Chimney Starter Method


 
Jeff Bittel

Jeff Bittel

TVWBB Fan
I've started my chimney using numerous methods from sheets of newspaper to paper towels sprayed with Pam. They all work some better than others. I have found a way that includes pig by products and I consider recycling which makes me happy.

I have bacon at least once a week. The bacon grease use to go into the trash. Now I take the paper towels I used to dry it and any other left over paper towels and gently soak up the bacon grease. I do not saturate the towels because I want to use the paper to light off the bacon grease.

It works great. Burning pig fat is a guaranteed way to light off even the most stubborn of lump charcoal or briquettes.


...and I recycle!
 
For me using "One" of Webers paraffin cubes is perfect and never had it not light a batch Kingsford Blue in a Weber chimney for me.
 
I don't eat enough bacon for this but:

Mix up the baco fat with sawdust in a pot and pour that mixture into (old) ice cube trays?

Make your own cube starters and recycle at the same time? Might have too much grease and it'll drip when hot. Just a thought starter.
 
I use a similar method - I save the oiled paper towels from re-seasoning my cast iron pans in a gallon ziplock baggie. One of those always does the trick.
 
Finally found a use for the side burner of my gas grill....
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I set the chimney on a turkey burner for about a minute. Turkey burner is always hooked up to a tank and available, makes it quite easy.
 
I started using Weber's fire starter cubes some time ago. At first, I used two. Then, I discovered that one works quite well and is half the cost:rolleyes:...

I use an an empty tuna can turned upside down, perch the lit cube on top and set my chimney over it. It works perfectly and is easy to use and only leaves a little charred ash cube which I dump in the fire to be totally consumed. Much nicer than newspaper ash.

FWIW
Dale53
 
I continue to use newspaper but I have changed to a method where I put the chimney in the base of the WSM before I fill the ring. Once the coals are lit I carefully move the chimney out, fill the ring, then dump the chimney in. Ashes get covered in charcoal and I don't have to worry about where to set the chimney.
 
I hope someone gives those tumbleweeds a try - they are awesome. I like the weber cubes and went through two boxes of them before being in a pinch and having to buy the 'weeds ;) ha ha. They definitely produce a wider and taller/hotter flame than the cube (i only ever tried one cube at a time) and get the chimney lit faster.
 
I get 24 Weber cubes for $3.29 or so at Home Depot. The Tumbleweeds sound OK, but they would be more money for fewer starts. Since I'm not in a hurry when I light my chimney, the size and intensity of the flame aren't a big concern for me…I'm just cheap! :D
 
I still use paper towel with non-stick spray. I use two sheets and about three seconds of spray. When done, I get a 6"-8" long "snake" of ash that I simply put in the garden and grind into the soil (it's just carbon).
 
Be careful using the side burner on the gas grill. I made that same mistake on my genesis. $85.00 later I ordered a new side burner. You can do it that way but remove from the burner once it gets going. My mistake was I left it on the burner and it actually melted the burner. Still functioned but put out a lopsided ring of fire.
 
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