How to light a charcoal brazier.

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
How do you usually light it? I use a charcoal chimney with a couple sheets of newspaper stuffed in the bottom for my grill and hibachi. No lighter fluid needed. When the coals get ashy, I dump them in.
 
Last edited:
Ok everyone, I got this;). I use a Webber Charcoal Kettle often, and have my ignition technique down to a science. I fist ball up individual sheets of newsprint, not glossy paper, usually four pages worth. I place those in the bottom of the kettle and pour used cooking oil over the paper leaving a bit of uncovered paper on each ball. Next, put the grid that hold the charcoal, or wood directly over the newsprint. Add charcoal. Ignite the paper with all grill vents wide open. The oil causes the fire to last long enough to ignite all of the charcoal bottoms. Then natural convection currents, and reflective heat cause the charcoal to fully burn/smoulder. While the charcoal is heating, prepare the food. By the time the food is ready to be cooked, the charcoal is ready to do its work.

Not only is this the fastest way to ignite charcoal, but it uses up used cooking oil as well.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
Last edited:
Chimney with news paper here as well. I also usually bank coals to one side to create a hot and cool zone.
 
Here is a picture of how to make and use a charcoal chimney. Any large metal can will work. Or you could buy something similar if it is available in Sussex.

08162bg.gif
 
I have not thought of doing it that way. When I say brazier, I literally mean a clay bowl with a few holes in the side! I'll try the soaked newspaper method next time, it seems like it would work.
 
How do you usually light it? I use a charcoal chimney with a couple sheets of newspaper stuffed in the bottom for my grill and hibachi. No lighter fluid needed. When the coals get ashy, I dump them in.

Yeah that's the best way and how I do it.

Aldi has charcoal chimneys on clearance for $3 (usually $9). They probably ran out of them though. I think I bought mine at Lowe's for $10 or so. Beats having stinky lighter fluid around your food.
 
Yeah that's the best way and how I do it.

Aldi has charcoal chimneys on clearance for $3 (usually $9). They probably ran out of them though. I think I bought mine at Lowe's for $10 or so. Beats having stinky lighter fluid around your food.

I have not thought of doing it that way. When I say brazier, I literally mean a clay bowl with a few holes in the side! I'll try the soaked newspaper method next time, it seems like it would work.

When I used a charcoal grill I bought manufactured fireplace logs and sliced them an inch or so thick on the band saw.

One slice on the bottom, charcoal on top, takes just a few minutes for charcoal to ignite.

I would think that would work well in a small round burner.
 
Grocery store ads are free and are delivered in the mail. Publix and WD ads are newspaper and not glossy. The chimney I use is a Weber. I bought another brand once and found it to be poorly designed. You can actually cook on the chimney, before using a torch to blister pepper skins, I used the chimney to roast peppers.
 
I use meeco's red devil firelight squares. Basically they are the big fire starter blocks cut up into small enough pieces to light a chimney without hesitation. Prevents mass amounts of smoke from filling the patio when guests are over or smoking out the neighbors house.
 
Back
Top Bottom