Here's my method of lighting my Kettle for grilling with a hose torch.

I always have a hot and a warm side during grilling. Mound briquettes or lump to once side. This is approximately 1 full Weber Chimney full of Royal Oak lump.


Then light the hose torch and light several spots of the pile. Remember, this set up is for grilling, if it were for smoking at lower temps I would only light in one spot.


Once the coals are lit, leave your vents 100% open until you get to at least 400º.



Once you hit a minimum of 400º, clean your grates, oil and then shut your vents down to 50%.

Before


Cleaning


After



Vent Position for grilling.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Larry Wolfe,

Awesome Laryy.

By the way, where'd you get the brush?

Thanks for the walkthrough Larry. I'm still trying to get my temps under control. When you are lighting, before you suht the vents to 50%, are all the coals white hot?

My problem is that I fully light the coals, no more than a chimney full, the temps shoot up to 600 and it's pretty difficult to get it down to a steady 350-400 and hold it there. Maybe I just need to play with it more.

quote:

Originally posted by G Dechaine:
My problem is that I fully light the coals, no more than a chimney full, the temps shoot up to 600 and it's pretty difficult to get it down to a steady 350-400 and hold it there. Maybe I just need to play with it more.

That's the problem. Use much less lit charcoal and you'll be able to catch the temp on the way up by shutting the vents as Larry described.

When using K, I light 12-15 coals for grilling and spread on a pile like Larry does with the torch. Temps will rise slowly enough you can catch them.

Ok, so I can have unlit and lit while actually grilling? I always thought the coals had to have the white ash look for some safety reason.

FYI..I'm using lump.

I'm in the midst of grilling some chicken drumsticks right now. Half lit the coals, half unlit. It's running at 600, and I half closed the vents and have teh top vent like Larry's picture up above.

Sorry Larry, if this constitutes hijacking your thread. It's just very relevant to me right now.

quote:

Originally posted by G Dechaine:
Ok, so I can have unlit and lit while actually grilling? I always thought the coals had to have the white ash look for some safety reason.

FYI..I'm using lump.

I'm in the midst of grilling some chicken drumsticks right now. Half lit the coals, half unlit. It's running at 600, and I half closed the vents and have teh top vent like Larry's picture up above.

Sorry Larry, if this constitutes hijacking your thread. It's just very relevant to me right now.

Too hot for chicken. You have to use MUCH less lit coals. MUCH-much-less.

Think of it as lighting a WSM and using the Minion Method.

quote:

Think of it as lighting a WSM and using the Minion Method.

That's what I've been thinking. Also in the way it's easier to catch the temp on the way up rather than bring it down.

quote:

Originally posted by Hayden McCall:
Awesome Laryy.

By the way, where'd you get the brush?

WalMart......$4.99

quote:

Originally posted by KenP:

quote:

Originally posted by G Dechaine:
My problem is that I fully light the coals, no more than a chimney full, the temps shoot up to 600 and it's pretty difficult to get it down to a steady 350-400 and hold it there. Maybe I just need to play with it more.

That's the problem. Use much less lit charcoal and you'll be able to catch the temp on the way up by shutting the vents as Larry described.

When using K, I light 12-15 coals for grilling and spread on a pile like Larry does with the torch. Temps will rise slowly enough you can catch them.

Yep, Ken does the same as me.

You do not need to have all coal grey or lit, especially with lump....add some lit, get your temps close to what you want to grill at, then start shutting the vents down.

I know a wise man that wrote about it here:
Wise man

The comments below it are worth it.

Ok, so I'm not that wise...

Larry, I absolutely love that avatar!

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Wolfe:
Then light the hose torch and light several spots of the pile.

Thank you Larry for this post!

When you say, "light several spots", what's the process? Just hold the torch in one spot for x amount of time and then move to the next spot? How long is x amount of time? How do you know when each spot is lit and you are ready to move to the next spot...or is the torch just so hot that you "touch" here and there and it's going?

These questions may seem ignorant but I just ball up three paper towels, put a little veg oil on them, light, put chimney over it and walk away. When flames lick the top coals I dump the chimney in the kettle. I've never really looked at the coals to see what's going on and when they are going on their own and not from the paper towels. Your way looks to be much easier.

This post may seem rambling but I'm blaming that on today's beers...

Nothing really to add to the above posts except this. I bought the same CI grates and was kind of miffed as to their use having never used anything CI before. I was getting frustrated and even considered going back to the Weber grate. Tonight I had to grill 7 burgers so I gave the CI another shot using Larry's method except I don't have a torch. I have a supply of Weber starter cubes good for at least 2 years so I used 3 of them to get the fire going. Instead of 15 minutes as Larry describes, it took about 35 minutes for a chimney of unlit to get going, but once it did it was fantastic. I went to 450 and let the grill alone for 10 minutes, lid on, vents all open, then lightly brushed the grate using little pressure with a wire brush. All the crud from prior cooks came off the surface of the grate easily. I oiled with an oily paper towel and long old tongs. Slapped those burgers on and would you believe, great burgers and grill marks to boot. I feel like grilling some more now just for the fun of it, but I figure a salad, 2 burgers and potatoes are enough. However, I'm still considering going out for my monthly hot fudge sundae since I have only 1 more day this month. Thanks for the info Larry. Nice of you to take the time to make this post.
Walmart better stock up on those brushes. There's going to be a run on those puppies, I can sense it Ok, I'll ask. Got a name, rank and serial number on that brush?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dave/G,

I bought on of those Harbor Freight weed burners to burn out a barrel and have been using it to start my coals in my Weber for the past couple of weeks instead of my chimney. Since using the weed burner my coals light faster, its easier to control the temps at the beginning of a cook, and I'm using less charcoal.

quote:

Originally posted by Don Cash:
When you say, "light several spots", what's the process? Just hold the torch in one spot for x amount of time and then move to the next spot? How long is x amount of time? How do you know when each spot is lit and you are ready to move to the next spot...or is the torch just so hot that you "touch" here and there and it's going?

Don, I'd guess around 15-20 seconds per spot. Once the edges turn grey on the coals I'm lighting, I move on to the next spot.

quote:

Originally posted by Don Cash:
These questions may seem ignorant but I just ball up three paper towels, put a little veg oil on them, light, put chimney over it and walk away. When flames lick the top coals I dump the chimney in the kettle. I've never really looked at the coals to see what's going on and when they are going on their own and not from the paper towels. Your way looks to be much easier.

NO question is ignorant, except for the ones you don't ask. If you don't ask, you don't know. I think the hose torch method is much easy, cleaner and safer!

Thanks for the info, Larry. May be a good birthday gift...since, on Saturday I bought the gift my wife was going to get for me...She wasn't too pleased!

DC

Great post and pics Larry!

You inspired me, I just found my torch and will give it a try a little later.

Tom

Tried the hose torch last night. It worked great! It will be my new way to start my grill from now on.

Thanks for the info Larry!

Tom

I also use a plumbers torch to start coals. Aside from applying flame to the top, it works real well sticking the pipe up thru the bottom vents to start the underside in three places, then let natural convection do the rest.

Larry:

Did a cook last night...couple of marinated skirts with red, yellow, and orange bell peppers...and a marinated flank steak.

At any rate. Piled all the coals on one half of the grill and lit several spots with the hose torch, then put CI grate on (with the grates lined up properly)...and I got the grill up to 550+ no problem. Grate scraped clean real well. Funny though... I went to oil the grates...and you should have seen the "fireball" that engulfed my towel when I got it even close to the grate at that temp. It was entertaining. LOL

quote:

Originally posted by Hayden McCall:
Larry:

Did a cook last night...couple of marinated skirts with red, yellow, and orange bell peppers...and a marinated flank steak.

At any rate. Piled all the coals on one half of the grill and lit several spots with the hose torch, then put CI grate on (with the grates lined up properly)...and I got the grill up to 550+ no problem. Grate scraped clean real well. Funny though... I went to oil the grates...and you should have seen the "fireball" that engulfed my towel when I got it even close to the grate at that temp. It was entertaining. LOL

Hayden, that's funny, but glad you weren't hurt! NEXT TIME......spin the hot side to the cold part of the grill, oil and repeat! That way the oiled rag does not come in contact with the flame and you'll be safe!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Wolfe:

quote:

Originally posted by Hayden McCall:
Larry:

Did a cook last night...couple of marinated skirts with red, yellow, and orange bell peppers...and a marinated flank steak.

At any rate. Piled all the coals on one half of the grill and lit several spots with the hose torch, then put CI grate on (with the grates lined up properly)...and I got the grill up to 550+ no problem. Grate scraped clean real well. Funny though... I went to oil the grates...and you should have seen the "fireball" that engulfed my towel when I got it even close to the grate at that temp. It was entertaining. LOL

Hayden, that's funny, but glad you weren't hurt! NEXT TIME......spin the hot side to the cold part of the grill, oil and repeat! That way the oiled rag does not come in contact with the flame and you'll be safe!!!

LOL Thanks for the insight. I have long tongs, however, and I wear gloves that can more than handle any freak flash of fire. I'll try that next time. By the way...check out my latest thread. Look at the grill marks!