My preferred method is a sprinkling of firelighters in the base of the tray, a covering of lumpwood charcoal, and then charcoal briquettes over that. Pour half a cup of petrol over it all, leave for 2 mins to soak in, wash hands (to remove any petrol) and then chuck a match on.
The theory behind it is that the lumpwood is easy to light but doesn't burn for very long, so the lumpwood effectively "lights" the briquettes, which burn for about 2 hours.
What does everyone else do?
Simply blast it with the heat gun until it bursts into a raging inferno.
Pah. Amateur.
Saw a neighbour use the petrol method on a hot day eyebrows and hair grew back in a few weeks and there was no permanent skin damage, don't you just love the vapour!!
Pile up a mixture of lumpwood and briquettes in the centre of the bbq generous dollup of lighting gel open vent apply match sit and drink beer, after about 15mins spread out to cover base.
However if I get bored I use a propane torch
Saw a clever/simple idea where lumpwood is piled up on top of some newspaper and sticks. A 'chimney' about 6" dia and 6" high is perched on top, paper is lit, worked a treat. This was used in a steel tray bbq with no vents in base
Tony
All volatile inflammable solvents are too dangerous.
Those self lighting bags of charcoal are clean, safe and reliable, if a bit expensive. I used two lit at the same time yesterday. They gave about 45 minutes of barbequeing time.
Maybe one of those and a secondary charge of brickettes would be a good plan.
DG
snipped-for-privacy@gglz.com declared for all the world to hear...
I don't own a heat gun, or blowtorch etc, although I have seen it done that way.
The problem I find with the easy light bags is that they tend to smoke when the flames go out. If I ever build my "superBBQ" then I'll make an air pump/bellows for it to save me wafting bits of card etc.
All have ignored the most important item - 1 bottle wine.
Firelighters under lumpwood Light Retire and drink bottle of wine (STEP AWAY FROM THE BBQ, LEAVE IT ALONE, DON'T EVEN LOOK AT IT) Return to cook. (If second bottle of wine in order, throw some more lumpwood on)
Small BBQ's, or when camping etc, the selflight bags are very good, still rquiring the bottle of wine though (to get you past the smoking stage).
Jon wrote
Well, as this is d-i-y, the best version would be:
George Foreman Outdoors version with stand.
It's the only way we have managed to cook anything without it frazzled to a charcoal.
:¬)
I'm a convert!
Fash
A few years back I saw a French gadget that seemed to get the fire going really quickly. A 6" diameter cylindrical thing with holes that seemed to have a life of its own. Once it's going you just empty the coals into your BBQ. No idea what it was called but it was bought en France and was mighty impressive
Me too! Charcoal is sooo dated.................
There stands a man who was never a scout!
But as the article about liquid oxygen says, you might as well just take the roof off your kitchen!
snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com declared for all the world to hear...
Your cheating ways disgust me!
Nice. A good use for newpaper too.
I filter beeswax for various purposes and I save all the filter papers for firelighting. They works brilliantly under wood, charcoal, even coke! What's even better, they have a delightful fragrance. Better than anything else, they're free and such use saves landfill.
Firelighters STINK, I don't want my food to taste of burnt paraffin. I can't understand why people continue to use them. They even refuse my 'firelighters' which are offered at no cost, they prefer to pay for a nasty smell.
If I didn't have that source I'd use paper and kindling. And one match. I'm not paying for something which doesn't need to cost anything.
By the way, Spouse made a small pair of bellows which I can use with one hand on any fire, that works brilliantly too.
Mary
Stuart Noble wrote =20
=20 Weber do them. =A316 or less.
Fash wrote
I thought of becoming a convert, but was put off by the price. =20 However...
... when down my local re-cycling centre one day, I spotted a 3-burner=20 Sunshine one for sale. A =A310 note pressed into the hand of a high-viz=20 jacketed chap and it was mine. All I had to do was to get it in the=20 car. Hmmm.
Very heavy. Very messy.
Got it home, cleaned it up, bought a cylinder of gas, connected them=20 together and... what was it you said? Oh yes!
I'm a convert!
--=20
-blj-
Thanks. I'll take one along to the next barbecue I get invited to. Normally the coals are not glowing nicely until people have finished eating.
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