charcoal grilling

...i thought you were 14 dont your parents cook your food for you. you should be eating maceroni and cheese or something

I always liked using an electric charcol iron to heat the broquets. It is way safer than using lighter fluid. I always just let the fire burn itself out. i got tired of cleaning the thing out, so I use a propane grill now.

Go find an empty 3lb coffee can and use an electric can opener to remove the bottom lid leaving just a large cylindrical tube. Now punch 12 to 18 holes in the sides of the can in various locations around its circumference. Set the can on the grill and fill with charcoal. Squirt some charcoal lighter onto the coals (don't need much) and light. The chimney effect of this cylinder will cause the charcoal to light faster and burn hotter. Once the coals on top turn all white use a pair of pliers to lift the cylinder straight up allowing the coals to fall out the bottom. Spread coals evenly, place top grill on and then cook your favorite animal flesh.

U.M.

P.S. To put it out once you're done cooking just close up all the vent holes if the grill is so equipped and put the lid on it.

Uncle Meat said:

Go find an empty 3lb coffee can and use an electric can opener to remove the bottom lid leaving just a large cylindrical tube. Now punch 12 to 18 holes in the sides of the can in various locations around its circumference. Set the can on the grill and fill with charcoal. Squirt some charcoal lighter onto the coals (don't need much) and light. The chimney effect of this cylinder will cause the charcoal to light faster and burn hotter. Once the coals on top turn all white use a pair of pliers to lift the cylinder straight up allowing the coals to fall out the bottom. Spread coals evenly, place top grill on and then cook your favorite animal flesh.

U.M.

Click to expand...

Yep....OR you can take the easy way out and just pile the charcoal into a little mountain in the middle of the grill and get similar results, although Uncle Meat's way is better. I never knew how to use charcoal until I read the instructions on the side of the bag.

Go to Lowes or Home Depot and pick up a Charcoal Chimney. Its like the device Uncle Meat was explaining on how to make. They are like $8 or something. You don't use any lighter fluid with it. Just put some wadded up newspaper under it, put the bricks in the top and light. 10-15 min later you have hot coals. You can either use just those coals if you are cooking a small amount of food, or you can dump the hot coals on a bed of un-lit coals. Wait until the coals are HOT, they turn white when they are. Don't use Match Light coals either, they have lighter fluid in them and that can spoil the taste of the food.

Google up some charcoal tips, BBQ ideas, smoking tips, etc. I learned a lot about smoking ribs / chicken etc from the internet..and I never used a smoker before last week and took 2nd in a rib cook off my first time using one!

It may take some time to learn to cook on coals vs gas, since with coals you can't just turn down the heat. Some people like to start the coals on one side of the grill so they have a hot side and a warm side so you can move food back and forth to get even cooking.

A small spray bottle with water will help kill flare ups if you get any. Burgers are notorious for this....

Oh...and practice, practice, practice.

You might want to keep a log / diary of how much coals you use, how long you cooked something, etc until you get the feel of it and you'll be all good!

Happy grilling...

~K

Go to the Banana Hammock whatever and read the charcoal thread...

+1 to charcoal chimney. Works great, i stuff only a few sheets of newspaper into the bottom and it lights up enough charcoals to get going. Simply drop the lit charcoals onto a bed of unlit ones, and they help each other out.

Drop your wood on top and close the lid, try to keep temps 200-250°F and remember to sear the meat on both sides before cooking it.


Lighter fluid cost $ and leaves a bad taste in the food that most people can detect. If you have to use it, then use it to get a few coals going and use those coals to light more coals after their almost out.

Also when charcoals light up they can leave a taste in the food that some people can detect. Try to get enough charcoals lit to do all your cooking as to avoid having to throw more on there later.

I use a product called "A-OK firestarters." They're basically a sheet of "bricks" that light instantly and burn for a few minutes.

You place them under the coals you've previously stacked in a mountain shape. They go on the bottom of the charcoal under the grate that supports the charcoal, and lights them from the bottom. They don't leave any taste on the coals either....always a plus!

That, or the "charcoal chimney" are the way to go.

Just use propane.

1 - Turn the valve\
2 - Hit the Start button
3 - Grill

I used charcoal and cooked it just like my parents always did. Well the first time I tired ti use it since getting married, my wife took her first bite and almost threw up. I looked at her happily eating my chicken, and asked her what the problem was. She said " I tastes alittle like lighter fluid" I laughed at her and said suck it up and eat your meal. She got all mad and went to throw it away. I don't believe in wasting food, so I said, that I would eat it... and I did. I cooked like 10 pieces of chicken, and didn't want it to go to waste. Later she called her dad( who is an amazing cook/chef/griller) and he said... I qoute:" Go straight to the emergency room, get his stomach pumped and pray he doesn't die from ingesting lighter fluid." Needless to say, I was fine, used to eating food like that.. I never knew that it tasted ant diffenrent.