1. To begin, if you do not clean your grill after the last session, clean the grid or saucepan and set aside the grill wire to clean it during the beginning of the fire.
2. Whether you use hardwood charcoal chuns or charcoal briquettes, procedures are very similar to create a good fire in a portable charcoal grill or a built-in charcoal grill.
3. The selection of the good amount of charcoal is very important for a successful cooking experience. Pour enough coal charcoal on the grid or saucepan to build the type of fire you will need to cook the food you selected for the day.
A – If you have a smaller round or square grill, you can build a uniform cooking zone or possibly multi-level cooking sections and on several levels.
B – On large rectangular grills, you can build a projecting section at one end, a slow cooking section on the other end and an indirect cooking section in the middle of the grill.
4. After selecting and organizing coal charcoal in the desired pattern, move it to one side to clear a zone to build fire.
A – Start by crushing 2-3 sheets of old type newspaper that have a folding, not the tabloid paper. Fashion it in a square that is suitable for the open end of the grid or through the pan of a big grill.
B – Spritz a little liquid lighter on the log until it is completely wet. (Some puddles of puddle are OK).
C – Now organize charcoal in a square or round pattern to build a pyramid with a small hole in the center. Leave the corners of the exposed paper for lighting.
D – With a long nose candle length or long fireplace matches, turn on the four corners of the exposed paper.
E – Charbs will be ready to organize in your cooking pattern when they take an appearance of Ashen. (About 10-15 minutes, allowing to clean grill wires).
5. Using a spatula or long handle metal pliers, organize the coals to adapt your cooking style for the day. The pliers facilitate the stack of coals for the Searing on several levels or the slow cooking section.
6. Another method of starting a coal fire is to use a charcoal chimney starter. This will keep enough charcoal for smaller round and square table grids. Use the same procedure for measuring the amount of loads required by organizing them to the grid or saucepan.
A – Transfer the coals to the starter of the chimney after placed a wrinkled log in the base of the starter. To ensure a faster startup, you may want to sprict a little lighter liquid on the paper.
B – Place the starter of the chimney on the grid and turn on the paper at several places.
C – When coals have a good start, they will look Ashen. Turn very carefully the starter of the chimney to distribute the coals on the grid or pan.
D – Then have the coals based on the cooking style you will use for this session and enjoy the experience.
7. Some additional tips and warnings to improve your cooking experience.
A – If you like to use the charcoal impregnated with a lighting fluid, you can still use the wrinkled paper to get a quick and uniform start.
B – Flavored shiny wood chips can be added to the coals when they are ready to start cooking. The Hickory chips are popular to grill steaks and burgers. Mesquite chips will add a brand new grill experience.
C – Prepare the wood chips by soaking them in water for 4 to 6 hours or one night. When chips are added to a hot coal fire, there will be a very nicely flavored smoke that enters the food. Enjoy.
