How to Light Your Barbecue Easily and Safely – The Ultimate Guide from Outdoor Food
Every barbecue enthusiast has their own way of getting the fire going. Already mastered your method? Great! Then you can safely skip this article and get right to grilling. But if you're struggling to get your barbecue to the right temperature, or if this is your first time barbecuing, you've come to the right place.
In this Outdoor Food guide, we explain step-by-step how to light your barbecue, which fuel is best to use, and provide helpful tips for a successful BBQ.
What do you need to light a barbecue?
To get started, you'll need a barbecue , of course. Ideally, one with a grill rack and ventilation holes for good air circulation. Next, choose your fuel: charcoal, briquettes, or wood .
The differences between charcoal, briquettes and wood:
🪵 Charcoal
-
Made of charred wood
-
Gets hot quickly
-
Burns quickly
-
Ideal for short sessions and grilling thin meats
🔥 Briquettes
-
Pressed charcoal or sawdust with binders
-
More difficult to light than charcoal
-
Burns long and evenly
-
Perfect for low & slow cooking and long BBQ sessions
🌳 Wood
-
Less commonly used, but loved by true fire masters
-
Gives a smoky flavor
-
More difficult to control temperature
🔍 Tip: Use charcoal for quick, hot preparations and briquettes for longer cooking times. We recommend charcoal for the kamado or Green Egg , as briquettes can contain chemicals that can penetrate the ceramic.
The correct lighting method: how to do it right
Lighting your barbecue doesn't have to be a hassle if you know what you're doing. Forget chemicals like white firelighters or white spirit – they ruin the flavor of your meat. Instead, choose eco-friendly brown firelighters or natural kindling sticks .
Step-by-step plan: lighting the barbecue correctly
-
Prepare your barbecue
-
Place a layer of charcoal or briquettes on the bottom rack
-
Open all ventilation holes fully
-
-
Place the firelighters
-
Press 2-3 cubes deep into the center between the coals
-
For a larger BBQ use up to 10 cubes
-
-
Light the cubes
-
Wait until they burn well
-
Use tongs to move coals around the flame without smothering the fire
-
-
Leave the barbecue alone
-
Sit back with a drink and let the fire do its work
-
After 15–20 minutes the coals are covered with a white ash layer and glowing red inside
-
🔥 Pro tip: Patience is a virtue! Wait until your fire is really hot before you start grilling. Starting too early will result in uneven cooking and potentially tough meat.
Briquettes or charcoal: what do you choose?
Use charcoal as:
-
You want to grill quickly
-
You work with small portions or thin pieces of meat
-
You would like to reach a high temperature
Use briquettes as:
-
Want to cook your meat slowly
-
You prepare larger quantities
-
You want to smoke or barbecue "low & slow"
-
You want to maintain a constant temperature
💡 Our recommendation: Choose quality briquettes like Weber briquettes . They are odorless, burn long and evenly, and contain no harmful chemicals.
Common Mistakes When Lighting a Barbecue (and How to Avoid Them)
❌ Use chemical firelighters → ✅ Choose odorless, environmentally friendly blocks
❌ Place firelighters on top → ✅ Place them at the bottom, heat rises!
❌ Insufficient oxygen → ✅ Open the ventilation fully
❌ Starting to grill too early → ✅ Wait for the white ash layer
❌ Too much fuel at once → ✅ Work in layers and add as needed
Ready to grill?
With these tips, you'll have a perfectly hot BBQ fire ready in no time. Whether you want to cook burgers, chicken, vegetables, or a whole brisket, it all starts with properly lighting your barbecue.
👉 Order your barbecue accessories, charcoal or firelighters easily through our webshop at outdoor-food.nl and make every BBQ a tasty success!
