Light the charcoal without lighter fluid

The coals will not catch, the people are hungry, and the bottle of lighter fluid is right there. That is the moment the fire services have a rule for, and it is the moment a chimney starter takes away.

Light charcoal in a chimney starter with crumpled paper, and never add liquid fuel to coals that are already burning.

This page is about charcoal grills, and about cleaning the grate on any grill. If yours runs on gas, go to the short gas section near the end.

What the fire services say about fluid

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a US fire-safety body, says to use only charcoal starter fluid to light a fire, never to add it once coals or kindling are already ignited, and never to use gasoline or any other flammable liquid. In the UK, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service says to use fire lighters or starter fuel on cold coals, in the smallest amount needed, never petrol, and that it has seen serious injuries from adding flammable liquids to lit fires and barbecues. London Fire Brigade says not to use petrol, paraffin or any flammable liquid on a barbecue, and says firelighters are a safer option.

The NFPA and Cheshire allow starter fluid on cold coals, and London Fire Brigade steers people to firelighters instead. What all three rule out is liquid added to a fire that is already going. A chimney starter removes the reason to pour at all.

What the starter does instead

A chimney starter is an open metal cylinder. You crumple paper into the bottom, fill the top with charcoal, and light the paper, so the coals catch from below and no liquid is involved.

Some people say it lights charcoal faster and more cleanly than fluid, with crumpled newspaper as the only fuel. One person adds that it needs no oil or other accelerant if the paper is crumpled well. Another says it lets you measure the coals and can also give a very hot fire for searing. Some people point out that the instructions for a chimney starter say not to use lighter fluid in it.

It is a metal tube full of burning charcoal, so it is very hot all over. The maker’s instructions cover how to handle it; this page does not.

After the coals are lit

Some people say lump charcoal burns hotter and cleaner than briquettes but gives you less control of the temperature, and that briquettes hold a steadier heat for long, slow cooks. Which suits you depends on whether you are searing quickly or cooking low and slow. One person prefers lump when avoiding the binders and additives in briquettes matters most to them.

On where the grill sits, the NFPA says to position it well away from siding and deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches. London Fire Brigade says to put it on level ground away from sheds, fences and trees, and never to leave it unattended, not even for a few minutes. It also says to put a barbecue out properly when you finish, because coals stay a risk long after the flames are gone. Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service says to let it cool fully before moving it, and never to put hot ashes straight into a dustbin or wheelie bin, where they can melt the plastic and start a fire.

One person suggests closing the vents after cooking to smother the coals, then reuses them next time in the chimney with fresh charcoal, to save money and effort. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says not to store the grill indoors with freshly used coals, so those coals stay outside.

The grate, and the wire brush

Many people say a clean grate is what stops food sticking. Some people warn about the usual wire-bristle brush: bristles can break off, get into the food, and injure the person who eats it. One person argues the risk is overstated, because injuries are rare next to how often these brushes are used.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported internal injuries from swallowed wire bristles in 2012. It advised looking over the grill surface for loose bristles before cooking, and considering other ways of cleaning, and it asked people to report such injuries to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The simplest fix is to look over the grate for loose bristles before you cook, or to clean it another way. If anyone has severe pain when swallowing, or severe belly pain, after eating food from a grill cleaned with a wire brush, the CDC says to get emergency care and mention the brush.

Other ways people clean the grate: one person says heating the grates with foil over them turns the residue to ash that brushes away easily, and one person rubs a cut onion on them. One person warns that blade-style scrapers chip the enamel coating on cast iron grates. Some people oil a clean, hot grate, often from a spray bottle, before the food goes on; one person warns that spraying cooking oil onto a hot grill can cause large flames, so keep that in mind when you oil. One person says seasoning the grates and caring for cast iron keeps rust away, and that neglect ends in early failure. Some people say a cover extends the grill’s life, and one person cleans the grill before winter storage so that nothing nests in it.

If your grill runs on gas

Some people say to turn the propane tank off before the knobs, and to keep a spare tank. The NFPA says to check the propane hose for leaks before using it: brush a light soap and water solution over the hose, and escaping gas shows as bubbles. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says to check for gas leaks, following the manufacturer’s instructions, if you smell gas or when you reconnect the grill to the gas container. If you smell gas while the grill is in use, the NFPA says to get away from it and call the fire department (911 in the US, 999 in the UK), and not to move the grill. London Fire Brigade says to change the cylinder outdoors and make sure all controls and valves are off.

One person says switching to propane means there is no charcoal to light at all. That ends the lighting problem and adds the gas checks above.

Who this page is not for

If your grill is gas only, the lighting advice is not for you; the gas section is. If you were thinking of using a grill on a balcony or indoors, the safety lines at the top say why not, and London Fire Brigade names balconies. If you are choosing which grill to buy, this page does not recommend one: a long argument among people about brands and price-matching is left out. And if you came here for how to cook on it, this page stops at the grate.