I need to buy a charcoal starter. Which charcoal starter is better: the chimney charcoal starter or the electric wand charcoal starter?

As for charcoal, Kingsford or the actual coal bricks/briquets that look like black fossilized pieces of wood?

Danke.

 

you want the opposite of briquets, you want lump charcoal.

 

^^ yes that's what I meant. Lump charcoal > Charcoal briquets?

 

I like using Kingsford charcoal. They add flavor to the meet.

 

For a Grill aficionados, how come you can't spell meat? lol
Or... are you actually cooking "meet" when you grill?

 

The chimney starters work pretty well. One sheet of newspaper and it's lit.

But, while charcoal grilling definitely give food great flavor, I prefer the convenience of gas.

 

I meant meeting of friends and family. Kingsford coals add flavor to the mood of the day. Dump a gallon of fluid on the charcoal, throw on a match and you have instant flavor.

 

You can use the chimney starter very easily, electric starter seems to always leave a few bricks un-fired.

Use the wood 'coal' if you can find it or use briquettes with some mesquite chips right on the coals.

 

 

chimney is the best way to go IMO...I like the Kingsford Mesquite.

 

Yeah right!!!

 

Chimney.

 

I was watching the food channel and they showed a Weber/Kingsford restaraunt where they only use Weber kettle pits and kingsford charcoal. To light the charcoal they use a chimney. Seems like a tried and true way to get it going.

I myself use lighter fluid.
1. Pile the coals up in a heep to one side of the pit.
2. Dose the coals with a bunch of lighter fluid
3. let the coals sit for 10 minutes
4. Dose the coals with more lighter fluid
5. Immediately light the coals and watch the flames jump 4 feet in the air
6. Let the coals burn (top off of course) until they are dark grey.
7. Spread the coals as needed.
8. Your set to Que!
9. Add pecan/misquite (sp?) wood for extra flavor

extra warning: LET THE LIGHTER FLUID BURN OFF OR YOUR FOOD WILL TASTE LIKE LIGHTER FLUID. DO NOT COVER YOUR PIT WHILE THE LIGHTER FLUID IS BURNING OFF.

I have been using this process with my weber for the past 5 years and it works like a charm. The key to any good Que is a good fire. Add coals as needed and keep in mind the direct and indirect cook methods, they are your friend!

 

I almost exclusively use a chimney (or two). I use briquettes to get a good bed going, and then throw on the lump charcoal to cook with. I smoke fod, like pork butt roasts, for about 12 hours, and a 10lb bag of lump plus 2 chimneys of briquette is always anough for me.

as for starter fluid, I use the gel stuff. it sticks to the charcoal and does not need to soak in. it is as close to napalm in a can as I have ever found. be aware, though, that throwing more of it on a hot fire doesn't cause flare-ups, it causes booms since it gasifies first THEN catches on fire equalling a more explosive reaction.

 

^^ Hot damn that's crazy mang. I usually use the chimney, it gets that nice even burn off and let's me get started cooking quicker than with lighter fluid. I've really been looking for a good Salmon recipe to use on the grill. Anyone have any ideas?

 

Chimney.
Lump or hardwoood charcoal >> processed briquets

 

I have been using a chimney starter (Weber makes a very good one) for over 15 years now. I prefer a single layer of store brand charcoal briquets on the bottom (I find Kingsford a little too small for the Weber grate) then the rest of the chimney starter filled with real wood chunks (mesquite, pecan, and hickory). I have found a single layer of briquets help start the real wood.

 

I have a patented (literally) method for getting my grill going.

1) Open lid
2) Turn on gas
3) Push button

Now I know that charcoal does taste better (I used to own one). But for me, it's a pain in the ass and I stopped using it.

 

its easy using charcoal with a chimney. my setup is just a chimney with lump charcoal and several mesquite + a couple of hickory chips on the top.