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Homemade fireballs

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onesaxplayer
onesaxplayer Posts: 79
in EggHead Forum
So, I had this idea to make my own fire starters. Basically because I am cheap and I like to come up with different DIY ways to do things. There is a picture below. Once I determine if they work I will tell you what they are and how I made them. Cooking a chicken in about an hour. Wish me luck.
When you get to a fork in the road, pick it up, spear something with it and throw it on the grill!!!
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  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,824
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    Those look delicious!
    NOLA
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    paper towels and used cooking oil. or 90% isopropyl alcohol, no paper towels needed. both work. both dirt cheap.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • onesaxplayer
    onesaxplayer Posts: 79
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    I've done the paper towels and I feel like they never burn long enough.
    When you get to a fork in the road, pick it up, spear something with it and throw it on the grill!!!
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
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    I bet the mapp works out cheaper unless your using used paper towels and oil.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
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    Always an interesting thread. I use an electric starter for last 3 or 4 years. The egg sees duty at least 10 times a month. At 900 watts used for 8 minutes the cost is just over 1 cent per use given our loaded cost of 8.9 cents per KWh. If you have power close to your egg, an electric starter is a great way to get the fire going. 
    On new lump, no more than 8 minutes; on second burn lump no more than 6 to 7 minutes. Important to get it out when the lump gets going as burning lump is hotter than the starter and will shorten its life considerably. 
    @onesaxplayer - be interested to see how your soon to be patented "Fireballs" worked.....
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • RickyBobby
    RickyBobby Posts: 744
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    Not sure how "cost effective" the mapp torch is, but it's bound to be one of the quickest and easiest ways there is to light your fire.
    My PitMaster IQ120 FREAKIN ROCKS!!!!!!! Current BGE arsenal: XL & MiniMax
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  • Cymbaline65
    Cymbaline65 Posts: 800
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    +1 on the 91% alcohol. I tried that recently and if you let the alcohol "soak" into the charcoal for about 3 minutes, lighting is faster than wax cubes (my old method) and much cheaper
    In the  Hinterlands between Cumming and Gainesville, GA
    Med BGE, Weber Kettle, Weber Smokey Joe, Brinkman Dual Zone, Weber Genesis Gas Grill and portable gasser for boating
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  • Mike_the_BBQ_Fanatic
    Mike_the_BBQ_Fanatic Posts: 700
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    Good point @skiddymarker
    I have used a chimney since day one...only costs me some newspaper in the bottom and since we have a subscription and a wood burning fireplace we always have it around...

    I am always intrigued by methods that others use to fire up and I almost pulled the trigger on a mapp torch once...but I struggle to understand why the chimney isn't more popular, especially for those trying to reduce or eliminate consumable costs.
    Making the neighbors jealous in Pleasant Hill, Ia one cook at a time...
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  • Dredger
    Dredger Posts: 1,468
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    +1 on the electric starter. Using our second one now. Started egging in 1998. Have a new one still in the box as a backup just in case. The key is what @Skiddymarker said. Set a timer and pull it on time or it will ruin it. That's what happened to the first one. No problems since.
    Large BGE
    Greenville, SC
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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
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    Mike_the_BBQ_Fanatic said:
    Good point @skiddymarker I have used a chimney since day one...only costs me some newspaper in the bottom and since we have a subscription and a wood burning fireplace we always have it around... I am always intrigued by methods that others use to fire up and I almost pulled the trigger on a mapp torch once...but I struggle to understand why the chimney isn't more popular, especially for those trying to reduce or eliminate consumable costs.
    I used a chimney starter when power was not available at the egg. Chimney was a leftover from briquettes and the Weber days. I have used the chimney and some paper when our power was out. Lump is a bit messy to get into the chimney, not difficult, just not as easy as dumping lump from the bag into the egg then setting the starer into the lump as you want. (sometimes I put the starter in the egg and dump some new lump right on top of it if not doing a low and slow.)
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • Mike_the_BBQ_Fanatic
    Mike_the_BBQ_Fanatic Posts: 700
    edited February 2014
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    Skiddymarker said:


    Skiddymarker said:


    Lump is a bit messy to get into the chimney, not difficult, just not as easy as dumping lump from the bag into the egg then setting the starer into the lump as you want. (sometimes I put the starter in the egg and dump some new lump right on top of it if not doing a low and slow.)
    I can see that...I only have an xl (for now) so I use the chimney as a big scoop first...and if I have to add lump I place the chimney in the center and dump both into the chimney and around it... Probably much harder and more dirty the smaller the egg.

    I also use my chimney as a place to park hot grates and platesetters.
    Making the neighbors jealous in Pleasant Hill, Ia one cook at a time...
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  • onesaxplayer
    onesaxplayer Posts: 79
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    So that grand idea I had didn't work out. The balls were made of potato chips pulverized in the magic bullet. There was enough grease that they will burn but they aren't efficient to start. They would take a bottle of propane to fire up and then burn forever. Like the idea of the alcohol. Anyone ever soaked a couple of pieces of charcoal in alcohol to make starters ?
    When you get to a fork in the road, pick it up, spear something with it and throw it on the grill!!!
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  • td66snrf
    td66snrf Posts: 1,822
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    onesaxplayer said:
    So that grand idea I had didn't work out. The balls were made of potato chips pulverized in the magic bullet. There was enough grease that they will burn but they aren't efficient to start. They would take a bottle of propane to fire up and then burn forever. Like the idea of the alcohol. Anyone ever soaked a couple of pieces of charcoal in alcohol to make starters ?
    onesaxplayer  Ok they didn't work as starters but how did they taste?
    XLBGE, LBGE, MBGE, SMALL, MINI, 2 Kubs, Fire Magic Gasser
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