From: hughes@dogwood.botany.uga.edu (Wayne Hughes)
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: Re: charcoal grills
Date: 6 Oct 92 23:32:12 GMT
Organization: Botany Department - U of Georgia, Athens

In article <1992Oct6.075056.1@gallua.gallaudet.edu> rlwilliams@gallua.gallaudet.edu writes:
>In article <1992Oct5.233950.15344@rigel.econ.uga.edu>, hughes@dogwood.botany.uga.edu (Wayne Hughes) writes:
>> 
>>   A question for the grilling experts.  How do *you* light your
>>   charcoal, keep it lit and make hot coals?  Rightly or wrongly

>Ok here's the way I do it.
>
>A. never use the liquids, the self starting charcoals... they taste funny
>and the self lighting ones burn out too fast.
>
>B. Get yourself a chimney!  These look like a large coffee can with a 
   [remainder deleted, as this was the advice I got most often! 
    Summary follows]


   Thanks for all the replies to my question about starting
   charcoal grills.  The following is a summary of the responses
   that I got through e-mail - it pretty much parallels what
   I read posted on the newsgroup. 

   For my e-mail responses I've included attributions.  I'll probably
   get or make a chimney arrangement, and try using newspaper
   (or egg cartons!) for starting.
   
   
   A *lot* of folks replied that a much better alternative to
   pile and light is the use of the chimney.  It isn't even
   necessary in this case to use lighter fluid: newspaper at
   the bottom will serve to light the charcoals at the top.
   A lot of people said stay away from the taste and smell of fluid.
   Either a large coffee can with both ends cut out to create
   chimney effect during the lighting and holes at the bottom
   to let in air, or buy one at Kmart or hardware store. 
      Daniel Emmorey   emmorey@flash.atc.olivetti.com
      Brian Sala       bsala@weber.ucsd.edu
      Pete Mesrobian   pmm@fnbc.co.uk
      Larry Wolfe      lcw@mpd.tandem.com
      Robyn?           robyn@alans.scf.lmsc.lockheed.com

   Let lighter fluid soak into the charcoal for a few minutes
   (less than five minutes) before lighting, rather than 
   lighting immediately. 
      Daniel Emmorey   emmorey@flash.atc.olivetti.com
      Harlan Whitley   whitley@mksol
      Ron Ackermann    ackerman@bcstec.ca.boeing.com
      Jan Schwartz     jschwartz@lonestar.utsa.edu

   Alternatives to lighter fluid.  
      Paraffin and cardboard blocks.  Firestarters?  
      Put a few in the midst of the charcoal.  No lighter fluid taste.
        Mitzi Morris   mm7c+@andrew.cmu.edu

      Propane torch.     
	Bob Jernigan   jern@visual1.jhuapl.edu  

      Paper *egg cartons* rather than just paper, in conjunction
      with the chimney.
	robyn@alans.scf.lmsc.lockheed.com 
   
   Keep charcoal dry!  Bag closed and in a dry place - the charcoal
   absorbs water from the air!
      Bob Jernigan     jern@visual1.jhuapl.edu
      Larry Wolfe      lcw@mpd.tandem.com

   In addition, two people recommended Kingsford charcoal, and
   to stay away from Safeway.

   Finally it became clear to me that one of my problems was 
   probably expecting too much in too short a time.  30-60
   minutes for getting good hot coals was the range of time
   people seem to be suggesting,  depending on what was used
   to start. 

   Thanks again,   
   Wayne