How to Light Charcoal Safely

The safest way to light charcoal is with a chimney starter and a few natural firelighters (unnatural firelighters may taint food if you are cooking). Pack the chimney with charcoal, light the firelighters underneath, and give it around 15-20 minutes. This warms the coals, leaving them ready for you to pour onto the BBQ or wherever else you need them to go.

In this guide, we explore how to light charcoal properly and safely, the role of the chimney starter, how to light charcoal without one and the safety issues you should be aware of.

What do you need to light charcoal safely?

To light charcoal safely, you need:

·        Suitable space

·        Chimney starter

·        The correct charcoal (lumpwood or briquettes)

·        Long matches

·        Heat-resistant gloves

·        Firelighters

·        Long-handled tongs

The difference between lumpwood charcoal and briquettes

The type of charcoal you use plays a significant role in how you light it. You can choose between lumpwood and briquettes. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

	Lumpwood	Briquettes
Made from	Whole pieces of hardwood	Compressed charcoal
Lights	Fast	Slower
Burns	Hot	Steady
Ash	Less	More
Best for	Quick, high heat	Long, low-and-slow cooks

Regardless of the charcoal you choose, always put quality over quantity. A cheap but large bag of charcoal may appear appealing, but it can be substandard. You might find binders, accelerants, or fillers within the pieces, leaving you with lots of smoke and plenty of ash.

 How to light charcoal safely with a chimney starter

Lighting charcoal safely with a chimney starter is the easiest way to light charcoal. It takes just 15-20 minutes and is suitable for both lumpwood and briquette charcoal. You won’t need any lighter fluid either, meaning one less thing to worry about. Our example below assumes you are lighting a BBQ or grill:

·        Put on your fireproof gloves

·        Remove the cooking grate and open all bottom vents for airflow.

·        Fill your chimney starter with your chosen charcoal. If you are cooking for your family, fill it up; if you are cooking for just one or two people, fill it halfway.

·        Put a couple of your firelighters on the grate inside the grill and light them. Use your long matches or a long lighter to reduce the chance of burning yourself.

·        Place the chimney starter on top, and after a few minutes, the firelighters will start to draw flames up through the charcoal.

·        Leave the chimney starter where it is. Depending on the charcoal, you may need to give it around 15-20 minutes. Smoke will start to appear, followed by some small flames. The coals should start to ash over, and you’ll notice the coals glowing a little.

·        Once you see your BBQ charcoal has ashed over, lift the chimney starter by the handle and carefully pour the coals into the grill, arranging them so you get even heat distribution. Put the cooking grate back on, close the lid, keep the vents open and wait for about 10 minutes, then add your food.

Can you light charcoal safely without a chimney starter?

Yes, you can, and the best way is by stacking the charcoal in a pyramid or mound. It won’t be as fast as using a chimney starter, but it can be a reliable method until you get one. Using the BBQ/grill example again, do the following:

·        Put on your fireproof gloves

·        Remove the cooking grate and open all the vents

·        Arrange your charcoal in a pyramid or mound shape, leaving small gaps for airflow.

·        Put two or three firelighters into the base of your pyramid or mound, ensuring they are in contact with the charcoal but not completely covered by it.

·        With your long matches or lighter, light the firelighters at multiple points, remembering to keep your distance.

·        Flames will work through the charcoal in around 25 minutes, less for smaller, less dense stacks.

·        Once the outer coals are covered in a grey/white ash and you can see them glowing underneath, use your tongs to arrange them for optimal heat distribution.

·        Replace the grate and leave to preheat for around 10 minutes.

How do you know when charcoal is ready after lighting?

Your charcoal should be ready in about 15-20 minutes after lighting, but the clearest indication is its colour.

If you see a thin layer of white/grey ash with an orange glow underneath, it’s ready. If your charcoal is still black, indicating unlit patches, give it a little longer.

Another sign is that the initial smoke has reduced considerably. When you first light charcoal, it can be quite smoky; once the smoke becomes very thin and almost blue in colour, your charcoal should be ready.

How long charcoal takes to be ready varies between lumpwood and briquette variants. As mentioned earlier, lumpwood in a chimney starter can be ready in just 15 minutes, whereas briquettes may take closer to 20. If you don’t have a chimney starter, expect another 10 minutes to be added.

Safety risks to be aware of when lighting charcoal

Lighting charcoal can be dangerous if not done properly. How you light it and where you light it can be the difference between a safe environment and a very dangerous one.

·        Lighter fluid: Never add lighter fluid to lit or hot coals; beyond tainting food with a chemical taste, fluid hitting hot coals can flash back and flare up without warning, putting you and those nearby at risk of severe burns. If you are using a chimney starter and natural firelighters, you won’t need it at all.

·        Carbon monoxide poisoning: Burning charcoal gives off carbon monoxide the entire time it is alight. You can’t see it or smell it, so never light or use charcoal indoors, in a garage, in a tent or in any other enclosed space.

·        Never bring a BBQ indoors: Even once you think the charcoal has cooled, coals that appear dead can still give off enough carbon monoxide to be fatal and could also lead to fire risks that could easily be avoided. Always let it cool completely outside, never inside.

How to put out charcoal safely after it’s been lit

Once you have finished using your charcoal, do not pour water over it in the hope it extinguishes flames or heat. You are more likely to encounter intense steam clouds that could injure you and others nearby. Furthermore, a sudden blast of cold water on a very hot surface could damage equipment or surfaces.

Instead, you must shut off the oxygen supply to the coal. This will stop it from burning and allow you to safely dispose of it once cooled.

If using a BBQ or grill, close the vents and put the lid on; this will start the cool-down process, but be prepared to wait. It will take several hours before they are cold enough to dispose of.

How to dispose of used charcoal safely

Once your charcoal has been lit and then cooled, you can dispose of it in two ways, and again, this depends on the type of charcoal you have been using:

·        Lumpwood charcoal can be scattered in your garden or added to compost as it’s a natural wood product.

·        Briquettes may contain other products, so they may not be suitable for your garden. Instead, once cooled completely, put the ash in a rubbish bag and dispose of it in your general waste bin. Never put hot ash of any type into your bin, as you could start a fire.

Lumpwood charcoal from Sussex woodland

At Black Dog Forestry, we produce natural lumpwood charcoal free from accelerants and chemical additives. With quick lighting, a hotter and cleaner burn, and fewer pollutants, our charcoal is suitable for your BBQ, chiminea or firepit any time of year. So, whether you want to cook up a feast in the summer or get cosy in the winter, we’ve got you covered. Contact us today to place an order, or call us on 07586 720155 with any questions.