Smarter Starter Fluid at Home Depot

BBQBuddy

Walking through the grill aisle at HD today, I noticed this stuff for the first time.  Anyone tried it?  Yes, I know you don't need it if you have a torch....

Ozzie_Isaac

Oh lord.

Begger

I use the little wax cubes and a chimney.   

dopey

I use about 1/4 of a bottle, letting it soak into the ceramic.  Then pour another bit on the charcoal and light.  That way it lights fast from every angle.

blasting

I give up.  I typed two terrific replies, and each time decided I'd regret it in the AM.  

BilZol

blasting said:

I give up.  I typed two terrific replies, and each time decided I'd regret it in the AM.  

I didn't get as far as typing them.........

BilZol

dopey said:

I use about 1/4 of a bottle, letting it soak into the ceramic.  Then pour another bit on the charcoal and light.  That way it lights fast from every angle.

That reminds me, there's a freeze warning in the mountains, I need to pour some Prestone in my tank to keep the gas from freezing....

td66snrf

I'll translate  others comments. DO NOT USE ANY TYPE OF LIGHTER FLUID IN A KAMADO! 

saluki2007

td66snrf said:

I'll translate  others comments. DO NOT USE ANY TYPE OF LIGHTER FLUID IN A KAMADO! 

He's a hurricane fan, he doesn't know any better. 

GregW

I thought all lighter fluid was natural.
It is derived from petroleum, and that's a natural product from the Earth.

Botch

Myron Mixon uses lighter fluid, and he has more BBQ trophies than you do.  He admonishes in one of his books to follow the damn directions (paraphrasing his writing style) and let the flames burn down completely before adding the food.  
I think there are a couple chemists on this forum, would be interesting to see the combustion equation for lighter fluid; if the products are only CO2 and H2O, then its a moot point.  

DMW

Botch said:

Myron Mixon uses lighter fluid, and he has more BBQ trophies than you do.  He admonishes in one of his books to follow the damn directions (paraphrasing his writing style) and let the flames burn down completely before adding the food.  
I think there are a couple chemists on this forum, would be interesting to see the combustion equation for lighter fluid; if the products are only CO2 and H2O, then its a moot point.  

Used properly in a metal cooker, fluid shouldn't present a problem. Dumped liberally in a ceramic cooker, not so sure. Even in my metal cookers, I don't use fluid though, a chimney works fine, as do starter cubes, torches, etc.

RRP

I didn't realize HD sold EVERCLEAR. In the paint deptartment next to turpentine maybe?

Botch

And there we go!
 

 

Botch

Incidently, I have a coworker who is also an Egger, and he berates me all the time for using the starter cubes, claims there's residue left from them also (probably more than the above, obviously).  

Gamecockeggman

Ring the bell....

RedSkip

Starter cubes are not pure hydrocarbons.  The methanol and ethanol combustion is right, but starter cubes are not pure.

blasting

I light mine with homemade starter cubes made from unsuspecting stranger's eyelashes that I collect on the subway. 

BilZol

blasting said:

I light mine with homemade starter cubes made from unsuspecting stranger's eyelashes that I collect on the subway. 

You too?

BilZol

Botch said:

Myron Mixon uses lighter fluid, and he has more BBQ trophies than you do.  He admonishes in one of his books to follow the damn directions (paraphrasing his writing style) and let the flames burn down completely before adding the food.  
I think there are a couple chemists on this forum, would be interesting to see the combustion equation for lighter fluid; if the products are only CO2 and H2O, then its a moot point.  

It stinks. That portion of it that soaks into the ceramic doesn't burn off. It still stinks though. I dunno who Myron is but he's never cooked for me, but I bet the lighter fluid he uses stinks. 

GregW

BilZol said:

Botch said:

Myron Mixon uses lighter fluid, and he has more BBQ trophies than you do.  He admonishes in one of his books to follow the damn directions (paraphrasing his writing style) and let the flames burn down completely before adding the food.  
I think there are a couple chemists on this forum, would be interesting to see the combustion equation for lighter fluid; if the products are only CO2 and H2O, then its a moot point.  

It stinks. That portion of it that soaks into the ceramic doesn't burn off. It still stinks though. I dunno who Myron is but he's never cooked for me, but I bet the lighter fluid he uses stinks. 

What stink? I love the smell of lighter fluid wafting through the neighborhood air........it smells like BBQ season. 

dopey

@BBQBuddy would have deserved the troll button, 
but so many responses appeared to think he was serious.... Slow clap, good job sir

blasting

dopey said:

@BBQBuddy would have deserved the troll button, 
but so many responses appeared to think he was serious.... Slow clap, good job sir

Don't know if he was or not.  Doesn't matter to me.  

We need a lighter fluid or lump discussion every few days.  It's a bleeder valve for aggression and sarcasm.

Botch

dopey said:

@BBQBuddy would have deserved the troll button, 
but so many responses appeared to think he was serious.... Slow clap, good job sir

Can't agree with you, at all.  
 
@RRP suggested that the OP's fluid was pure alcohol (which it may be), and hence cannot taint the food (and lots of folks here use alcohol to light).
@BilZol claims that "it stinks"; I've actually never used lighter fluid so it may, I'm gonna be checking a few cans with my reading glasses next time I'm in Lowe's/HD.  I could easily understand there are fluids out there that are not alcohol or have other additives.  Regardless, I would think ligher fluid would be aimed at the lump, and if a few drops hit the ceramic, yeah, it could soak in, but as the heat rises volatiles, any volatiles, "soaked" into the ceramic would quickly gas off and burn.  
Myron Mixon has published at least two books on barbequeing, and has won many national contests, but yeah, I bet his food stinks of lighter fluid.  
 
Perhaps I need another intranetz break, this is like arguing with trump supporters. 

JethroVA

I love the smell of ETOH based starters in the morning.  Smells like...victory.
One of my favorite lines from my favorite movies ever.   

bud812

I use CH3NO2. I love the smell in the morning.

Jeremiah

bud812 said:

I use CH3NO2. I love the smell in the morning.

Nitro methane? 

RRP

Botch said:

Can't agree with you, at all.  
 
@RRP suggested that the OP's fluid was pure alcohol (which it may be), and hence cannot taint the food (and lots of folks here use alcohol to light).

I did? Actually I meant a liquid alternative. At $46 for that jug of EVERCLEAR I use it sparingly and only when I have gotten frustrated with the speed of my usual methods. Already I learned to stand back! WAY the H*LL back using that stuff. Houdini would be proud of some of my balls of fire! Actually I hate using the stuff for that reason.

BilZol

Botch said:

 
Perhaps I need another intranetz break, this is like arguing with trump supporters. 

So at least your used to losing arguments. 

I'm sure the volatile parts of the lighter fluid flash off, I'm sure they evaporate. So does gasoline. It still stinks when all is said and done. 

Now, I still don't know who Myron is, don't really care. Never said his food stunk. I said that I bet his lighter fluid did. Comprehension, give it a whirl. It's amazing when you get the hang of it. 

Botch

RRP said:

Botch said:

Can't agree with you, at all.  
 
@RRP suggested that the OP's fluid was pure alcohol (which it may be), and hence cannot taint the food (and lots of folks here use alcohol to light).

I did? Actually I meant a liquid alternative. At $46 for that jug of EVERCLEAR I use it sparingly and only when I have gotten frustrated with the speed of my usual methods. Already I learned to stand back! WAY the H*LL back using that stuff. Houdini would be proud of some of my balls of fire! Actually I hate using the stuff for that reason.

I misunderstood.  

RRP

BilZol said:

Now, I still don't know who Myron is, don't really care. Never said his food stunk. I said that I bet his lighter fluid did. Comprehension, give it a whirl. It's amazing when you get the hang of it. 

Perhaps I should leave your comment alone but I just can't. Sooner than later you might want to at least be able to acknowledge who Myron is in the BBQ world - he's no backyard dude doing an occasional butt and some ribs.
http://porkbarrelbbq.com/the-25-most-influential-people-in-bbq-number-5-myron-mixon/