Lighting your charcoal shouldn't be difficult. If you find it to be a lengthy process, it's probably because you're not doing it the right way or don't have the right tools.
So that you can turn it on without any problems, I thought I would help you out by showing you the best ways to do it. All of the methods I'm going to tell you about are good; it just depends on what you're looking to do and your preferences.
Actually, there are 3 ways to light charcoal:
Depending on how much time you have and what type of cooking you want to do, some methods are more appropriate than others. I'll explain it all to you.
- With an Allumax BBQ Quebec
If you're in a hurry, count on the Allumax to get your charcoal going in no time! The only downside to this is that it's an electric accessory, so you'll need to make sure you have a power outlet near your BBQ to use it. That said, once it's up and running, your charcoal will start crackling within about 30 seconds, then turn red within about 3 minutes, which is pretty remarkable.
Using the Allumax is very simple. After placing your charcoal in your BBQ, heat it directly by placing the Allumax on it. When a flame appears, move the accessory away from the charcoal while continuing to press its button. By using the Allumax at a certain distance from the fuel, you will protect your work tool from the heat and prevent it from melting.
By blowing hot air from a distance, the air coming from the Allumax will also spread over a larger surface area, allowing your charcoal to light faster.
Once your first heat sink is active, you can stop there if you want to do slow cooking at a low temperature . Indeed, the heat from the activated charcoal will spread over time, which will give you good performance in the long term. For best results, once the sink is lit, I advise you to close the lid and open the air vents of your BBQ. This way, the fire stabilizes before spreading and it is easier to manage the temperature afterwards so that it remains low.
If, on the other hand, you want to sear meat over high heat , for example, create 2-3 heat wells. The temperature of the coals will increase much more quickly and you will feel the intensity of the fire almost instantly. To ensure that the fire stabilizes and spreads quickly, also allow air to come into contact with the fuel by leaving the BBQ uncovered.
In summary, the Allumax is ideal for "starting" your charcoal in record time, but since it is electric, you must always stay near your BBQ to use it. It is also very practical for stirring up the fire and getting more heat. If you are a person who likes to play in the fire, this accessory can be a very good option for you.
- With a chimney starter
The chimney starter is the classic tool for lighting charcoal. In fact, there are different sizes and shapes of chimney starters, but they all work very well. It is essential that you have fire starters or balls of paper and a lighting tool such as an ElectroMax BBQ Québec , a lighter or matches to use it, however. (I recommend opting for fire starters because they are more weather resistant and generate a more stable flame and the ElectroMax because you can count on it rain or shine since it is an electric lighter.)
Lighting charcoal with a chimney is not complicated. You fill it with coal, then set it aside for a few seconds. You place a fire starter or balls of paper in your BBQ, light it all, then place the bottom of the chimney on top of the fire starter or papers. For maximum lighting, you can even add an extra fire starter or ball of paper to the top of the chimney, between the pieces of coal, and light it. After about 10 minutes, the charcoal will be nice and red. All you have to do is pour it into the bowl of your BBQ and start cooking!
As for the temperature you want to achieve, the same principle applies as with the Allumax. Leave the lid aside and the heat will quickly increase inside your BBQ, or close the lid, open the air vents and the temperature will be more stable and the coals less hot.
Although the chimney starter is not the fastest method, it is still less time consuming than if you only use firelighters. In addition, even if you cannot leave your BBQ completely unattended, you can take advantage of the time it takes to light the charcoal to get ahead in your preparation.
- With BBQ Firelighters Quebec
Ultimately, yes, using firelighters is the most time-consuming lighting technique, but it's still a safe way to start a fire!
Simply place your fire starter under the charcoal in your BBQ, light it, and let the magic happen. No paper or kindling is needed. Soon, the first flames will appear and you will be on your way to cooking on your BBQ. Seriously, it's that easy!
Obviously, you can put more than one firelighter in your charcoal if you have a large area to light or if you want to get the temperature up faster. Once again, you can also play with the lid and the air vents of the BBQ to increase or decrease the heat inside your appliance.
By the way, if you really want your fire to catch, even if the outside temperature is not mild, I advise you, once again, to light your fire starter with the ElectroMax, our electronic lighter.
And… there you have it! I hope I have guided you well on lighting, and, now that I know that you will always be able to start your BBQ without any problem, I wish you a good BBQ! ;)