How to Light Charcoal Perfectly Every Single Time

There is something special about cooking over real hardwood charcoal. Whether you are a weekend griller or a seasoned pitmaster, the fuel you choose makes a bigger difference than most people realise.

What You Will Need

Before you start make sure you have:

✅ Good quality hardwood lumpwood charcoal

✅ A chimney starter — the single best investment any BBQ lover can make

✅ Natural firelighters — avoid chemical ones as they affect food flavour

✅ Heat resistant BBQ gloves

Step by Step — The Perfect Light

Step 1 — Fill your chimney starter Place your natural firelighter at the bottom of the chimney starter. Fill the top section with your hardwood charcoal. Do not overfill — leave a little space at the top.

Step 2 — Light the firelighter Light the natural firelighter at the bottom of the chimney through the holes. The flames will travel upward through the charcoal naturally.

Step 3 — Wait patiently This is where most people go wrong — they rush. Give your charcoal 15 to 20 minutes. You will know it is ready when the top pieces of charcoal start glowing orange and you see a light grey ash forming on the outside of the coals.

Step 4 — Pour carefully Using heat resistant gloves carefully pour the lit charcoal into your BBQ grill. Spread it evenly for consistent heat across the whole cooking surface.

Step 5 — Wait again Give it another 5 minutes after pouring before you start cooking. This allows the heat to stabilise and spread evenly.

The Golden Rule

Never use lighter fluid or chemical starters. They leave a chemical residue that gets into your food. Natural firelighters and patience are all you need.

With premium hardwood charcoal like Ever Burning Charcoal the whole process is even easier — it catches faster, burns cleaner and reaches cooking temperature more quickly than ordinary charcoal.

Shop our full range at www.everburningcharcoal.co.uk

Back to blog