How to BBQ on a Charcoal Grill in 3 Easy Steps

If you're like me, you're probably asking yourself why you would ever want to do such a thing. After all, that's what stoves and microwaves are for. Right?

While I won't get into the specifics of why (that's for you to decide), I will just mention that if you do it right, it will save you money on your electric bill.

Not only that, but just the pure thrill of maybe doing something so...primitive! It's enough sometimes to stoke the inner fire of nearly any man. Even if you're a woman, you can find much benefit to using a barbecue.

Now, on to the guide.

First, you need to have the right equipment. Even cavemen had to dig a pit and find the right fuel. Fortunately, the pit has already been dug for you and the equipment has been pre-manufactured.

You just need to purchase it.

What is the right equipment, you ask? That's what I'm here to tell you.

For small grilling needs, you need 3 things.

• A grill

• Charcoal

• A way to light the charcoal

Unless you have a bunch of money to spend, I would suggest getting the smallest grill you can find. Once you get the hang of it, you can upgrade, but for now let's just start small, shall we? Maybe a Weber grill.

Charcoal comes in two flavors (not that I've tasted it), briquettes and lump charcoal. I have no experience with lump, so for now we'll stick with briquettes.

Briquettes are pre-burned, square pieces of wood that are bereft of moisture and gases and have been turned into coal. They burn longer, hotter and are lighter than their original fuel.

All you need now is something to light it with. Once lit, the charcoal will burn by itself. I started off using lighter fluid, but it has a nasty gas taste that sours the flavor of the food. Now I only use something called a Chimney Starter. They're only $10 - $15 and can be found at Walmart or any hardware store (although they may be a seasonal item.)

The only fuel you need is a little bit of newspaper (or any paper) to start the charcoal smoldering.

OK, so you now have your equipment. Now what? Well, you need a place to put everything, preferably away from grass and combustible materials. Once you've found that, we can move on to step two.

Step 2: Place the chimney starter (with newspaper underneath), inside the grill. Be sure not to touch the metal while hot and watch out for sparks!

Fill the top of the starter with briquettes.

The more you add, the hotter the fire will get and the longer it will last. If you're doing this to save money, there is a trade-off. If you're only cooking a few pieces of chicken or a steak or something, then half-full should suffice.

If, however, you've invited half the neighborhood, be prepared to fill it to the brim. Plus when you need to start another fire, you can re-use the old briquettes. They start burning faster than the new ones and help to ignite them much faster.

Grab a match (preferably a long-handled one) and light some newspaper on fire.

This is where the fun begins!

Step 3: Once you've lit the paper (you did remember to not add too much, right?) make sure that you have everything ready for the grill. You'll need some tongs, a long-handled fork and some plates. Plus your food.

Whew!

Within a few minutes, your newspaper will have ignited the coals. They'll smolder for a few minutes at first, but then – just when you've gone in for a beer – they'll burst into flames!

Side note: Murphy's Law applies here. Just as a watched pot never boils, neither will a watched coal ignite. It's OK, go grab yourself some lemonade or a beer and take a load off.

Now that you've got your food ready and the beer half drank, you'll notice that you've got yourself a nice little campfire going inside the chimney starter. Don't fret, that's normal.

However, unless you like burnt food, I would suggest waiting. It might take a few minutes, but soon the flame will burn itself out and the coals will be red-hot.

If the fire department hasn't shown up yet, you're doing it right.

What you're looking for now – and it won't take very long – is for the coals to "ash over" and become gray. Once they do, it's time to put down the beer and start the food.

If this is your first time barbecuing, I would recommend watching your food, turning it over once the bottom of the meat has some grill marks on it. Remember, practice is your friend.

Pro tip: Always be sure to offer the firefighters some of your meat whenever they come over. Then they won't be so upset every time the neighbors think your house is burning down.

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