| One of the most common ways to cook outdoors is | | | | be used in combination with lighter fluid to accelerate |
| using charcoal briquets. They are widely available and | | | | the starting of briquets. |
| produce a cooking environment that is exceptional for | | | | 4. Use a method of greatly increasing air flow. Once |
| grilling. The following are five tips to easily start | | | | the briquets have been lit and have started to burn, |
| charcoal briquets. | | | | they take time to develop that white-hot outer |
| 1. Use instant light charcoal. These briquets have been | | | | covering, which indicates they are ready for grilling. |
| presoaked with lighter fluid that allows them to be | | | | Accelerating the air flow will greatly accelerate that |
| easily lit and started. The disadvantage is that because | | | | process. Ways to accelerate the air flow include using |
| of the lighter fluid, they often will give an odor to the | | | | a blow dryer, a fan, a large lid that is waved back and |
| food you are cooking. In addition, they typically do not | | | | forth near the briquets (like the lid of a large plastic |
| last as long as normal briquets. | | | | storage box). After the briquets have been lit, directly |
| 2. Use normal briquets, but with lighter fluid. Normal | | | | the air flow toward the pile of briquets. Start gently at |
| briquets will burn longer then the instant type, but just | | | | first-you don't want to put the fire out. As the heat |
| like the instant type, the use of lighter fluid can give an | | | | increases, increase the air flow. This is a great way to |
| odor to your food. Thoroughly soak the pile of briquets | | | | get the briquets going faster. |
| with lighter fluid before lighting and never add lighter | | | | 5. Use a small propane torch. This method is for those |
| fluid after lighting. | | | | of you who are like Tim "the Toolman" Taylor. These |
| 3. Use a charcoal chimney. These may be purchased | | | | torches are used for doing plumbing work with copper |
| commercially, or made at home with a #10 tin can. | | | | pipes and solder. They are found in most hardware |
| They typically have two compartments. The bottom | | | | stores near the plumbing supplies. They are fairly |
| compartment is used to place a starter of some type | | | | inexpensive and portable and are a quick and fairly |
| and the top compartment is used to hold the briquets. | | | | easy way to start your briquets. Direct the torch flame |
| While newspaper is commonly used in the bottom | | | | toward the middle of your briquette pile to start and |
| compartment, anything that burns easily may be used, | | | | then move outwards from there. You'll have your |
| including home made fire starters. Holes in the sides of | | | | briquets going in no time at all. Lighter fluid is not |
| the chimney allow easy lighting and an ample air supply | | | | necessary with this method, so it has the advantage |
| to allow the briquets to start burning. This method may | | | | of being quick without the extra odor of lighter fluid. |