7 Tips for Lighting a Charcoal Grill the Right Way
In this article you gonna learn how to light a charcoal grill the right way!
Whether you’re grilling burgers, hot dogs or anything else for that matter, you’ll need to light a charcoal grill.
Charcoal grills are different than gas grills because they use charcoal instead of gas. When lighting a charcoal grill, it may seem like there is only one way to go about it; however, there are actually several ways you can do so.
Lighting a charcoal grill takes a bit of elbow grease and prep time, but if you follow these 10 tips, you’ll be able to do so with ease. We all have our favorite foods and tastes when it comes to grilling.
Some love the smoky taste that comes from using a combination of natural gas and propane while others prefer the added flavor of mesquite or other woods in their smoking pellets or chips. No matter what type of flavors or taste you prefer when grilling, following these simple tips will help get your charcoal grill up and running quickly.
- Use real charcoal and not briquettes
When it comes to grilling, briquettes have their place, but not on the grill. Briquettes are made with a combination of ingredients including sawdust, wood shavings and coal dust mixed with a bit of starch that is baked into a briquette shape.
Real charcoal, or lump charcoal, is made with pieces of hardwood that have been heated up to very high temperatures. The high heat burns off any impurities and leaves behind only the carbon from the charcoal.
Real charcoal is made from pieces of hardwood that have been burned at very high temperatures. The carbon formed from the burning process leaves impurities behind and only the carbon is left behind in the charred pieces of wood. Real charcoal burns much hotter than briquettes, produces less ash and has less of a chance of leaving unburned pieces behind in your food.
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- Light your charcoal with a match or lighter
If you are using hardwood charcoal to grill, you can use a match to light your charcoal. Simply place the match underneath the charcoal and wait until it fully lights the charcoal.
If you are using a lighter, be sure to use the long-handled lighter so that the flames do not touch the coals. If you are using briquettes, you will want to use a paper or kindling to light your charcoal.
A paper match, crumpled paper or newspaper should get the job done. Make sure you use a long-handled lighter so the flame does not come in contact with the coals.
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How to light a charcoal grill
How to light a charcoal grill | Rotate your coals for even grilling
- Rotate your coals for even grilling
Keeping the coals rotating while your grill heats up will help you get an even amount of heat on all sides. You will want to rotate the coals about every 10 to 15 minutes to get an even amount of heat throughout the grill.
If you find that your coals are one side are burning too quickly, you can move them to another area of the grill to slow the process down a bit.
- Don’t forget the grill lid
The grill lid is an essential part of grilling. The grill lid, when opened, lets the coals heat up and the grill get to the right temperature before you start grilling. If the grill lid is closed, it will trap the heat inside and it will take a lot longer for the grill to warm up.
The grill lid will also help keep your grill clean. Hot ashes and burning pieces of coals will land on the lid and stay there instead of flying around the grill and landing in your food. The grill lid is also important during cooking.
Food, especially protein, likes to steam and not grill when you leave the grill lid open. Keeping the lid closed will help keep your food from being overcooked and dry.
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- Handle your meat with care
Be sure to handle your meat with care when grilling. You want to be sure to use tongs when flipping your food so that you do not pierce the meat with a fork and let the juices out.
Use a pair of tongs whenever you need to move your food or handle your meat and make sure that they are clean before using. Make sure you keep raw meat and cooked meat separate on your grill. Clean the grill every once in a while with a long-handled grill brush to remove any leftover food from the grill.
- Don’t forget to mop and baste
Once you have your food on the grill, use the grill brush to mop the grill with a bit of vegetable or canola oil. This will help keep your grill clean, add flavor to your food and help prevent food from sticking.
Mop your grill once every hour while your food is cooking. You can also use an oven mitt to baste your food with a bit of vegetable, canola or olive oil. Basting your food will help add additional flavor and keep food from drying out while it is grilling.
Be sure to mop your grill before basting your food so the oil does not land on the grill and get stuck there.
- Wrapping up
Once you have your coals lit, keep a close eye on them to make sure they are not burning out too quickly. If they are burning out too quickly, you may need to adjust how you are adding the coals to the grill so that you have enough to last you throughout the cooking process.
Once your coals are nice and hot, you can start grilling! Make sure you follow these 7 tips for lighting a charcoal grill the right way to get the most out of your grilling experience. You’re ready to enjoy some delicious, smoky grilling food!
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