Yup. I did learn something new. I have bought a chimney starter, having seen them being used, but had not had the opportunity to closely observe the technique. You've made it look simple. Thanks for that. All I need is some decent weather now (which, in summer in Northern Ireland, is as rare as hens' teeth).
Thanks for helping out barbecue newbies. I bought a Kingsford chimney starter and it didn't have any of those vent holes on the charcoal chamber, just some circle cutouts at the bottom. Still worked fine in the end, but I'd have gotten one with more vent holes if I knew what I was looking for at the time.
You are awesome. Thank you for sharing. With a kettle grill, do you leave the bottom and top vents open to get the charcoal hot if not using the chimney starter??? Thank you
Thanks for watching and for your nice comment@@cassandrahardgrove3042. Great question. You always want the bottom vent wide open when lighting the charcoal. You also always want the lid off of the grill when lighting the charcoal and waiting for it to ash over (regardless of the method you use to light it). Just curious...how will you be lighting the charcoal?
Thank you for your response. We just got a kettle charcoal grill. So I wasn't sure if vent on bottom and top were both open while starting and cooking. We've only ever used lighter fluid but we've decided after watching your video, might looking into the charcoal starter thing and other lighter starter things. Never realized they were for charcoal
Would there be less smoke if you started with half a load and added the other half? Or fifths? Smoke only happens when the fire is cooled excessively when red indians throw a wet blanket on a fire to create smoke signals. When I make biochar, I ration the feedstock appropriately. Maybe a discarded ironing board just at the tip of the chimney and you push charcoal in slowly.
My preferred way is to put the fire starter cubes in the bottom of the actual chimney and 1 in the middle of the coals this actually gets the fire all the wat through the chimney. But the way you do it is as good as any.
Thanks for watching! Are you familiar with the snake method with briquettes for low and slow cooks? If not, check out this video: th-cam.com/video/RzZl_UNNVs4/w-d-xo.html In the video, Schuey adds 12 lit briquettes to a "snake" or long line of unlit charcoal. The lit briquettes slowly go around the "snake" (also called a fuse) and it's a great way to keep a stable temperature during the cook. He uses 12 lit briquettes to achieve a 250 degree temperature on a Weber 22 inch kettle. The amount of lit briquettes depends on what temp your looking for and the size of your grill. For example, I have to use more lit briquettes for my Weber 26 inch kettle and I typically do low and slow cooks at 275 degrees. In the video, Schuey lights the briquettes in the standard position in a chimney starter. For such a small amount of briquettes (in Schuey's case 12) you can invert the chimneyy starter and put the briquettes on that bottom side to light the charcoal. I have found it easier and faster. Hope that helps.
@@hammysbbq Yes I am familiar. Just curious why folks invert the chimney. I'm assuming it is because of the cone shape in the bottom. How do you light it when inverted?
@@bks7842 Yep...for the cone shape in the bottom. I use a Weber lighter cube to light the charcoal. I feel that more oxygen reaches it and it's easier to see when it ashes over.
@@bks7842 What you do is invert the chimney then place one lighter cube directly on the upside down cone (thoppisite side of where the charcoal would go if not inverted). From there place briquettes or lump charcoal on top of and around the lighter cube. Just make sure there is enough space to light the cube and for oxygen to reach it.
Just an aside, if you need to just cook a steak or whatever quickly, just put about a quarter of coals inside and start them. When almost ashed over you can put a small grare on top and cook directly over the coals on the starter.
A couple of pieces of wadded up newspaper is as good a starter as any. No reason to spend good money on tumbleweeds, starter cubes, etc., or mess with oil soaked paper towels.
I'm stingy with my paper towels, so I will drizzle some old cooking oil on the newspaper before I light it. (I use the cooking oil because I've had two incidents of the newspaper not igniting the coals when I didn't use oil)
Thanks for presenting detailed chimney starter
Yup. I did learn something new. I have bought a chimney starter, having seen them being used, but had not had the opportunity to closely observe the technique. You've made it look simple. Thanks for that. All I need is some decent weather now (which, in summer in Northern Ireland, is as rare as hens' teeth).
Thanks for helping out barbecue newbies. I bought a Kingsford chimney starter and it didn't have any of those vent holes on the charcoal chamber, just some circle cutouts at the bottom. Still worked fine in the end, but I'd have gotten one with more vent holes if I knew what I was looking for at the time.
This was such a fantastic demo! Thanks for doing this and please keep this up. You're great at doing this.
Wow....thank you so much for your kind words and for watching!
Thank you. Im new to grilling
Great safety tips & video. I have no idea how to start one to cook food on the grill
I like the compact chimney starter. it's perfect for 18 inch or smaller grills or 1 to 2 people and ready in 10 minutes.
Thank you. So helpful. Just what I needed and so clearly explained.
Thanks a lot for commenting and for watching!
THANK YOU! :) very good instructions for my new chimney starter!!
Awesome! Thanks for viewing and commenting.
Good video and commentary
Thank you!
You are awesome. Thank you for sharing. With a kettle grill, do you leave the bottom and top vents open to get the charcoal hot if not using the chimney starter??? Thank you
Thanks for watching and for your nice comment@@cassandrahardgrove3042. Great question. You always want the bottom vent wide open when lighting the charcoal. You also always want the lid off of the grill when lighting the charcoal and waiting for it to ash over (regardless of the method you use to light it). Just curious...how will you be lighting the charcoal?
Thank you for your response. We just got a kettle charcoal grill. So I wasn't sure if vent on bottom and top were both open while starting and cooking. We've only ever used lighter fluid but we've decided after watching your video, might looking into the charcoal starter thing and other lighter starter things. Never realized they were for charcoal
Got the 22 inch Weber grill, the Weber Chimney, and cubes today. Easiest cook I ever done. Also picked up the grill cover. Great video!
So good to hear and thanks for watching! What did you cook?
It's an excellent channel, and I subscribed to it. Thanks.
Thanks so much for your kind words and for subscribing! Do you cook with charcoal, gas, or both? Stay tuned for future videos.
Would there be less smoke if you started with half a load and added the other half? Or fifths? Smoke only happens when the fire is cooled excessively when red indians throw a wet blanket on a fire to create smoke signals. When I make biochar, I ration the feedstock appropriately. Maybe a discarded ironing board just at the tip of the chimney and you push charcoal in slowly.
Been using lighter fluid for 40 years and i have never tasted any lighter fluid in my food.
My preferred way is to put the fire starter cubes in the bottom of the actual chimney and 1 in the middle of the coals this actually gets the fire all the wat through the chimney. But the way you do it is as good as any.
Great tip. Thanks for watching.
The Weber charcoal starter is great and all, but I wish someone would manufacture a thicker gauge one. Any suggestions folks?
Thanks for watching. I know what you mean.
"Clean burning propane Bobby. That's the way to go"
What is the advantage of inverting the chimney to light a small amount of coals?
Thanks for watching! Are you familiar with the snake method with briquettes for low and slow cooks? If not, check out this video:
th-cam.com/video/RzZl_UNNVs4/w-d-xo.html
In the video, Schuey adds 12 lit briquettes to a "snake" or long line of unlit charcoal. The lit briquettes slowly go around the "snake" (also called a fuse) and it's a great way to keep a stable temperature during the cook. He uses 12 lit briquettes to achieve a 250 degree temperature on a Weber 22 inch kettle. The amount of lit briquettes depends on what temp your looking for and the size of your grill. For example, I have to use more lit briquettes for my Weber 26 inch kettle and I typically do low and slow cooks at 275 degrees.
In the video, Schuey lights the briquettes in the standard position in a chimney starter. For such a small amount of briquettes (in Schuey's case 12) you can invert the chimneyy starter and put the briquettes on that bottom side to light the charcoal. I have found it easier and faster. Hope that helps.
@@hammysbbq Yes I am familiar. Just curious why folks invert the chimney. I'm assuming it is because of the cone shape in the bottom. How do you light it when inverted?
@@bks7842 Yep...for the cone shape in the bottom. I use a Weber lighter cube to light the charcoal. I feel that more oxygen reaches it and it's easier to see when it ashes over.
@@hammysbbq Do the flames from the cubes reach the coals when the chimney is inverted?
@@bks7842 What you do is invert the chimney then place one lighter cube directly on the upside down cone (thoppisite side of where the charcoal would go if not inverted). From there place briquettes or lump charcoal on top of and around the lighter cube. Just make sure there is enough space to light the cube and for oxygen to reach it.
Just an aside, if you need to just cook a steak or whatever quickly, just put about a quarter of coals inside and start them. When almost ashed over you can put a small grare on top and cook directly over the coals on the starter.
Great point! Thanks for watching!
Lol I'm not sure I would trust an expensive cut of steak with that method.
empty tuna can half filled with Metho with get the charocal going
The smoke will chase the mosquitoes away
A couple of pieces of wadded up newspaper is as good a starter as any. No reason to spend good money on tumbleweeds, starter cubes, etc., or mess with oil soaked paper towels.
Thanks for your feedback and for watching!
I'm stingy with my paper towels, so I will drizzle some old cooking oil on the newspaper before I light it. (I use the cooking oil because I've had two incidents of the newspaper not igniting the coals when I didn't use oil)
Yeah but who gets the paper these days. I would probably struggle just to find newspaper.
Sale paper in mail every Tuesday 😊
Far too much talk