For some strange reason newspaper doent work well for me at all. I started using a starter gel I purchased at wal-mart called Greenheat. I just put a layer of coals in the bottom of my chimney, spuirt a little on them, fill the chimney to the top and light. I never have to "start over" and no ashes!
Weber Charcoal Chimney
- Thread starter Tom Barineau
- Start date
John McDougald
TVWBB Member
Try this idea. I use it and think it's even better than the starter gels and such.
You need:
2 soda cans
cutting and punching tool
Denatured Alcohol
Cutt the two cans in half so you have the top and bottom. Use the two bottoms to create your burner. Cut one of the bottoms up the side so it can slide into the other bottom. This will be your burner top. Punch small holes into the top . This may look like a small burner after you are done.
Use the denatured alcohol as your fuel source. Pour an amount into the bottom and slide the burner top into the bottom. Use a lighter to light off the burner and place the charcoal chimney over the burtner. The alcohol will burn for a few minutes and when you're done, you'll have glowing hot coals and an empty burner. The can/burner can be reused, all you need is the denatured alcohol. You can pick that up at any hardware store in the paint department. It even is labled as a marine stove fuel. The beauty of this is that you get no flavoring or smell like you get with a petroleum based product and no more paper ash to deal with.
You need:
2 soda cans
cutting and punching tool
Denatured Alcohol
Cutt the two cans in half so you have the top and bottom. Use the two bottoms to create your burner. Cut one of the bottoms up the side so it can slide into the other bottom. This will be your burner top. Punch small holes into the top . This may look like a small burner after you are done.
Use the denatured alcohol as your fuel source. Pour an amount into the bottom and slide the burner top into the bottom. Use a lighter to light off the burner and place the charcoal chimney over the burtner. The alcohol will burn for a few minutes and when you're done, you'll have glowing hot coals and an empty burner. The can/burner can be reused, all you need is the denatured alcohol. You can pick that up at any hardware store in the paint department. It even is labled as a marine stove fuel. The beauty of this is that you get no flavoring or smell like you get with a petroleum based product and no more paper ash to deal with.
Doug D
TVWBB Hall of Fame
I originally used newspaper, and found it's all in how you shape it-- two full sheets rolled up in a crumpled tube and then shaped into a fat doughnut. Air getting through the hole in the middle helps get the flame going well.
I tried the Weber starter cubes at some point. They work fine, but I ultimately found-- based on an idea I saw Alton Brown use with cooking oil and paper towel-- that spraying PAM on a ball of two paper towels works great.
I tried the Weber starter cubes at some point. They work fine, but I ultimately found-- based on an idea I saw Alton Brown use with cooking oil and paper towel-- that spraying PAM on a ball of two paper towels works great.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Doug D:
I originally used newspaper, and found it's all in how you shape it-- two full sheets rolled up in a crumpled tube and then shaped into a fat doughnut. Air getting through the hole in the middle helps get the flame going well.
I tried the Weber starter cubes at some point. They work fine, but I ultimately found-- based on an idea I saw Alton Brown use with cooking oil and paper towel-- that spraying PAM on a ball of two paper towels works great. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I do the same with newspaper. I've found that two full sheets work great. Just crumple up the corners towards the center and make a circle, poke a hole in the middle. Works every time. Only problem I've found is the leftover ash if it's windy.
I originally used newspaper, and found it's all in how you shape it-- two full sheets rolled up in a crumpled tube and then shaped into a fat doughnut. Air getting through the hole in the middle helps get the flame going well.
I tried the Weber starter cubes at some point. They work fine, but I ultimately found-- based on an idea I saw Alton Brown use with cooking oil and paper towel-- that spraying PAM on a ball of two paper towels works great. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I do the same with newspaper. I've found that two full sheets work great. Just crumple up the corners towards the center and make a circle, poke a hole in the middle. Works every time. Only problem I've found is the leftover ash if it's windy.
Rich Langer
TVWBB Guru
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by M D Baldwin:
BTW, when I was in college, about 35 years ago, one of the guys I shared a house w/ was an engineering student and made a sort of proto-type chimney out of a 3 lb. coffer can. The top and bottom were removed and he took a beer opener-yes we used to need one of these- and went along the bottom of the can w/ triagular punches. He would put it on the grill w/ paper under it and light it. A real revelation-I only wished I would have patterned it. I remember he made the analogy of a blast furnace to light it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Well now, I'm not a doctor of BBQ, but I do have a degree and I used to work with VW engines, and would wash parts in kerosene - and I would take some of that greasy, yucky kerosene, put it in a small jar and soak ONE briquette in it and use that one briquette to light my 3 pound coffee tin of charcoal for my Smokey Joe.
By the time the coals on the top of the were lit, all the nasties in the ugly funky kerosene had burned off and there was NO TASTE OR ODOR of petroleum distillates in the food.
If I could use that nasty kerosene then using clean paraffin (and the British call Kerosene Paraffin oil) should have no negative effect - but now I usually light my chimney on my performer or the side burner of my gasser
BTW, when I was in college, about 35 years ago, one of the guys I shared a house w/ was an engineering student and made a sort of proto-type chimney out of a 3 lb. coffer can. The top and bottom were removed and he took a beer opener-yes we used to need one of these- and went along the bottom of the can w/ triagular punches. He would put it on the grill w/ paper under it and light it. A real revelation-I only wished I would have patterned it. I remember he made the analogy of a blast furnace to light it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Well now, I'm not a doctor of BBQ, but I do have a degree and I used to work with VW engines, and would wash parts in kerosene - and I would take some of that greasy, yucky kerosene, put it in a small jar and soak ONE briquette in it and use that one briquette to light my 3 pound coffee tin of charcoal for my Smokey Joe.
By the time the coals on the top of the were lit, all the nasties in the ugly funky kerosene had burned off and there was NO TASTE OR ODOR of petroleum distillates in the food.
If I could use that nasty kerosene then using clean paraffin (and the British call Kerosene Paraffin oil) should have no negative effect - but now I usually light my chimney on my performer or the side burner of my gasser