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Lighting your coals
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Used a weed burner forever but have gone back to a couple of paper towels in oil. So much easier and just light them and go to prep as opposed to standing over the grill with a burner.
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I've tried fire starting cubes, electric starters, oil/napkin, mapp gas, and weed torch for starting my BGE.
The Harbor Freight Weed Torch is by far my favorite way to light the egg. I can get the BGE up to temp in only a few minutes if need be. I'd put it right behind my Thermapen for favorite BGE accessory.
My first torch lasted 9 years and cost me $20. (Hose started to crack. Torch was still good) I upgraded to the push button start torch last year. Happy with the upgrade.
"The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan
Minnesota -
I use my remote control starter so I can start it from my iPhone. Here is the YouTube video
https://youtu.be/60zBdc9jnks
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Same here: Rutland 50B Safe Lite Fire Starter Squares from Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00138MO16
I cut them in half and use half per cook. Slow and Low, I'll use both pieces, but spread out. I agree with @Matt86m let them burn for a bit before putting charcoal on top of them -- then allow 10 minutes for the bad smoke to clear.Los Angeles, CA -
If you are now having starting problems and did not before using the same method, look for a different problem and not how you start. Clean out bottom of ashes. Are air holes in firebox open. Need good flow of air
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Propane torch. Quick, easy, and effective. If I've just put fresh charcoal on top, I put on a pair of safety glasses I keep in the drawer so I don't get a spark in my eye. Interestingly, every one of my friends who has seen me start the lump this way has said "Hey, that's so much better than the way I do it."
Cincinnati, Ohio. Large BGE since 2011. Still learning. -
WeberWho said:I've tried fire starting cubes, electric starters, oil/napkin, mapp gas, and weed torch for starting my BGE.
The Harbor Freight Weed Torch is by far my favorite way to light the egg. I can get the BGE up to temp in only a few minutes if need be. I'd put it right behind my Thermapen for favorite BGE accessory.
My first torch lasted 9 years and cost me $20. (Hose started to crack. Torch was still good) I upgraded to the push button start torch last year. Happy with the upgrade. -
Rogue here...... Bison Airlighter
XL and Medium. Dallas, Texas. -
JohnEggGio said:I like these little bundles. Get them at Home Depot. I build a little teepee of coals around it. Works great.
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Matt86m said:If you are using the squares I found they work better if you let them burn for a bit before loading charcoal on top of them. You can snuff them out if you do it too soon. leave air gaps when I stack pieces on top of them too.Stillwater, MN
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I always make a cavity in the middle of the lump so air flows from bottom to top, and put several pieces of lump above it to start the lump. Guess that’s how I always started my fireplace, bonfires, fire pits, or any wood fire!
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I am still using the BGE squares and like them very well. Interestingly, in my most recent box, I notice they seem to be a darker brown and, more importantly, I think they catch fire more easily.
I tried the looflighter, but the noise and sparks kind of ruined the zen-like egg-lighting experience of the quiet, peaceful squares. You may have guessed, I don't get in a hurry when lighting my egg. -
i used the JJ George Grill torch, i have never had an issue getting it down to my large. it has about a 7" flame on it so it shoots the fire down in the fire box, i hit 3 spots around the egg for 30-60 seconds then walk away and its ready to go in 10-15 minutes.
2 Large Eggs - Raleigh, NC
Boiler Up!!
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Whatever size this works so much faster. A dozen years and hosting 5 EggFests here its all i use to light. I can be cooking very few minutes.Salado TX & 30A FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers. -
Metal coffee can, folded paper towels, veg oil. 2 for low and slow, three for grilling and pizza
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I use a Chimney starter on the side burner of my gas grill. The longer I leave it sit on that fire depends on how hot i want the fire. Good burn there and I can have 400 degrees in egg really quick.
Downside of this method is how little charcoal to light for low and slow. Always harder to keep fire smaller and catch it on way up. I panicked Friday while lighting in the dark- looked like I put in way too much fire and I choked it down too much, took forever to get 225.XLBGE, LBGE, Charbroil Gas Grill, Weber Q2000, Old Weber Kettle, Yeti 65, Yeti Hopper 20, RTIC 20, RTIC 20 Soft Side - Too many drinkware vessels to mention.
Not quite in Austin, TX City Limits
Just Vote- What if you could choose "none of the above" on an election ballot? Millions of Americans do just that, in effect, by not voting. The result in 2016: "Nobody" won more counties, more states, and more electoral votes than either candidate for president. -
BGE starter squares here. They've been very consistent for me. Toss one in, small pile on top, enough airlfow, and the grills ready in about 10min.Haddon Township, NJ
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I am getting my BGE next week. I have often lit my coals in other grills by crinkling up newspaper into a long snake looking thing and then tying them into a knot that looks like a doughnut. It has always worked fine. I use it in my fire place too. Is there any reason not to do this in the egg? It is fast and cheap and I always have newspapers lying around, except for recycling day. even then I put out the recycle bin before I finish that day's paper.
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mickstephen said:Rutland square firestarters here.Coleman, Texas
Large BGE & Mini Max for the wok. A few old camp Dutch ovens and a wood fired oven. LSG 24” cabinet offset smoker. There are a few paella pans and a Patagonia cross in the barn. A curing chamber for bacterial transformation of meats...
"Bourbon slushies. Sure you can cook on the BGE without them, but why would you?"
YukonRon -
Torch for the win. The smaller one though. The weed burner hooked up to a 20lb tank was cumbersome.The TS4000 maybe a little cheaper. You don’t need the yellow Map-Pro bottles. You do want the head with the little siphon thing as it works when inverted too.#1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February 2013 • #3 Mini May 2013A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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Good ole heat gun. $30 and works great.
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Agreed, but I bought a looflighter back in the day for ~100. Served me well for 5+ years now, for my BGE as well as 1,000 degree temps in the WFO when I’m in a hurry!DFW - 1 LGBE & Happy to Adopt More...
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jorlnixon said:I am getting my BGE next week. I have often lit my coals in other grills by crinkling up newspaper into a long snake looking thing and then tying them into a knot that looks like a doughnut. It has always worked fine. I use it in my fire place too. Is there any reason not to do this in the egg? It is fast and cheap and I always have newspapers lying around, except for recycling day. even then I put out the recycle bin before I finish that day's paper.
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theyolksonyou said:On top? I guess it would work fine, but I don’t want those paper ashes flying around in my egg. The other concern I would have is the fire size. If it gets too big you’ll be waiting a loooonng time for the egg to cook back down if doing a low and slow.
No, not on top. I put the newspaper doughnut down and pile coals around it, with a little bit of the newspaper showing. I light the news paper with a bic lighter and in a few minutes I have the beginnings of a smolderng fire. With briquettes it take longer and needs more coals but with lump charcoal, it seems to work great. I was just wondering if there are any objections to using it in the egg, outside of floating ashes. They aren't a problem the way I do it.
It is a really cheap and convenient method. -
I still don't know how to edit a post. But I wanted to add that I don't just crumple up newspaper. That burns way too fast. But tying the paper up the way I do creates a fairly slow burning wad of paper.
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jorlnixon said:theyolksonyou said:On top? I guess it would work fine, but I don’t want those paper ashes flying around in my egg. The other concern I would have is the fire size. If it gets too big you’ll be waiting a loooonng time for the egg to cook back down if doing a low and slow.
No, not on top. I put the newspaper doughnut down and pile coals around it, with a little bit of the newspaper showing. I light the news paper with a bic lighter and in a few minutes I have the beginnings of a smolderng fire. With briquettes it take longer and needs more coals but with lump charcoal, it seems to work great. I was just wondering if there are any objections to using it in the egg, outside of floating ashes. They aren't a problem the way I do it.
It is a really cheap and convenient method.
But, give it a try and report back. Maybe we’ll learn something. -
MANY ways to light your egg. I use the Bernzomatic TS8000 with propane (NOT Map-Pro!!). Used it for 10 years. Oil and paper towels if I run out of propane. I also have a box of 144 Rutland starter cubes (same as BGE, except cheaper) on hand as a third choice.
Heard too many stories about Looftlighters dying about a week after the warranty expired. Plus, you have to have an electric outlet. Never tried the weed burner, but it seems interesting. Tried the chimney starter, but never could control the temp that way. My technique I imagine.
Happy with the torch so I'm good. And I can use it for plumbing.I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!
MichaelCentral Connecticut -
I bought my first looftlighter about 8 years ago. Two years agoI got another looftlighter on an incredible sale at ACE for when the first died. It’s still in the box.
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I use a wad of paper towel with a little olive oil. Leave the lid open for ten minutes and your rolling. Cheap, simple, and it worksGo Gamecocks!!!
1 XL, 1 MM
Smoking in Aiken South Carolina -
Kent8621 said:i used the JJ George Grill torch, i have never had an issue getting it down to my large. it has about a 7" flame on it so it shoots the fire down in the fire box, i hit 3 spots around the egg for 30-60 seconds then walk away and its ready to go in 10-15 minutes.
It worked great, and didn't spray sparks all over the place like the videos of the Looflighter showed (I'm on a combustible deck). However, after using it less than a dozen times, it will no longer stay lit. My bottle isn't empty yet, it still whooshes when I open it up, and the piezo pushbutton starter still works (these things don't last long, as I learned on a couple gas Webers) and it will light, but won't stay lit. The thing is welded together, so can't be disassembled for cleaning, and I can blow into the air holes up by the valve and it appears clear; it just won't stay lit. I'm stumped.
_____________Remember when teachers used to say 'You won't have a calculator everywhere you go'? Well, we showed them.
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