Random BBQ starter question

[colink98]

Random i know...
but given the forum is full of the wisest people ever assembled.

i have one of them chimney stater things for the BBQ.
However i have a large BBQ (Ohhhh Errrrrr)
so the coal from the starter is not sufficient to give a decent layer of coals across the whole BBQ.

do i get a 2nd starter so i can light two lots of coals at the same time.
or
do i put unlit coal in the BBQ and use the starter to put a thin layer of hot coals on top of the unlit coals.

?

got some people coming round for the first time and i dont want to look like a total novice.
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[Riejufixing]

[Diggs]

Work on the principle that it'll take half an hour for the BBQ to get hot enough, sometimes longer. Decide when you want the eating to begin and work back...

I wait until most people are here before I light mine. That way everybody wins...
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[ThunderGuts]

A tip I read about and now follow exclusively is to only have coals on one half of the BBQ; you then have a hot area, a warm area and somewhere inbetween; slow cooking stuff or keep things warm on the side away from the coals, quick cook directly above the coals. You'd only need to use the starter thing once then.
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TG.

[colink98]

Cheers for all the info.

i will be using the Foukou BBQ which works really well and looks the nuts. But it needs to be well loaded with coal to give a sufficient period of time to cook the many skewers that are going on...

as it has no lid a lot of the heat is lost...

i think i will use the coal starter to get a thin bed of hot coals and cover that with another bed of fresh coal.

i will post a couple of pictures of it in action tomorrow.
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Ride it like you stole it.
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[wr6133]

Dunno if I'm being thick here but why use a chimney thing at all?

I have a kettle style and a grill style one and for either i dump a layer of coal across half, lob on a load of firelighters, half the coal again on top of that, little bit firelighters, few coals on top (so sort of like a shit pyramid), the either a squirt of zippo fluid, brake cleaner or petrol.... throw match at it. Return in 30 minutes to some very hot charcoal.

[Riejufixing]

[TheIncredible...]

[Suntan Sid]

Ok, from the land of BBQ, Cyprus, where at least 50% of the population BBQ every day here are my tips, for an open BBQ, ie no lid.
Kindling and firelighters, the chimney thing won't be needed if there's a breeze.
Fill the BBQ with kindling, spread a few fire lighters amongst it then light it starting on the upwind side.
Once you've got a good fire going add the charcoal, if it's reluctant to catch, you need to force air through it, with a hairdryer, heat gun, whatever.
The BBQ will be ready to cook on once the charcoal is covered in a layer of white ash. You will then have between 45 mins and an hour of cooking time. Do not be tempted to start cooking before the white ash has formed, you will simply burn the food. White ash and no flames are GOOD!
If you want to add some real smokey flavour you will need to add some hardwood chips, (usually some kind of fruit wood), to the charcoal once it's white over.
The firelighters will not taint the food, they will have completely burnt away before you start cooking.
BBQ should be a slow cooking process, so in the absence of a lid keep turning the food and moving it around the grill, from hotter to cooler parts of the fire.
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[Riejufixing]

[wr6133]

[TheIncredible...]

[hellkat]

Why do you need firefighters?
They taste nasty!
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[wr6133]

[Freddyfruitba...]

[Riejufixing]

[wr6133]

[pepperami]

I start my BBQ with a blowtorch.
A mix of wood and charcoal and never failed to light/ burn evenly.

No fire lighters needed = no paraffin smells.

A hot air/paint stripper gun helps if things are cold/damp.
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[ThunderGuts]

Other thing is to use lumpwood; it catches much faster than the briquettes do. If you use the "plain" ones (as opposed to instant light) they're also good for not adding any tainting. Can be tricky finding a bag that hasn't been smashed up to pea sized lumps though.
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TG.

[stinkwheel]

I sprinkle a thin layer of lumpwood charcoal in the bottom and give it a 10 second blast with the MAPP torch. Then add more when it's going well.

Blew my neighbours mind when he saw me do it at a "social distancing" BBQ we had on my row recently because he'd been buggering about with his for a good 20 minutes.
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[Howling Terror]

A handful of fresh thyme tossed onto the dying embers...Now that's yer posho BBQ that is.
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[kramdra]

Heat gun on the bottom. Nothing lights coals as quick as hot air. No other ignition or fuels.needed.

[kawakid]

I just don't get BBQs don't get me wrong, we own 2.

I simply go inside and turn my George Foreman on, I like eating outside and drinking outside, I have an outside table and sofa set.

But I must be the only bloke who doesn't see the point. I get it when camping, but not when I have a kitchen with all the mod cons.

And don't start with the taste of the wood or the aroma.
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[MCN]

The Hot place Not as hot place is the way to go.
Side to side or front to back.
Marinade yer meats.
Allow to rest at room temp before throwing at the flames.
Careful when using wire brush cleaning tools as there's some talk of the broken off wires polluting the food. Ingestion of sharp metallic needle is to be avoided.

And the chimney starters are cool.
I just use paraffin of those little white lighters and let the coals get on with it.
The coals stay at cooking temperature for well over an hour so no need to panic.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[A100man]