Fill a chimney starter with charcoal, set it over a lit fire starter or two sheets of crumpled newspaper, and wait 15 to 20 minutes, until the top coals are covered in gray ash. Pour them into the grill and cook. No lighter fluid needed.
With a chimney starter (the best way)
- Fill it. Pour charcoal into the top of the chimney. How much depends on the cook; see the guide below.
- Light underneath. Set the chimney on the charcoal grate over one or two fire starter cubes, or two sheets of newspaper crumpled loosely and tucked into the bottom. Light them.
- Wait. The flames draw up through the tube and light the coals from the bottom up. Briquettes take 15 to 20 minutes, lump charcoal 10 to 15.
- Pour. When the top coals are ashed over, wear heat proof gloves and pour them where you want them: spread for direct heat, or to one side for a two zone fire.
How much charcoal to use
Measure in chimneys. A standard chimney holds about 5 to 6 pounds of briquettes, enough to sear on a 22 inch kettle.
Searing steaks and burgers over a 22 inch kettle, or a full grate of food.
Chicken pieces, chops and vegetables, or searing on a small 14 to 18 inch grill.
Lit coals poured over a pile of unlit ones, so they catch slowly for a long cook.
For long smokes, the low and slow method lights a small amount and lets it slowly catch a big pile of unlit charcoal, which is why a quarter chimney can run for hours. Our guide to lump vs briquettes explains why briquettes suit it.
How to tell it is ready
Charcoal is ready when the top pieces wear a thin coat of gray ash and glow orange underneath. Cook any sooner and the fire is still climbing, and the food picks up a harsh, sooty taste.
Hold your hand about 5 inches over the grate: if you can keep it there 2 seconds the fire is high, 5 to 7 seconds is medium, and 10 is low.
Black, smoking, flames at the edges. Wait.
Gray spreads from the corners, about 10 minutes in. Almost.
Ash over every piece, a glow underneath. Pour and cook.
Without a chimney
- Fire starter cubes: build a small pyramid of charcoal over two or three lit cubes, leave the grill lid off, and wait 20 to 25 minutes before spreading the coals.
- An electric starter: a looped heating element you push into the pile and plug in. Pull it out after 8 to 10 minutes, once the coals around it catch.
- A propane torch: fast, and loved by kamado owners; aim the flame at a few spots in the lump for a minute each.
- Newspaper alone: twist sheets into loose knots under the pyramid. It works, but makes more ash and smoke than cubes.
Why skip lighter fluid
Lighter fluid works, but it is easy to use too much, it flares, and if the coals go on the grill before it burns off, the food tastes of it. If you do use it, never add it to coals that are already lit, and wait until the coals are fully ashed over before cooking. "Instant light" charcoal comes soaked in it and carries the same risks.
The charcoal grills we score highest
Questions people ask
- How long does it take charcoal to be ready?
- About 15 to 20 minutes in a chimney for briquettes and 10 to 15 for lump, a little longer with fire starters alone.
- Should the grill lid be open or closed while the charcoal lights?
- Open, with the bottom vents fully open, so the fire gets plenty of air. Close the lid once the coals are spread and the food is on.
- How do you light charcoal in a kamado?
- Skip the chimney. Fill the firebox with lump, push two or three fire starters into it, light them, and leave the lid open for about 10 minutes. Then close it and set the vents. Our kamado guide has the vent settings.
- Can you add more charcoal while cooking?
- Yes. Unlit briquettes added to a hot fire catch in about 15 minutes and smoke a little while they do, so add them early or light them in the chimney first.
- Is it safe to light a chimney on a wooden deck?
- Light it inside the grill, on the charcoal grate, never on the deck or a table. A chimney gets hot enough to scorch wood and burn hands; set it down only on the grate or bare concrete.