Did I commit a cardinal sin?

[Titch]

Bag of 100% cotton balls
Tub of pure skin 100% Vaseline, Equate Petroleum Jelly 13oz
Large ziplock bags

https://survivaljar.com/how-to-make-firelighters-firestarters-using-vaseline-cotton-balls/

no stink, simple and clean

 

[teamwhidbey]

Tumble weeds

 

[Kanco Connection]

Weber cubes for me. And if I’m in a hurry I’ll also use the BBQ Dragon. Basically a cordless hair dryer (wife got irritated at me grabbing her hair dryer). The Dragon is a toy that ended up working way better than I thought it would.

 

[Lomey]

Weber cubes here, but I'm going to try the cotton ball and petroleum jelly.

 

[SmokinAussie]

There's a million ways to screw up BBQ. That could be one of them.

I have a flat top. I clean it with oil and paper towels as it cools down. They go in the charcoal chimbley when lighting charcoal.

Works nice. Now you have an excuse to get a flat top too.

 

[ModelMaker]

Back when we camped a lot we would get the paper ketchup cups fill them with saw dust from the table saw and pour melted wax over them.
Kept them a zip lock, pull one out set it under some wood and light the ketchup cup.
Always worked.
Ed

 

[SweetHeatBBQnSC]

I usually only use the side burner on the propane grill if I want to light just a few coals. Mostly because it makes a mess of the burner, but it does work well. Usually I just use paper in the chimney and it works ok. I might get some lighter cubes instead though, it sounds a lot easier.

I have done this several times and it does work extremely well, but I have ashes that fall to the ground. I am getting a little nervous thinking it may cause a fire one day.

Which ones?

The Benzonate connection to a propane tank (cylinder). Whenever I tilt it to light the charcoal it just goes out.

 

[El Ropo]

I don't buy any newspapers at all, but I get weekly ads from local businesses in the mail. I have a huge stack of the newspaper material ads that I use in place of newspaper, it works exactly the same. When your bag of matchlight runs out, just drizzle some of your lighter fluid over the crumpled up newspaper, it will burn a lot better and get your charcoal lit fast. I usually have to wait about 12 minutes before the chimney is ready to dump in the pit, and any lighter fluid remains are in the pile of ash under the chimney.

 

[redchaserron]

I really don't have problems lighting a chimney with newspaper, when I'm lighting wood in my smoker I drizzle a little vegetable oil on newspaper, rub the sheets together to spread it around and then crumple it up. It works well.

 

[Displaced Texan]

Tumble weeds

What he said. Tumbleweeds and a chimney starter is the way to go.

 

[Kack]

Side burner on the gasser works great.

 

[aks801]

I make 3 wads of paper towel sections, get some cooking oil on them (not very much really) and go with that. Never a problem.

 

[gcs]

I've tried all the methods, some work better, or faster then others...
Then one day while fooling around getting some charcoal started, I realized I have a side burner on the grill, Doh!
Full chimney of coals, whatever type, throw it on the burner and voila, it can't get easier, or faster then that.

 

[Big Andy]

Have you tried some white bread with sugary rub coating? :idea: I use a tumbleweed it the starter basket with newspaper underneath.

 

[SDAR]

I have used paper towel section folded over a couple of times soaked in vegetable oil.

^^this.