How to light charcoal...

[Oregon Duck]

I have always wondered about this....is there an advantage to using a chimney when starting charcoal for your grill or pit? Lately, I have been piling the charcoal in my pit and lighting it with a propane torch...and it seems to work fine....but am I losing something by not starting charcoal in a chimney and then dumping the charcoal in the pit. thanks in advance....the Duck

[Bad Hat BBQ]

I do not believe you are losing anything. Chimneys are just a low-tech solution that works well
I recently got a torch - fun to use...but if i run out of gas my chimney is still ready for action.

[RonB]

I have never used a torch, so I don't know if that's faster, but when using a chimney, it might get all the charcoal lit faster than if they are spread out.

However, I think the real advantage is over using lighter fluid. That stuff gives a nasty taste to anything cooked over charcoal lit with it.

[smokin fool]

I dunno, I use a shot lighter fluid in conjunction with lighter cubes.
Figure after 20-30 mins of getting to coals set any contamination should be burned off prior to the meat going on the grill.
No expert here all I can say is no ones ever mentioned a lighter fluid taste and my wife and daughter will find anything to nitpick at me about cooking on the Keg.

[Panhead John]

I used to use lighter fluid all my life until I joined here, and got a chimney. NOT ONCE have I or anyone who ate my cooks ever noticed any type of taste from using it. If you let the coals all burn for 20-30 minutes and turn ash grey, every bit of it will be burned away. Now, if you just put your food on right after the fire dies, you might, but I never did it that way. In fact, I’m using lighter fluid tonight for a short 1 hour cook on the Bronco.

[RonB]

Jerod Broussard , smokin fool , @Panhead John

I can only go by my experience, and that is that I could taste the lighter fluid in the food. Maybe
the people using that stuff used too much - I dunno, but I could taste it.

It was so bad at work cookouts that I bought a chimney for work and gave it to the person in charge telling them they would no longer have to pay for the fluid and it worked - no more fluid.

[bbqLuv]

This is a non-issue with my Traeger. Set the temp, ignite, and good to go.
I do miss setting the fires . . . er setting the charcoal on fire, make that lighting the charcoal.

[HawkerXP]

Thats why they invented fire pits, so you pelletheads could play with fire!

[bbqLuv]

Don't play with me, because I'm playing with fire.
Trying to set the pit on fire.

[Finster]

I use the chimney because the only other option for me would be lighter fluid....blechhhh....chimney it is

[Old Glory]

I think with the chimney you get a predetermined amount (whatever you put in chimney) all uniformly lit at once. When you spot light the pile it slowly spreads out. You can use this to your advantage for hot fast cooks and low and slow. Both methods work both can be optimal for certain cooks.

[FireMan]

You are losing a great deal by not using a chimney. First, you would not be arm & arm with all the chimney brethren on the planet. The ambiance & technique of placin the coals in & the maneuvering of the match or lighter to git the thing lit, ahhhhh. Then, you would need a drum roll here, The Dump! Yes a thing of beauty, coupled with the satisfaction of accomplishin lightin a load of charcoal ready fer cookin. Yup, chimneys are where it’s at, yessir!

[Potkettleblack]

The Dump is an underrated bit of the experience... h/t for mentioning it.

[Santamarina]

Nothing beats my 500k BTU weed burner!

[Smoked Transistors]

I do the same thing, your lit in no time, then i use my heat gun to speed it along if I'm really in a hurry

[FireMan]

Argh, argh, argh!

[SmokeyGator]

Time. You are losing time. Piling up the coals works, it just takes longer. With a chimney all the charcoal is in an open cylinder. The bottom grate is cone shaped. Once lit, air is pulled up from the bottom and the heat is forced straight up. The fire spreads fast. Once the coals at the top are covered in flame and starting to turn grey, dump and you are ready to go.

You can still use the torch. It works well. Just light from the bottom. Once a small fire is going put the chimney down and in minutes you are ready to cook.

[Polarbear777]

To kick off low and slow I only need a few coals lit on the basket so torch works well. For direct grilling or higher temps, the chimney is easier.

[rlozinak]

I use chimney to light the Weber kettle, I don't need anything for the Traeger

[TripleB]

Regarding the Traeger, Mr. Edison would disagree with you

[Oregon Duck]

Thanks everyone....very helpful information.....

[Attjack]

I light my Kamado with a starter cube and have done it with a torch. But for my kettles I find a chimney is worth it because all the coals are lit in a short amount of time.

[Bkhuna]

Yesterday, I started a fire with B&B char logs piled up with a couple of tumbleweeds underneath. Took over an hour to get an even bed of coals in a large SNS. It was fun playing with them however.

Back to the chimney I go. Speed and ease. No electricity required.

[Potkettleblack]

I've started to use the chimney again, for the OKJ, and have been rewarded with a much faster time to cooking over just lighting it in the bottom of the cooker with tumbleweeds (or sth like). For low/slow, I like half a chimney, and dump in a prepped corner of the coal basket. Got a nice 6+ hour fire for some pork short ribs (will not buy again), let it burn for a couple hours, then brought the coal bucket up for direct cooking of corn.

I haven't used a propane torch, I'm sure it's fine.