Lighting your barbecue is a crucial step whether it's charcoal or wood-fired (gas barbecues have the advantage of lighting very easily). But if you want to enjoy this unique flavor, you'll need to find the right method to ensure your barbecue lights up as desired. Newspaper, firelighters, and maintaining the embers—discover all our tips on how to light a barbecue!
Summary :
- Why is lighting the barbecue important?
- How to properly light a charcoal barbecue?
- How to make good embers with a barbecue?
- How to light a wood-fired barbecue?
Why is lighting the barbecue important?
Asking yourself how to properly light a barbecue is crucial if you want to ensure the success of your meal. It will make cooking more successful and the experience more enjoyable with minimal smoke and delicious grilled food.
To know how to light a barbecue, choosing your barbecue among the different types of barbecue is the first step since the lighting technique used will depend above all on your type of barbecue. In addition, you will make sure you have the right BBQ equipment for the cooking you want to do, but also maintain your barbecue .
What's more, knowing how to light a barbecue also helps limit the risks associated with using this type of equipment and also ensures that it draws properly afterwards. In short, if you've just bought a barbecue and want to start cooking for the first time, you absolutely must find out how to light a barbecue properly.
How to properly light a charcoal barbecue?
Among the most widely used fuels , charcoal is extremely widespread. Easy to store, handle, and inexpensive, it will perfectly meet the needs of those who want to know how to light a barbecue simply. Unlike simply connecting a gas bottle to a gas barbecue, cooking with charcoal requires a certain method.
The so-called classical method
The so-called classic method for how to light a barbecue is very widespread and gives excellent results:
- Install the barbecue in your garden
- Place newspaper on the bottom of the charcoal barbecue
- Spread the charcoal, making sure not to use too much or too little.
- Light the coal in different places which will cause the coal to burn equally
- Blow on the embers until the fire catches
- When the embers are hot, you can install your grill and start cooking.
The so-called well method
If the classic method doesn't suit you or you want to know how to light your barbecue differently, you can opt for the well method:
- Place an empty glass bottle in the center of the barbecue
- Make 4 or 5 rolls with sheets of newspaper
- Wrap the leaves around the bottle to form a chimney
- Arrange the charcoal in a mound around the bottle
- Remove the bottle
- Light the newspaper
- Once the coals are hot enough, add the grate to begin cooking
How to make good embers with a barbecue?
Once you know how to light a charcoal barbecue, the next question is how to keep the coals burning throughout the cooking process. There are several methods that allow you to keep the coals burning for as long as you want after lighting the barbecue. For example, it is recommended to stir them well if some pieces of coal have not caught. Being close to the hot coals will help to even out the heat in the barbecue, which will only be beneficial for cooking.
What's more, if the amount of charcoal is decreasing and you still haven't finished cooking, it's recommended to add more charcoal. Be careful, however, not to add it too soon, as this could affect the combustion of the first pieces already in the barbecue.
How to light a wood-fired barbecue?
There is also the question of how to do it with a wood barbecue since the method will be different:
- Place newspaper at the bottom of the barbecue.
- Place kindling on top to form a fireplace.
- Light the newspaper with a large match.
- When the kindling has taken, add the logs.
- Blow until the fire catches well.
Also read:
- How to light a barbecue?
- How to make a charcoal barbecue catch fire?
- How much coal?
- How to light a barbecue without newspaper?
- How long should I light a barbecue?
- How do you know if the barbecue is ready?
- Tips for lighting a barbecue