Contents
– Step 1: Starting a charcoal barbecue
– Step 2: Starting a wood barbecue
Starting a barbecue is not a difficult task in itself, but without a method, you may find yourself, after hours of trying, cooking your meat in a pan.
Depending on the chosen fuel (coal or wood), there are several methods to avoid the lighting of the barbecue turning into a nightmare.
Caution: never use methylated spirits or gasoline to light charcoal or wood barbecue! You could be seriously burned.
Equipment to start a barbecue
– Charcoal
– Wood
– Newspaper
– Empty glass bottle
– Firestarter
– Matches
– Small wood
1. Starting a charcoal barbecue
There are 2 methods to start a barbecue with charcoal:
– the “classic” method;
– the “pit” method.
When you start your barbecue, wait for the fuel to embers: do not put your meat directly in flames.
Tip: when you start your barbecue, prefer big matches, so you don’t have to get your hands too close to the fire.
Classic” method
– Place newspaper on the bottom of the barbecue.
– Spread the charcoal on top. Don’t put too much charcoal: if there is too much, the barbecue won’t take. If it is too little, you can always put more.
– Light the newspaper in several places. The quick burning of the newspaper will cause the charcoal to burn.
– Blow on the embers until the fire catches.
Tip: If you use a fire starter, especially gel, never pour it in the direction of a flame.
Pit Method
The pit method consists of creating a chimney with the newspaper in the middle of the charcoal to create a draft that will facilitate the lighting of the barbecue.
To do this:
– Place an empty glass bottle in the center of the barbecue.
– Light the newspaper.
– Take sheets of newspaper, and make 4 or 5 rolls.
– Wrap them around the base of the bottle to form the chimney.
– Make a small mound of charcoal around the bottle.
– Carefully remove the bottle so that the charcoal does not fall down the chimney.
Then wait for the charcoal to glow.
Tip: always use very dry charcoal so that it sets quickly: for this reason, do not store it in a damp cellar and close the bag carefully when you have finished your barbecue.
2. Starting a wood barbecue
To start a wood barbecue:
– Place newspaper on the bottom of the barbecue.
– On top of this, place some firewood (dry twigs, pieces of crates, etc.) so that you can form a kind of chimney (form a small mountain).
– If you don’t have kindling, roll pieces of newspaper into tightly packed logs and soak them in the flammable gel.
Once the kindling has been set, carefully add logs. – Light the newspaper in the barbecue with a big match.
– The newspaper will ignite the firewood.
– Blow on the fire until the fire is well established.
Just wait for the embers to form!
Important: If you want to barbecue outside your property, make sure you are in an authorized area: due to the risk of fire, it is forbidden to make fires in certain places, such as forests in summer.
Hope this post helps you make a memorable barbecue. As you know, this post is incomplete without your participation. Please remember to share your experience in the comments below, and we encourage you to share your DIY tips with us.
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