What Is a Charcoal Chimney?
A charcoal chimney, also called a chimney starter or grill starter, is a device that is used to set either lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes alight. It is usually a steel cylinder about 8″ (20 cm) in diameter and about 12 to 18 inches (30 to 45 cm) tall. Chimney starters have a plate or grate with several holes that is welded horizontally inside the cylinder about 3″ (8 cm) from the bottom. The charcoal chimney starter has large holes drilled around its circumference below the grate. This is to allow air to flow up underneath the charcoal, which rests on top of the grate. They also have handles that are frequently insulated. The chimney starter works by placing newspaper underneath the grate and lighting it on fire. This fire rises through the holes in the grate and sets the charcoal alight.
They are commonly used in situations where the use of charcoal lighter fluid, a toxic petroleum derivative, is inappropriate or banned. They are also used when extra charcoals are required while the grill is being used, such as when slowly cooking something for a few hours.
The charcoal chimney’s basic design, used for barbecue grills, was invented in the 1960s by Hugh King, Lavaughn Johnson, and Garner Byars of Corinth, Mississippi. It was originally marketed under the “Auto Fire” label.
How To Use a Charcoal Chimney
A chimney starter is used by placing charcoal (as lump charcoal or briquettes) in the chimney so that they stack on top of the grate. Scrunched up newspaper is then placed under the grate and set on fire. Once the charcoal is all burning (it will appear glowing red in the bottom and ashed over on the top), the chimney can be picked up by its handle and the lit charcoal dumped into the grill.
A non-traditional use is to cook directly over the charcoal chimney starter, which provides a high-intensity heat-source for flash-searing fish or other foods.