Use of Propane Burner to Start Coals

[Dave Lewis]

I see that many of you use a propane burner to start the coals in the charcoal chimney. I happen to have a Turkey Deep Fat Fryer burner that would be far more useful for lighting coals than it currently is gathering dust in my garage. How long do you leave the chimney on the burner? Long enough to get the bottom coals started or long enough for the entire chimney of coals to turn gray? Finally, what does that amount of direct heat do to the wire bottom of the charcoal chimney over time?

 

[Howard Barlow]

If I have a chimney full, I let it go until the upper levels are beginning to catch. That doesn't take too long, as I "pump up the volume". /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

The bottom rings would be useful for branding cattle at that time.

 

[Dennis Solin]

You have to be careful using a gas burner to get your chimney going. I used to leave them on the burning until the entire chimney was going. Problem with this is that you are at forging temperatures and can soften the metal wires holding the briquets in. Last time I did it I picked up the chimney and the entire load of charcoal dumped out with the melted wires. Could of been ugly but I moved real quick.

To be safe I would use a burner just to get the chimney going and then pull it.

Better idea is to graduate to the weed burner, much faster and bigger flame.

 

[Walt Travers]

I agree with Dennis. I leave my chimney on my propane side-burner only long enough to insure that the bottom coals are started. Shut the propane off, leave the chimney sitting on the burner and in 15 minutes, or so, they're ready to go. YMMV.