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How to Use a Charcoal Chimney Starter

This guide covers how to properly fill, safely light and dump charcoal from a chimney starter for fast, efficient lighting that gets grilling coals ready for optimal heat faster without lighter fluid.
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 15 hours
Total Time 15 hours 2 minutes
Author Kita Roberts
Cost $15

Equipment

  • charcoal chimney

Ingredients

  • lump charcoal or charcoal briquets
  • fire starter or paper

Instructions

Step 1: Gather Necessary Materials

  • First, you'll need a charcoal chimney to place on top of your charcoal grill grates. Look for chimneys with heat-resistant handles for easy dumping once the coals get hot.
  • Next, you'll need to determine the type of charcoal you'll need for your charcoal starter.
  • Charcoal briquettes are like small black square pillows made from compressed wood shavings turned into carbon. When picking briquets, go for the all-natural ones without any extra stuff added.
  • Lump charcoal is made of larger pieces of wood that have been turned into carbon. You can find it made from different kinds of wood like oak or hickory, and the packaging will tell you.
  • Both types of charcoal work well for barbecue, with briquets burning a bit longer but at a lower temperature and lump charcoal burning hotter but making less ash. We like Cowboy Brand All-Natural Charcoal for both kinds.

Step 2: Fill the Charcoal Chimney

  • Consider your cooking method and the amount of food you plan to grill. For direct heat, like hot and fast cooking for steaks or burgers, use a generous amount of charcoal piled into the center of the grill. Fill your charcoal chimney with coals. If you're opting for indirect heat for slow cooking, like smoking a brisket, moderate amount will suffice. You can fill the chimney 2/3 full. Consider adding one or two smoking wood chunks to the top for added smoke flavor.
  • How to pour the charcoal into the chimney. Place the the chimney on the grilling grates so that it's steady. Gently pour the unlit charcoal into the chimney. Fill the chimney 2/3 or completely to the top to make sure you've got the right amount for grilling.

Step 3: Add Fire Starters or Newspaper

  • When it comes to igniting your charcoal chimney, you've got some options for a charcoal chimney starter. You can go for convenient lighter cubes that light up easily or take the classic route with crumpled sheets of newspaper. Pick what suits your style, however we recommend choosing a chemical free firestarter for the best flavor. We love these Cowboy Woven Wood Firestarters for our charcoal chimney.
  • Once you've chosen your fire starter, place it snugly at the bottom of the chimney starter. Make sure it's well-positioned to catch those initial sparks and kickstart the charcoal fire.

Step 4: Ignite the Fire Starters

  • The best way to light charcoal safely is with a long match or long lighter. Avoid the use of lighter fluid (it contains volatile chemicals that can affect the flavor of the food you're cooking, giving your food a chemical taste). It's extremely important to make sure your fire starters are fully lit before proceeding, as you want the charcoal to burn nice and evenly.
    As the fire starter ignites, it will catch the coals at the bottom of the charcoal chimney. Because of the air vents, and the cylinder shape the coals will quickly start to smoke and then ignite.

Step 5: Wait for the Charcoal to Heat Up

  • So, you've lit up the charcoal, and now the waiting game begins. Give it some time, around 10-15 minutes, for those coals to heat up and reach the perfect temperature. They should go from black coals with bright orange colored flames when first lit to gray and almost ashed over when they're hot enough.
  • While you're waiting for the charcoal to heat up, consider prepping your grill or marinating that meat. But never leave a charcoal chimney unattended.

Step 6: Pour the charcoal onto the grill

  • When dealing with hot charcoal, it's crucial to have your hands protected. Invest in some heat-resistant gloves.
  • Next, it's time to pour the hot coals onto the grill. Grab your heat-resistant gloves, then gently and evenly spread those fiery coals across the bottom of the grill for direct heat, or into a pile to one side to create a two-zone fire.

Notes

Consider how you are grilling to determine how you arrange your coals in the grill. Whether using direct vs indirect heat for a two-zone fire, the vortex method, or an even hot bed of coals, you will need to arrange your coals accordingly for the best results.
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