British BBQ Society Forums

Good point ensure good airflow.
Or use a garden weed burner

(weed seems to feature heavily these days )

I've been using two full sheets of newspaper as per the instructions and it was great but good to hear it's not just me, there's no build up on the grates that hold the coals which is why I put it down to the paper.

We now have the 'The Weber conspiracy' to solve

Perhaps it has to do with the coal - for instance after opening the bag, it may have absorbed some moisture from the atmosphere.

London Irish wrote:

Verminskti wrote:I found that with the weber too though. Really easy to light the first few times and then it got harder. Sometimes I have to repaper and light. Maybe it's a buildup of crud on the grill part stopping heat transfer or something to that effect.

Not sure how you do it, but ensure you leave gaps for the air to circulate (3 scrunched up balls of paper should suffice), ie don't completely stuff with paper with no gaps.

I make a toroid with three sheets of tabloid and light in the middle of the ring. As I say, when I first got the weber went like a whistle. Now same technique and I struggle with some winds. Even tried changing to lighting from outside. I'll try balling.

The amount of bags of charcoal I've gone through this year I've done new and old alike. Just needs anything less than the perfect wind.

aris wrote:Perhaps it has to do with the coal - for instance after opening the bag, it may have absorbed some moisture from the atmosphere.

I like the thinking but it's every attempt so I don't think it's that

Verminskti wrote: The amount of bags of charcoal I've gone through this year I've done new and old alike. Just needs anything less than the perfect wind.

I know what you mean, get it over a gas burner and leave there, when it smokes too much for the extractor fan still leave there, when the missus shouts at you (which is only about 2 seconds after) then take it off and take it outside

Do you put them on the grate of your bbq when you light light your chimneys? As I posted a while ago we have a £5 ASDA special el cheapo BBQ (sorry I know it's not but it's the easiest thing to call it) on which I put the chimney to start it, it also fits on securely on the shelf when finished with. This allows whatever breeze there is to "fuel" the chimney, I took this route due to inconsistency with winds last year

No, I did try this, to keep it off the floor and prevent any chance of an inquisitive dog getting a sore nose but on the grill it didn't seem to take too well, I just presumed it was designed to go on the floor with the airflow coming through the little holes around the bottom.

I'll give it another go

Try firelighters, work a treat

I've seen one person has one of those gas camping stoves - they put it on that.

This sort of thing.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yellowstone-Por ... 182&sr=8-1

Seems a bit overkill, but then again, it's less than a tenner, and how much do you spend on lighters?

Steve W

I would think there is an immense danger of blocking the gas jets with charcoal dust , as to the cost of firelighters, pennies compared to a gas cylinder. Having had to use one of these to cook with over a Christmas the cylinders don't last long.
Mix and match, use the charcoal bag which burns hotter and longer than newspaper and if needed a firelighter to start that off.