First, Why Is Lighter Fluid Bad?
Hey there, fellow barbecue rookie. You might be wondering why the barbecue community is against using lighter fluid when starting their charcoal. Simple - it's full of chemicals. Not only do these chemicals effect the taste of your charcoal, but the smell of it can be hazardous too. Safety reasons aside - using lighter fluid barely works because more often than not, the lighter fluid will likely just burn off before it can light your charcoal.
That said, let's kickstart your grilling game without the hassle of lighter fluid. Dive into the world of lighting charcoal using a Big Bad Wolf or charcoal chimney where you'll find better tasting food – it's easier than you think.
Method One: Use Big Boy's Big Bad Wolf Charcoal Wand
Step 1: Plug your Big Bad Wolf in a standard outlet and point it at your charcoal. Flip the switch fully on so that you can hear the fan blowing and notice the heat coming out (which will take just a couple seconds).
Step 2: Wait just a minute or so while you watch your charcoal start to catch fire.
Step 3: Wait just another 30 seconds to see your charcoal really start burning.
Step 4: Once your charcoal is lit, remove the Big Bad Wolf away from your charcoal and flip the power switch just half way so the fan is on, but the heating element is not. This is to safely clear the hot air out of it before you put it down on your wooden, flamable deck.
Method Two: Big Boy Smokestack Charcoal Chimney
Step 1: First things first, grab your trusty Smokestack and some good-quality charcoal. Fill up the chimney with charcoal, making sure not to overpack it. You want enough space for airflow to get those coals nice and hot.
Step 2: Next, grab some crumpled-up newspaper and fire lighter squares. Then stuff your balled newspaper in the bottom, shallower half part of the charcoal chimney. With enough of it, it shouldn't fall out when you flip it over - kind of like a DQ Blizzard... what a magnificent invention. Fill the deeper top portion of the Smokestack with charcoal and set it aside for now.
Step 3: Now comes the fun part – time to light up! Place a fire starting square on your charcoal grate (not your cooking grate). Using a match or barbecue lighter ignite the Fire-Starter Squares.Once that starts going, place the filled up smoke stack atop of the Fire-Starter Squares so that it can ignite the newspaper. As the flames start to climb, they'll gradually heat up the charcoal above.
Step 4: Now it's time to remind yourself that patience is a virtue, so give it some time to work its magic. We know that all you anxious newbies will feel tempted to move it or try to add more newspaper. Don't worry, we've all been there once before. But, just wait and you'll start to see the charcoal at the top of the chimney glowing red-hot. This is when you know it's ready to go.
Step 5: Carefully pour the hot charcoal into your grill, spreading it out evenly for an even heat distribution or on one side of your grill for indirect cooking. Now you're all set to throw on those burgers, steaks, or whatever delicious goodies you're grilling up.
And there you have it – a simple way to light charcoal without using any chemicals lighter fluid. Now go ahead, fire up that charcoal grill, and get ready to impress your friends and family with your newfound barbecue skills. Happy grilling!
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