How to light a barbecue?

Lighting a barbecue is a crucial step, especially if it's charcoal or wood-fired (gas barbecues have the advantage of being very easy to light). But if you want to enjoy that unique flavor, you'll need to find the right method to get your barbecue lit properly. Newspaper, firelighters, maintaining the embers—discover all our tips for how to light a barbecue!

Summary :

Why is lighting the barbecue important?
How to properly light a charcoal barbecue?
How to make good embers with a barbecue?
How to light a wood-fired barbecue?

Why is lighting the barbecue important?

Knowing how to properly light a barbecue is crucial if you want your dish to turn out perfectly. Indeed, the cooking will be more successful and the experience more enjoyable, with less smoke and delicious grilled food.

To learn how to light a barbecue, choosing the right barbecue from the different types is the first step, as the lighting technique used will depend primarily on the type of barbecue. Furthermore, you should ensure you have the appropriate barbecue equipment for the type of cooking you intend to do, and also know how to maintain your barbecue .

Furthermore, knowing how to light a barbecue also helps limit the risks associated with using this type of equipment and ensures proper ventilation afterward. In short, if you've just bought a barbecue and want to start your first cooking session, you absolutely must learn how to light it correctly.

How to properly light a charcoal barbecue?

Among the most commonly used fuels , charcoal is extremely widespread. Easy to store, handle, and inexpensive, it perfectly meets the needs of those who want to know how to light a barbecue simply. Unlike simply connecting a gas cylinder to a gas barbecue, cooking with charcoal requires a specific method.

The so-called classical method

The so-called classic method for lighting a barbecue is very widespread and gives excellent results:

Set up the barbecue in your garden
Place newspaper at the bottom of the charcoal barbecue
Distribute the charcoal, making sure not to use too much or too little.
Light the coal in different places, which will cause the coal to burn evenly.
Blow on the embers until the fire catches
When the coals are nice and hot, you can set up your grill and start cooking.

The so-called well method

If the traditional method doesn't suit you, or if you'd like to know another way to light your barbecue, you can opt for the well method:

Place an empty glass bottle in the center of the barbecue
Make 4 or 5 rolls with sheets of newspaper
Wrap the leaves around the bottle to form a chimney
Arrange the charcoal in a mound around the bottle
Remove the bottle
Light the newspaper
Once the coals are hot enough, add the grill to begin cooking.

How to make good embers with a barbecue?

Once you know how to light a charcoal barbecue, the question of how to keep the coals burning throughout the cooking process also arises. There are several methods that allow you to maintain the coals for as long as desired after lighting the barbecue. For example, it's recommended to stir them well if some pieces of charcoal haven't caught. Being close to the hot coals will help to evenly distribute the heat throughout the barbecue, which will only benefit the cooking process.

Furthermore, if the charcoal level drops and you haven't finished cooking, it's recommended to add more. However, be careful not to add more too soon, as this could interfere with the combustion of the food already on the grill.

How to light a wood-fired barbecue?

The question also arises as to how to do this with a wood-fired barbecue, since the method will be different:

Place a piece of newspaper at the bottom of the barbecue.
Place kindling on top to form a chimney.
Light the newspaper with a large match.
Once the kindling has caught fire, add the logs.
Blow until the fire is well established.

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