August 14, 2014

Favorite Barbecue Accessory:  Charcoal Chimney Starter. It ain’t over till it’s over. This is the way I feel about barbecuing. I know it may be mid August, and the summer is drawing to a close, but that doesn’t mean grilling outside has to end as well. In fact, some of us are just getting started!  We’re not close to calling it quits. The approaching autumn season is a superb time to grill outdoors, with tail-gating and Sunday afternoon football games right around the corner. It’s not time to put the grill up just yet.

In fact, now is the perfect time to buy a new grill and accessories for much less than you could have purchased them in the spring. Which leads me to an accessory that I now consider an essential for anyone serious about grilling outdoors. It wasn’t until recently I became interested in using a charcoal chimney starter, and now that I own one, I’ve wondered how I’ve ever been without it!  Frankly, I’ve never really enjoyed using lighter fluid, and I have felt uncomfortable keeping flammable liquids around the house.  Charcoal lighter fluid is an unnecessary added expense, and it also can add an unpleasant taste to the food you’re grilling. And everyone who has barbecued and has been dependent upon lighter fluid will tell you that if you run out of lighter fluid, you’ll wish you had a chimney, because it’s nearly impossible to get charcoal lit without help.

But most importantly, my son is 9 and at an age where I am including him in tasks that I feel he should become familiar with. I’d feel very uneasy teaching him how to douse the charcoal with lighter fluid, because it just feels DANGEROUS! So, my recent discovery of a charcoal chimney starter has the added plus of providing a sense of safety while I teach my son the art of barbecuing.

So, if you’re like me, and you enjoy barbecuing almost year round, then consider purchasing a charcoal chimney starter. They are effortless to use, and you’ll be glad you have one.

by Leah Bolden, See Jane Drill

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