What could be more appropriate than turning your thoughts towards outdoor grilling and BBQ on a fine spring day in the beginning of May? Here in California, almost everyone with a patio wants to cook outdoors and grill a steak or barbeque some ribs.
The first thing to decide is gas or coals. If you have the option for coals, there really is no comparison in the quality of your cooking results. Coals win hands down, no discussion needed. Propane just can’t give you the high temperature needed for a proper grilling experience, nor can your food get that natural grilling trademark smoke flavor. While it is true that a propane unit is easier and cleaner to use, I don’t think there is any comparison with the results.
Every now and then there is some clueless neighbor who uses either lighter fluid or self-starting coals. It’s easy to tell because of the noxious fumes resulting from these two products. It’s hard to believe lighter fluid is still legal to use considering how awful it smells. Please don’t buy either self-starting coals or lighter fluid. Your food will taste like a smoldering toxic waste site. Your neighbors will be complaining about toxic environment. How can that be good?
Getting your coals cleanly ignited is not difficult given the proper equipment. The best way I have found uses an electric heating element. You simply place the heater in the base of your grill, and pile the coals on top in a tight formation. Then just plug in the heater using an extension cord, and wait about 10 minutes until your coals are lit enough to sustain the ignition. Then unplug the electric starter and wait about 10 more minutes for the fire to spread some more. Then carefully remove the starter, trying not to disturb your mound of coals. Set the starter aside in a noncombustible place until it cools down enough to be stored. By now or soon thereafter you can spread your coals around for using as needed.
Chimney type starters are another clean option. However there is somewhat more of a risk of getting burned or scorched in the process. Fill the chimney starter up with coals, then pack a sheet of newspaper loosely in the bottom compartment. Place the chimney on pavement or other noncombustible surface. There needs to be enough space in the starter paper ignition area to allow air to circulate inside to promote good hot flames to ignite the coals above. Tear off and crumble a piece of newspaper into the shape of a long stick. Light one end of the newspaper stick you made and wait about 10 seconds to get the stick burning. Tilt the chimney to expose the newspaper and place the burning end of the stick under the chimney, then lower the chimney down to rest on the pavement. You should get both flames and smoke. If you only get smoke, try lifting the chimney slightly and removing some of the newspaper starter.
Also take some care about what kind or brand of coals you use. All briquettes are not made the same. Look for “natural” or “clean burning” types that use only wood or plant based. Otherwise you are using all or part of coal that were mined from the ground and the taste won’t be as good. Lump charcoal is a great choice, as its made 100% from wood, though it is typically much higher priced than briquettes.