How to Use a Charcoal Chimney Starter

A charcoal chimney starter gets your grill or barbecue going fast! Here's how to use one. More details can be found at http://www.firepit-and-grilling-guru.com/charcoal-chimney.html

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• charcoal
• chimney
• grill
• barbecue
• fire
• pit
• grilling

[pandurate]

You're supposed to use grilling gloves/mittens when handling the hot chimney starter. This is common sense and is also mentioned on the Weber chimney starter's product packaging. You also removed the charcoal too soon--the top coals were not ashed over much if at all.

[grillingguru]

Yes, grilling gloves are ideal.

But I disagree with your second comment. If you wait too long, when there is abundant fire at the top of the chimney you start to loose charcoal. It burns very fast and if you even step away at that point for a few minutes you can see a noticeable reduction in the height of charcoal in the chimney because its burning off. Thats wasted charcoal. If you dump a bit early there is no harm, the rest will light slowly in the grill, giving you longer lasting heat.

[pandurate]

It's not wasted charcoal. Wasted charcoal are the ones that never get hot enough to cook with. Weber disagrees with you so that's pretty much "enough said".

[grillingguru]

Actually, they do get hot enough. Just sitting in the grill next to other hot coals, they start burning too in no time.

[grillingguru]

Oh, and also, if you haven't done any slow cooking (bbqing) or smoking before, you need to keep a low level of heat up over hours or longer. You add new, unignited coals on top of or next to your hot coals and they ignite just fine over a short amount of time. So to say that they never get hot enough to cook with is simply misinformed.

[samurai1833]

When I smoke I use the chimney multiple times to add hot coals to the firebox,I avoid putting cold coals in if I can. I'm usually smoking for 6 hours and have a meat thermometer for testing "doneness"

[schova]

I feel like he dumped the coals a bit early. I would wait til they are more lit up?

[canon21100]

I learned the hard way not to use these chimneys when barefoot. It's quite easy for some small coals to fall on the patio when you dump them, not fun to step on I can assure you.

[SonicBoomC98]

@pandurate I don't think it was too early. I know I used to leave mine til the top was completely on fire and ashed over but it seem to make my charcoal burn too fast. And it wasn't as hot. Its like it skipped white and ashy and went straight to gray and wasn't as hot

[knight6]

@SonicBoomC98 it probably doesn't matter if the paper is in a doughnut or not, but making the paper in a doughnut allows air to get in the middle of the chimney when lighting the paper.

[Boyka63285]

@Boyka63285 how long do i need to hold the coals in the chimney?

[paulobaka]

@SoCalDude805 Dont worry about the bottom ash. You will still get a good 50-60 minutes out of the coals. I was worried bout the same thing when I started.

Taking the coals out too early will be detrimental to cooking and flavor.

[knight6]

@Boyka63285 the paper underneath burns quickly and gets the fire going underneath the charcoal to let the charcoal ignite. the metal can keeps the fire underneath the charcoal and lights it from the bottom up.

[Boyka63285]

why do you use the paper?

[Siddhattha72]

Thanks for the video. I bought one of these but it had no directions, so I built a little fire with sticks first and then put the chimney on top. Your way is much faster, obviously!