Do you have bad memories of trying to light charcoal for cookouts? Does the stress of starting the fire make you feel like giving up before you start?
In this article, I'll give you 5 simple methods anyone can use to light charcoal fires. These are quick to master, and once you learn them you can light the charcoal for any home cookout with confidence.
For each method, you'll get clear instructions and recommended tools. Each method also includes a time estimate to help you avoid surprises and keep your meal on schedule.
CAUTION: As always when playing with fire, never leave chimneys, torches, or any other live fire sources unattended. We're trying to light some charcoal, not burn down your home!
1: Use a Chimney Starter
A charcoal chimney is a handy metal cylinder for lighting charcoal. It holds the charcoal in an upright column, and the vents in the bottom of the chimney let the air draft through the chimney. Just fill the chimney with charcoal, add some kindling to the bottom, then light it with a match or lighter.
A chimney is not the fastest way to light charcoal, but it’s easy—once you get it started, you can let it do its thing while you prep the meat.
Here are several slick ways to light a charcoal chimney:
Once the flames are leaping out of the top of the chimney or the edges of the briquettes on top are gray, carefully dump them into your grill or smoker using leather gloves. This should take only about 15 minutes.
You can get a charcoal chimney at our barbecue supply store at 140 W Main Street in New Holland, Pennsylvania or online.
Turbospeed Tip: The absolute fastest chimney method is to use a Chimney of Insanity and the BBQ Dragon Fan. This setup can light your charcoal in a fraction of the time it takes in a regular chimney!
Talk to us. Lighting a charcoal fire is easy with the right tools and skills. Visit our store at 140 W Main Street in New Holland, PA or call us at (717) 355-0779 for any questions about starting and managing a charcoal fire. Our store hours are listed at the bottom of this page.
2: Use a Wax Fire Starter
If you’re cooking in a Big Green Egg or other ceramic cooker, skip the chimney starter and light the charcoal right in the cooker using one of the methods below. (Always use lump charcoal in a ceramic cooker.)
This method also works in any backyard grill or smoker where you'd rather not use a chimney. I use this method in the Meadow Creek BX25 Box Smoker. It would also work great in a Weber Kettle grill or a park grill.
If you use wax fire starters without the BBQ Dragon, remember to budget enough time to let the coals get hot. If time is a luxury for you, invest in a BBQ Dragon. You’ll find it useful not just for starting charcoal, but also for boosting fires in your grill, fire pit, and other places.
It’s also perfect for getting the Big Green Egg up to 700 degrees F for grilling steaks. Just close the lid and direct the fan through the bottom vent.
3: Use a Propane Torch
A propane weed burner torch is our favorite way to light charcoal in a large smoker or grill. It’s the perfect way to fire an offset smoker, especially a big one with more steel to heat up.
The torch lights the coals and heats up the smoker in the same operation. Using a propane torch is also our standard method for lighting briquettes in the Meadow Creek chicken flippers and pig roasters.
The downsides to this method are that you need to keep a close eye on the torch while it’s burning, and you have to keep propane on hand. But it’s a quick and easy way to get the job done. A torch can get a large handmade tank smoker, such as the Meadow Creek TS250, up to cooking temperature in 20 minutes. The alternative is using one or more charcoal chimneys and waiting 2–3 hours until the heat from the coals warms up the tank.
“A torch can get a large tank smoker up to cooking temperature in 20 minutes!”
4: Use the Bison Airlighter
This handy gadget is the combination of a torch and a blower, which means it both lights the charcoal and boosts the fire. It can light lump charcoal in 20 seconds or less, accelerate an existing fire in 1 minute or less, and get your charcoal ready to cook in only 5–6 minutes.
One nice feature of the Airlighter is that it stays cool to the touch, unlike a chimney that can hurt someone or damage your deck while it's cooling off.
Because it also produces heat, you can even use this tool to sear meat or caramelize sugars. It's handy for camping trips and for lighting other fires around your home, like your fireplace or fire pit.
The downside to this tool is that you have to hold it the entire time, similar to a propane torch. The upside is that it’s a bit faster than a BBQ Dragon.
5: Use Lighter Fluid
The only time we recommend using lighter fluid is when lighting briquettes in an open grill, such as a Meadow Creek BBQ96 or BBQ60 Flat Top Grill. This is a handy method if you rarely grill and don't want to invest in equipment, or if you're cooking on charcoal away from home without your usual gear.
It takes around 15–20 minutes for to get charcoal briquettes burning with this method. Follow the instructions on the bottle and stay safe!
Quality Charcoal
When you’re cooking with charcoal, you’ll need a good supply of quality charcoal. We carry a variety of lump charcoal brands and a premium quality 100% hardwood charcoal briquette from Royal Oak that burns clean and long.
Scroll down to browse our quality charcoals.
Let's Talk Barbecue!
Let's Talk Barbecue!
Need answers to a burning barbecue question? Ready for an upgrade that old grill? Running low on your favorite rub? To solve those problems and many more, the next step is to call or email us using the information below. Better yet, stop in at the store to browse our huge line of barbecue products and talk to our experts in person.
Call Us: 717-355-0779
Store Location:
Meadow Creek Barbecue Supply, 140 W Main St, New Holland, PA 17557, United States
Store Hours:
Mon – Thur: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Fri: 8:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sat: 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Sun: Closed
