Chimney starter.....


 
B

Becky M-M

TVWBB Pro
Well i gifted myself a chimney starter. Just wondering how quick they are..... should i expect anything different? also, it is super, super windy today.... should that affect it at all? i dont want to forgo my cooking just because of the wind.
 
Takes about 15 min with 2 sheets of paper. I have a hard time getting the paper doughnut to stay in the bottom prior to lighting so I just lay the doughnut on an hibachi grill (no oil needed), light it on three sides and then put the chimney on top.

DO NOT put the chimney on paving stones prior to lighting it. You'll damage the stones. Either on an unlit bbq rack or heat-resistant bricks/stones.

That chimney will get red hot.
 
Becky,
As Len notes you really be a bit cautious as to what you set the chimney on. If I'm grilling and lighting a bunch of charcoal I do what Tim suggested. Most of the time I'm just starting a small amount for a minion,
so I end up with the chimney on a piece of slate.
While newspaper works fine (with or without oil), I use a one "starter cube". I just find there is a lot less potential stuff blowing about: Nice & clean.
Something else to consider, is to flip the charcoal grate over in the chimney.
It makes it a lot easier to get a small amount (or even a large) ignited.
 
whoa! awesome chimney starter! i used two newspaper donuts... then a bit of the bag of charcoal in the middle very loosely. it caught on the first take and they coals are red hot and ashing over all in about 15 minutes and that is with cold temp and super windy today.....

i shouldnt have waited this long to get one!
 
Originally posted by Becky M-M:
yup it is.... only problem was i didnt fill it up all the way so i had too few coals going.
Click to expand...

Yes, they are the best things since sliced bread IMHO. I use the cheap Weber starter cubes (from Lowes or HD) on mine. 2 cubes under the starter and you do not have to worry about paper cinders blowing out.
 
Originally posted by Mike David P:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Becky M-M:
yup it is.... only problem was i didnt fill it up all the way so i had too few coals going.
Click to expand...

Yes, they are the best things since sliced bread IMHO. I use the cheap Weber starter cubes (from Lowes or HD) on mine. 2 cubes under the starter and you do not have to worry about paper cinders blowing out. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I found that I can get by with just using one starter cube. I use my Smokey Joe for holding the chimney while it's going.
 
Originally posted by JamesH:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mike David P:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Becky M-M:
yup it is.... only problem was i didnt fill it up all the way so i had too few coals going.
Click to expand...

Yes, they are the best things since sliced bread IMHO. I use the cheap Weber starter cubes (from Lowes or HD) on mine. 2 cubes under the starter and you do not have to worry about paper cinders blowing out. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I found that I can get by with just using one starter cube. I use my Smokey Joe for holding the chimney while it's going. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

ha ha.... i told my husband that i was going to have to put my new smokey joe together just to hold my chimney.
 
the newspaper lit really, really well and it held. i didnt have to relight it or anything. the only thing i didnt like was the ash flying around. so i am going to try the little paper towel with oil on it. i have noticed a few guys mention on here that they save the oiled towel they prep the grill with.
 
pt w/oil works well, butt i like the Weber Lighter Cubes.
I use these to start the fire in the woodstove as well.
only one is needed and they start great in high winds.
a box of 24 for 3 bucks and some odd change.
 
someone just mentioned they were like 3 or 4 bucks for 24.... i didnt realize they were so cheap. i average about 7-10 cooks a month... so they should last me at least two months. not bad at all.

so... silly question... how do you use them? do you just place it right under the chimney? does it wick up like a candle?
 
Becky,

If you can find these in the organic section at your grocery store, they're worth a try. I think you get triple the cubes for $1 or $2 more than the Weber cubes and 1 cube will easily start your chimney. I had a lot of trouble getting the Weber cubes off-season and found these.

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Plus, you just can't beat an "environmentally friendly" fire.
 
I light my chimney on the side burner of my gas grill. I leave the burner on for about 5 min. Then it takes 30 min for a full chimney to get glowing red, but I live in Denver so altitude may slow the burn.

Bad part my burner gets ash in it from the chimney and I have to blow it out with my leaf blower when I mos the lawn. Good side no mess no fuss. I light the chimney over the burner and then setup my smoker.
 
3 full sheet's of a new's paper crumbled up under the chimney set on the coal great lite it and come back in 12-15 min's and dump the coal's....After 35 year's it's still the only way i do it...
 
Becky;
I am glad to see that you got a Weber Chimney starter. They ARE a terrific piece of equipment. I will not grill without mine (at least, not willingly
icon_biggrin.gif
).
 
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