BigButzBBQ
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2010
- Location
- Northwes...
I'm sure that more than half of us well understand the workings of a charcoal chimney and how to light one. You may have even developed your own methods for doing so unlike any other but, there are some who might not have any idea and feel a bit too embarassed to actually ask. I can remember being there at one time myself. So, I've come up with this picture tutorial on getting a charcoal chimney lit and ready for use with a UDS.
Step 1:
Take one paper towel and pour about a Tablespoon of cooking oil onto it, then wrap it loosely with a second paper towel and place where you intend to set your chimney to light it.
Step 2:
Place chimney on top of the paper towels. I like to use my small grill for lighting my chimney on because it allows for good air flow and doesn't cause scorch marks on anything.
Step 3:
Add charcoal to the chimney, I usually will only fill up the chimney about half way. The truth is you can light a UDS with anywhere from a couple lit pieces of charcoal all the way up to a heaping ton but, if you use alot, it's hard to control and if you use too little, the charcoal might not burn evenly or may take forever to get up to your desired temp. If just starting out, I recomend the half load, you can always go bigger or smaller with future lightings.
Step 4:
Set the paper towels on fire. I normally I will try to light the paper towel from 2 sides to insure even burning.
Step 5:
Let it burn. The paper towel may seem like it is going to burn up very quickly at first but, if you wait a minute you will see that that the oil gives the paper towel a slow burning candle effect.
Step 6:
Wait until the smoke goes away before dumping the charcoal into your UDS. The charcoal will smoke for a good 10-20 minutes.
Step 7:
Once the smoke has died down and you can clearly see the heat coming off the charcoal it is ready to dump into the charcoal basket of your UDS.
All that is left is waiting for your UDS to come up to temp.
Hope this has helped out a couple of people out there. Thanks for looking.
Step 1:
Take one paper towel and pour about a Tablespoon of cooking oil onto it, then wrap it loosely with a second paper towel and place where you intend to set your chimney to light it.
Step 2:
Place chimney on top of the paper towels. I like to use my small grill for lighting my chimney on because it allows for good air flow and doesn't cause scorch marks on anything.
Step 3:
Add charcoal to the chimney, I usually will only fill up the chimney about half way. The truth is you can light a UDS with anywhere from a couple lit pieces of charcoal all the way up to a heaping ton but, if you use alot, it's hard to control and if you use too little, the charcoal might not burn evenly or may take forever to get up to your desired temp. If just starting out, I recomend the half load, you can always go bigger or smaller with future lightings.
Step 4:
Set the paper towels on fire. I normally I will try to light the paper towel from 2 sides to insure even burning.
Step 5:
Let it burn. The paper towel may seem like it is going to burn up very quickly at first but, if you wait a minute you will see that that the oil gives the paper towel a slow burning candle effect.
Step 6:
Wait until the smoke goes away before dumping the charcoal into your UDS. The charcoal will smoke for a good 10-20 minutes.
Step 7:
Once the smoke has died down and you can clearly see the heat coming off the charcoal it is ready to dump into the charcoal basket of your UDS.
All that is left is waiting for your UDS to come up to temp.
Hope this has helped out a couple of people out there. Thanks for looking.