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Why do people even buy fire starters?

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njl
njl Posts: 1,123
in EggHead Forum
I've been using the paper towels I drain bacon on to start the egg for some time now.  We're just back from vacation, and while in the mountains, the kids wanted to toast marshmallows over an open fire, but it at least drizzled almost every evening.  One of our last nights, we finally had the right conditions...so I took a couple of greased paper towels to the fire pit, and in no time, had a fire (3 good size split log pieces) lit for the cost of a few seconds of lighter (lighting the paper towels).  I was actually kind of surprised/impressed by how quickly the grease towels got the wood going.

Everybody cooks bacon...right?  Those paper towels you put it on when its done are not garbage :)

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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,466
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    I always pour the excess bacon grease in the frypan into a can, use it for all kinds of things, but it never occurred to me to save the paper towels that I drain my bacon on.  
    Thank you!  
    _____________

    Remember when teachers used to say 'You won't have a calculator everywhere you go'?  Well, we showed them.


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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 19,035
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    To start fires.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
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  • jabam
    jabam Posts: 1,829
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    We don't need more fires in Cali!!!!
    Central Valley CA     One large egg One chocolate lab "Halle" two chiuahuas "Skittles and PeeWee"
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,888
    edited August 2015
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    Ah geez man - bacon grease is PRECIOUS! I use any way I can to save that grease, but never paper towels! I mean I use a flexible bladed spatula to reclaim that pig gold!!! I even save uncooked. overly fat pieces to cook down later! I use 1/2 cup of bacon fat in my delicious chili when I saute the diced onion first - but don't tell anybody as that is one on my secrets!
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
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    I'll use the bacon grease when I am camping but for everyday use I get the Rutland firestarters from Amazon. 144 for less then 20 bucks works for me. 
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
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    Yeah I use the Rutland starters all the time way easier and work great. 
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  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,832
    edited August 2015
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    When you are camping in 25 degree weather with some wind, the Rutlands won't light, but the bacon grease soaked towel will.  Trust me.

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

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  • golfguyjosh
    golfguyjosh Posts: 196
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    I have a looflighter... works good and fast. If I was smart I would not have bought it and just used my heat gun. If you have a heat gun at home boom saved you all some money
    Jacksonville, FL
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
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    If you have an extra small bag of potato chips laying around (lunchbox size) light it an toss it in. 
    I saw a fire department exhibition of burning a car to an unrecognizable pile of charred junk. They lit a large bag of ruffles and tossed it in the back seat. 
    Impressive.
    Fritos works great also.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • golfguyjosh
    golfguyjosh Posts: 196
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    ^ it is all the oil.... I can tell you that they burn "clean" without leaving a single mark or residue. 
    Jacksonville, FL
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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
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    Foghorn said:
    When you are camping in 25 degree weather with some wind, the Rutlands won't like, but the bacon grease soaked towel will.  Trust me.
    I have the same issue with wind in the front of my house. I press the Rutland down in the coiling of the chimney then fill the chimney and light it from the bottom. The chimney blocks the wind then pour the chimney in. Works great.
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  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,832
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    @Lit, I've done that too when I'm at home where I have a chimney.  At the camp site, that wasn't an option.

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

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  • jabam
    jabam Posts: 1,829
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    I fill a coffe can with folded paper towels and put in a 1/4 cup of cooking oil. Let sit for a week and I have enough starters to last quite awhile. Works great I never have to use more than one starter 
    Central Valley CA     One large egg One chocolate lab "Halle" two chiuahuas "Skittles and PeeWee"
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  • SaskNortherner
    SaskNortherner Posts: 96
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    I second the paper towel and cooking oil. I have a looflighter but can't be bothered to drag it out and stand there. Paper towel is all I ever use.
    LBGE,Mini Max,Stoker Meadow Lake Sask.
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  • danmac
    danmac Posts: 30
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    Cooking oil & paper towel is all I use.  It fast and easy.
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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164
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    RRP said:
    Ah geez man - bacon grease is PRECIOUS! I use any way I can to save that grease, but never paper towels! I mean I use a flexible bladed spatula to reclaim that pig gold!!! I even save uncooked. overly fat pieces to cook down later! I use 1/2 cup of bacon fat in my delicious chili when I saute the diced onion first - but don't tell anybody as that is one on my secrets!
    Yeah......not the kind of information you want to get out fo sho!
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,888
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    northGAcock said:

    Yeah......not the kind of information you want to get out fo sho!
     =)  =)=)
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • Dyal_SC
    Dyal_SC Posts: 6,052
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    I get the fire starters from Amazon too.  Box of 144 for less than $20 is worth it IMHO.  Less hassle for me plus I don't hafta get my fingers (or small bowl) dirty/greasy from using an oil soaked paper towel.  I have made a bulk amount of oil soaked paper towel starters before ahead of time. Those work ok and I still use those if I run out of the parafin squares.  
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 17,170
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    All of the bacon talk made me hungry 
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  • njl
    njl Posts: 1,123
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    DoubleEgger said:
    All of the bacon talk made me hungry 
    I think RRP may have misunderstood.  When I cook bacon, I generally do it on a baking sheet in the oven.  When it's done, they get laid out on a paper towel lined dinner plate as above...but more spread out :)  I have a couple of Duralex glass dishes with lids that I save the fat from the baking sheet in.  I use it in cast iron to fry eggs and in several recipes.  It's the paper towel (as above) that soaks up just enough fat from the cooling bacon that I'm talking about.  I keep a ziplock full of them in the fridge for future use as fire starters.  They work great and are totally free, since they would have been tossed in the garbage otherwise.  I do try to knock/scrape off any sizeable crumbs before storing them...to avoid burnt bacon smell in the fire.
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  • TigerTony
    TigerTony Posts: 1,078
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    YukonRon said:
    If you have an extra small bag of potato chips laying around (lunchbox size) light it an toss it in. 
    I saw a fire department exhibition of burning a car to an unrecognizable pile of charred junk. They lit a large bag of ruffles and tossed it in the back seat. 
    Impressive.
    Fritos works great also.
    For some reason I find this hilarious. :)

    Also, If potato chip and Fritos bags can set a car on fire, I can only imagine what damage a bag of fried cracklins would do.
    "I'm stupidest when I try to be funny" 
    New Orleans

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  • gmac
    gmac Posts: 1,814
    edited August 2015
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    TigerTony
    I can only imagine what damage a bag of fried cracklins would do.
    Well, they're not doing my heart much good, I can tell you that. 

    Paper towel and cooking oil for me. Even better is newspaper dunked in the left over fish fry oil in my fry pot. Just more paper, more oil. 
    Mt Elgin Ontario - just a Large.
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  • SoCalTim
    SoCalTim Posts: 2,158
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    Dyal_SC said:
    I get the fire starters from Amazon too.  Box of 144 for less than $20 is worth it IMHO.  Less hassle for me plus I don't hafta get my fingers (or small bowl) dirty/greasy from using an oil soaked paper towel.  I have made a bulk amount of oil soaked paper towel starters before ahead of time. Those work ok and I still use those if I run out of the parafin squares.  
    Me too! I found them @ Home Depot for $13 dollars. Great deal.
    I've slow smoked and eaten so much pork, I'm legally recognized as being part swine - Chatsworth Ca.
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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
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    Will try the oil soaked towel, since I love to experiment.  When the egg is cleaned up and prepped the day before it's used, can you add the oil soaked towel at that time? 

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
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    I typically use a torch, but on vacation I bought a bottle of 97%alcohol. Squirt on  a paper towel, stick through the bottom vent and light. Blazing inferno in short order. When I run out of gas I may switch permanently. 
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  • Smokehouse33
    Smokehouse33 Posts: 185
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    I'll be honest..when I first got my egg I bought a couple of boxes and I loved them...simple stupid..I always got a great fire with them. Then I bought a searzall with a bernzomatic TS8000. Who doesn't like playing with a torch! Haven't touched my starters since!
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  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
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    Yeah as soon as I'm comfortable my kids understand fire safety I'll be getting a torch. But for now the starter blocks are adequate and way out of reach of the kids.
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
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    theyolksonyou said:
    I typically use a torch, but on vacation I bought a bottle of 97%alcohol. Squirt on  a paper towel, stick through the bottom vent and light. Blazing inferno in short order. When I run out of gas I may switch permanently. 
    You don't even need to waste a paper towel. Just get a squirt bottle and squirt some on top of the lump. Let it soak in for a few seconds and toss a match in. Stand back though. I wouldn't use a BIC lighter. =) I've done it a few times, as well as the oil, but seem to have gravitated toward the torch.

    And as for the bacon grease, If I had to wait until I cooked bacon to light my egg, I would only be able to use the egg once or twice a year.
     

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    Ozzie_Isaac said:
    To start fires.
    What this guy said^^^^^^^^ ;)
    Also I like having them on hand just in case. I usually use either a weed burner or a Weber chimney starter sitting on either a turkey fryer burner or a double jet burner. All 3 require propane. You never know when on a holiday or in the middle of the night when you decide to cook you may be out of gas. It's good to have a back up way of lighting your egg or grill. Plus the Rutland starters are very cheap and very safe to store. If you have a Tractor Supply near, they mark them down in the summer to $9.99.00 for 144 of them. It just doesn't get much cheaper and convienant than that. As with most things, there is no one best way. With that said, I like have several options available at all times just in case. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • njl
    njl Posts: 1,123
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    Jeepster47 said:
    Will try the oil soaked towel, since I love to experiment.  When the egg is cleaned up and prepped the day before it's used, can you add the oil soaked towel at that time? 
    Probably.  My only concern would be attracting bugs or other critters.
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