Lighter Fluid...

KiterTodd

...do any of you notice that everyone else's grilled food tastes like lighter fluid?
(now that you use lump and non-fuel starters)

When I see someone use Match Light and start cooking before they all turn gray, I can't even eat the food. Tastes like sh*t. Even after it's burned off it usually still has residual. And they will always say, "don't you love the charcoal taste?"  "yeah... but this tastes like petroleum." 
(I don't say that out loud any more.  If they don't know, they don't get it.)

milesvdustin

Yup, that smell is horrible. 

g8golfer

I cooked with match light last summer at a friend of mines farm on a cheap grill from Walmar and the taste was terrible. It was my first and last time doing that. 

Foghorn

When my dad grilled burgers it was hard to distinguish the burger from an unused charcoal briquette.  Matchlight made the possible.  The burgers didn't taste as much like gasoline as the briquettes.  

KiterTodd

Foghorn said:

When my dad grilled burgers it was hard to distinguish the burger from an unused charcoal briquette.  Matchlight made the possible.  The burgers didn't taste as much like gasoline as the briquettes.  

Ha!  At least the burgers were well done. 

The worst lighter fluid taste in my experience, is when someone serves you a par-cooked frozen burger heated over briquettes that are still black. 
Those soggy frozen patties just seem to sponge up all those fumes...

Foghorn

KiterTodd said:

Foghorn said:

When my dad grilled burgers it was hard to distinguish the burger from an unused charcoal briquette.  Matchlight made the possible.  The burgers didn't taste as much like gasoline as the briquettes.  

Ha!  At least the burgers were well done. 

The worst lighter fluid taste in my experience, is when someone serves you a par-cooked frozen burger heated over briquettes that are still black. 
Those soggy frozen patties just seem to sponge up all those fumes...

Oh they were done alright.  My dad's belief was that the only purpose of cooking food was to kill any germs that might be associated with said food.  More cooked = safer food = better food.

The only exception was mesquite-smoked turkey breast.  He started doing those and switched to an electric starter from Matchlight to avoid the gasoline taste.  It was the best thing that ever happened to his outdoor cooking.

milesvdustin

Bubba burgers should be a criminal offense

Gulfcoastguy

Yes I started using a Chimney starter and lump charcoal many years before I got an Egg. I could taste the lighter fluid residue and I could taste if it had been cooked on a gas grill.

Foghorn

milesvdustin said:

Bubba burgers should be a criminal offense

I only knew about them because multiple peeps here raved about how good they are...

Hntnhrd

I don’t have any friends so I don’t have to worry about this!! And I do all the cooking for outside family functions. I only use lighter fluid now for starting campfires

Carolina Q

Maybe the people who cooked those meals for you just didn't know how. I've never used Match Light, but for many years I used Kingsford briquettes and lighter fluid. Eventually, I graduated to a chimney starter. It all tasted fine. And to me, it smells like "grilling"!

Haven't used fluid in many years, though I do use briquettes on the Weber occasionally. Maybe I'll buy some fluid and refresh my memory.  

Killit_and_Grillit

Carolina Q said:

 And to me, it smells like "grilling"!

That's funny @Carolina Q,  I was thinking the same thing. Lighter fluid burning on briquettes, fresh cut grass, and gun powder is my favorite smell combo. 

Reminds me of the 4th of July. 

That being said, I had burgers at my buddy's house last fall and took one bite and thought it tasted like an oil refinery. Curse of getting the good stuff. 

milesvdustin

I am not a fan of frozen burgers. 

Maybe ill grab a box and give them another whirl. 

I have a burger press that I weigh out fresh ground and make patties with. 

billt01

if they only know it takes a little bag of coal with not lighting agent and some veggie oil to produce an awesome product..

Instead of lighter fluid, have them buy a spray can of Canola.....

KiterTodd

billt01 said:

if they only know it takes a little bag of coal with not lighting agent and some veggie oil to produce an awesome product..

Instead of lighter fluid, have them buy a spray can of Canola.....

Explain.

I have a trip coming up and wanted to do a large BBQ on the beach, but didn't want to pack a chimney (or use lighter fluid).  I also thought that starter blocks in a long rectangular grill would take too long to spread to the entire surface, even with stirring things around. 

KiterTodd

Carolina Q said:

Maybe the people who cooked those meals for you just didn't know how. I've never used Match Light, but for many years I used Kingsford briquettes and lighter fluid. Eventually, I graduated to a chimney starter. It all tasted fine. And to me, it smells like "grilling"!

Haven't used fluid in many years, though I do use briquettes on the Weber occasionally. Maybe I'll buy some fluid and refresh my memory.  

At the time, I also didn't think anything of it, but the more I became aware of the taste improvement without using lighter fluid (and using lump) I definitely notice it.

However, I suspect the largest problem is that people cook without letting it all burn off.  Any coals that had fluid on them really need to be gray all around, and people are usually impatient to cook.

Botch

So, Myron be Lyin'?
In his first book Myron Mixon claims to use lighter fluid exclusively, scolds that folks don't let it all burn off before cooking ("like the instructions say!"), and certainly has the hardware to back up his claims. Perhaps a longtime lie to throw off his competitors?  
I can't say I've experienced long-term dieting on lighter-fluid food, so can't say if I could detect a taste or not.  My first 18 years of grilled proteins were off Kingsford, lit with non-unleaded Texaco, Octane unknown, by my Dad.  After that it was over bottled gas on a Weber Genesis, until switching to lump about six years ago.  
I seem to remember posting here, years ago, that lighter fluid was some particular chemical and that, properly burned, yielded only CO2 and H2O + heat, so it shouldn't impart any aftertaste, once burned.  If I get bored this weekend I'll see if I can find the thread.  

lkapigian

But the smell sure brings back childhood memories of a simpler time in life ....years from,now they will be laughing at our lump 

Foghorn

KiterTodd said:

billt01 said:

if they only know it takes a little bag of coal with not lighting agent and some veggie oil to produce an awesome product..

Instead of lighter fluid, have them buy a spray can of Canola.....

Explain.

I have a trip coming up and wanted to do a large BBQ on the beach, but didn't want to pack a chimney (or use lighter fluid).  I also thought that starter blocks in a long rectangular grill would take too long to spread to the entire surface, even with stirring things around. 

@KiterTodd, many folks light their lump with a paper towel soaked in vegetable oil.   It works really well.  For the situation you're describing you could use a few of them.  Plus some oil on the lump.

blind99

lkapigian said:

But the smell sure brings back childhood memories of a simpler time in life ....years from,now they will be laughing at our lump 

@lkapigian I was thinking the same thing. There’s something nostalgic about Kingsford briquettes, lighter fluid, and a Weber kettle. 

DWFII

I lit one of those 6"-9" pellet smoking tubes with a half paper towel soaked in canola oil...produced smoke in the Weber for three hours+

caliking

I think the issue with using lighter fluid is that folks don't let it burn off before they start cooking. 

I used lighter fluid once, 19 yrs ago, and the burgers tasted like... lighter fluid.  Definitely my fault. Haven't used it since. 

bgebrent

caliking said:

I think the issue with using lighter fluid is that folks don't let it burn off before they start cooking. 

I used lighter fluid once, 19 yrs ago, and the burgers tasted like... lighter fluid.  Definitely my fault. Haven't used it since. 

Anarchist.  And a quitter.

caliking

bgebrent said:

caliking said:

I think the issue with using lighter fluid is that folks don't let it burn off before they start cooking. 

I used lighter fluid once, 19 yrs ago, and the burgers tasted like... lighter fluid.  Definitely my fault. Haven't used it since. 

Anarchist.  And a quitter.

Knowing when to quit is a virtue.

bgebrent

caliking said:

bgebrent said:

caliking said:

I think the issue with using lighter fluid is that folks don't let it burn off before they start cooking. 

I used lighter fluid once, 19 yrs ago, and the burgers tasted like... lighter fluid.  Definitely my fault. Haven't used it since. 

Anarchist.  And a quitter.

Knowing when to quit is a virtue.

We both know that is true brother.

lousubcap

It's the use of Matchlight charcoal not the independently applied fluid.  In a previous life I bought a bag of Matchlight when it first hit the stores (mid 1980's?) and used with the good 'ol weber.  One cook and as above, the lighter fluid taste was still there.  Last time I went near the stuff.  Sounds like it possesses the same properties today.  FWIW-