# How to light a charcoal brazier.



## Suthseaxa (Apr 26, 2015)

Can anyone offer me any advice on how to light a brazier? I have one with the intention of cooking kebabs over it, but I can never get it to properly light and burn down.


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## Dawgluver (Apr 26, 2015)

How do you usually light it?  I use a charcoal chimney with a couple sheets of newspaper stuffed in the bottom for my grill and hibachi.  No lighter fluid needed.  When the coals get ashy, I dump them in.


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## salt and pepper (Apr 26, 2015)

Try using a fire starter to light the coals, or some Sterno.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Apr 26, 2015)

Ok everyone, I got this.  I use a Webber Charcoal Kettle often, and have my ignition technique down to a science.  I fist ball up individual sheets of newsprint, not glossy paper, usually four pages worth.  I place those in the bottom of the kettle and pour used cooking oil over the paper leaving a bit of uncovered paper on each ball.  Next, put the grid that hold the charcoal, or wood directly over the newsprint.  Add charcoal.  Ignite the paper with all grill vents wide open.  The oil causes the fire to last long enough to ignite all of the charcoal bottoms.  Then natural convection currents, and reflective heat cause the charcoal to fully burn/smoulder.  While the charcoal is heating, prepare the food.  By the time the food is ready to be cooked, the charcoal is ready to do its work.

Not only is this the fastest way to ignite charcoal, but it uses up used cooking oil as well.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## CraigC (Apr 26, 2015)

Chimney with news paper here as well. I also usually bank coals to one side to create a hot and cool zone.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Apr 26, 2015)

Here is a picture of how to make and use a charcoal chimney.  Any large metal can will work.  Or you could buy something similar if it is available in Sussex.


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## Suthseaxa (Apr 26, 2015)

I have not thought of doing it that way. When I say brazier, I literally mean a clay bowl with a few holes in the side! I'll try the soaked newspaper method next time, it seems like it would work.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Apr 26, 2015)

Suthseaxa said:


> I have not thought of doing it that way. When I say brazier, I literally mean a clay bowl with a few holes in the side! I'll try the soaked newspaper method next time, it seems like it would work.



Any way you do it, I hope your meal comes out stellar.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## puffin3 (Apr 27, 2015)

salt and pepper said:


> Try using a fire starter to light the coals, or some Sterno.


Save the Sterno for the cocktails!


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## FrankZ (Apr 27, 2015)

I use a chimney but I start it on a propane camp stove.


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## jd_1138 (Sep 3, 2017)

Dawgluver said:


> How do you usually light it?  I use a charcoal chimney with a couple sheets of newspaper stuffed in the bottom for my grill and hibachi.  No lighter fluid needed.  When the coals get ashy, I dump them in.



Yeah that's the best way and how I do it.  

Aldi has charcoal chimneys on clearance for $3 (usually $9).  They probably ran out of them though.  I think I bought mine at Lowe's for $10 or so.  Beats having stinky lighter fluid around your food.


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## Bigjim68 (Sep 3, 2017)

jd_1138 said:


> Yeah that's the best way and how I do it.
> 
> Aldi has charcoal chimneys on clearance for $3 (usually $9).  They probably ran out of them though.  I think I bought mine at Lowe's for $10 or so.  Beats having stinky lighter fluid around your food.





Suthseaxa said:


> I have not thought of doing it that way. When I say brazier, I literally mean a clay bowl with a few holes in the side! I'll try the soaked newspaper method next time, it seems like it would work.



When I used a charcoal grill I bought manufactured fireplace logs and sliced them an inch or so thick on the band saw.

One slice on the bottom, charcoal on top, takes just a few minutes for charcoal to ignite.  

I would think that would work well in a small round burner.


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## CraigC (Sep 4, 2017)

Grocery store ads are free and are delivered in the mail. Publix and WD ads are newspaper and not glossy. The chimney I use is a Weber. I bought another brand once and found it to be poorly designed. You can actually cook on the chimney, before using a torch to blister pepper skins, I used the chimney to roast peppers.


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## Chevy369 (Oct 22, 2017)

I use meeco's red devil firelight squares. Basically they are the big fire starter blocks cut up into small enough pieces to light a chimney without hesitation. Prevents mass amounts of smoke from filling the patio when guests are over or smoking out the neighbors house.


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