Nothing beats the smell of crackling charcoal and smoky grilled meat is the ultimate barbecue experience for many grillmasters. It reminds us of relaxed holidays, dining outdoors, long summer night or cozy winter evenings out on the porch with a blanket and a fire. We cannot wait for those lovely meals in our garden or on a camping trip. But getting that barbecue started is where many of us are a bit unsure. Are you wondering how to get your first meal on the BBQ ready in under an hour. It will be a lot easier with these three steps.
Starting a Charcoal BBQ safe, quick and easy in three steps
There are many different ways to start your charcoal barbecue. Of course we choose the safest way but you also want it to be quick,easy and if possible without getting dirty hands. No worries, with these three steps it will be a piece of steak.
Step 1: Choose a fuel of your liking
Fuels for your charcoal barbecue, this can be wood chips, lighting fuel or lighting cubes. Please be aware not to use chemicals such as spirits or kerosene. These will leave a bad smell when lighting and this smell will transport into the flavor of your meat, possibly causing damage to your health. Also the sudden high flames these chemicals create can be really dangerous.
Step 2: Do you grill on charcoal or briquettes?
One grillmaster can be a fan of charcoal and others use nothing but briquettes. It’s a matter of preference. But what is the actual difference? When grilling thin meat or on direct heat, charcoal is recommended because it burns hot and fast. Charcoal is often used for barbecues without a lid. Because charcoal burns fast, you might need more of it if you're in for a long haul of grilling.
The lid on your barbecue compensates for the fact that briquettes don't get as hot as charcoal. Even though briquettes don't reach the same temperature as charcoal, they remain hot for longer. Using briquettes is a great choice when grilling indirectly or cooking meat that is thicker. Of course it's possible to combine both methods to grill the perfect meal!
Step 3 a: Starting the Charcoal BBQ without a briquette starter
Before the BBQ is ready for grilling, light the barbeque 45 minutes in advance. Remove the gridiron and add wood chips or another lighting agent to the barbeque. Place the gridiron back on and fill with charcoal or briquettes. If you don't have a gridiron, you can use charcoal or briquettes with a lighting agent. When the lighting agent is ignited, it will turn slightly white. The first meal is now ready to be prepared!
Step 3 b: Starting the Charcoal BBQ with a briquette starter
With a briquette starter, you only require 30 minutes of preheating time to prepare your first meal on the grill. Fill the starter with about ¾ of briquettes or charcoal. Add woodchips to the bottom of your BBQ. Once the wood chips burn properly, place the Briquette starter on top of the BBQ. After 30 minutes, flip the starter over, and separate the hot coals or briquettes. Now your ready to grill!
Buying a charcoal barbecue at Creative Gardens in Ireland
At Creative Gardens we love a night of grilling, that's why we have a wide range of different barbecues. Not only can you choose for classic charcoal barbecues but also allt he accessories you might need to make your outdoor cooking experience complete. Beside charcoals barbecues we have a line of other barbecues, pizza ovens and tasteful rubs & sauces. Have a look in our webshop and have your order delivered at your doorstep or come to one of our Creative Gardens centers where our staff is happy to help you!
