramid – this is where the most heat is needed. You should only pour about three tablespoons/pound of coal, as overdoing it can get you a fire instead of a barbecue.
Next, start the fire with a match or a long grill lighter. Please light it up right after you have prepared the fuel and coal. The longer the fuel is left in the air, the more volatile the fuel will be and the more difficult it will be to burn.
Never spray lighter fluid on coals once you have lit the fire. A bigger fire may be enjoyable, but it is difficult to control and can lead to unwanted accidents. Keep in mind that you should only burn the fuel you put in initially.
After the fuel burns out, the coals burn and create a layer of grey ash outside. It will take about 15 minutes for all the coals to burn, and then your grill is ready.
Chimney Starter Method
If you don’t like lighter fluid, burning coal with a chimney starter might be a better method for you. It is a cylindrical metal tool that focuses the heat from the coals and controls the airflow to maintain the flame.
Although this method requires you to prepare the accompanying tools, it remains one of the most favourite ways amongst the baking-lover community.
First, you need to fill the chimney starter with charcoal (a typical starter can hold 100 briquettes). Put some combustible material on the bottom of it.
You can use scraps of paper, but it’s better to put something that burns longer, like cotton wool or cardboard. There are also specialised starter products, such as orchid fire starters or lighter cubes – all can be found at any bakery store.
Next, light up those starting materials and place your chimney starter on top. This flame will help ignite the coals. After 10-15 minutes, you will see a layer of grey ash covering all of your coals.
Pour the starter charcoal into the grill, and do not forget to use gloves or tongs to avoid injury. Arrange the coals your way, close the lid and place the grill on top. Wait until it’s hot enough to start grilling!
A Few Tips Before You Get Started
After learning how to start a BBQ, let’s take a look at some useful tips for a delicious and safe meal.
Prepare The Grill
The grills need to be clean to ensure food safety. Therefore, you should clean the equipment carefully to remove previous use or dust traces during storage. If you use a new one, maybe rinse it with enough water.
Select The Right Type Of Charcoal
There are many different types of coal with quite reasonable prices on the market. You’ll want to choose charcoal that is clean, explosive, and has a slight smoke smell. This is an important step, as products of less reputable brands are often difficult to burn and greatly affect your meal preparation.
Arrange Charcoals Properly
Many people often overlook this step, as they think that pouring coal on the grill is fine enough as long as it burns. However, we do not recommend this!
The reasonable arrangement will make the fire dispersed in the right direction, easier to control. In addition, each different method of igniting the fire also has a different arrangement of coals.
Placement Of The Grill
For safety, you should place the grills away from flammable objects. Let’s keep the equipment away from fences, bushes, or anything like that.
You also want a bucket of water in case a fire breaks out. Finally, make sure it’s not a play area for the kids.
Conclusion
Starting a BBQ is not too difficult; everyone can do it. It can only take you 10-15 minutes to get started with the right practice. With the methods suggested above, we wish you and your beloved will have safe and wonderful meals.
Don’t hesitate to leave them in the comment section if you have any other questions about how to start a charcoal BBQ. Thank you.
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