When is BBQ Charcoal Ready to Cook on? | Char-Broil New Zealand (2024)

FAQs

When is BBQ Charcoal Ready to Cook on? | Char-Broil New Zealand? ›

Light one end to allow the charcoal to burn like a fuse providing you more than 6 hours of cooking time. After the first few coals turn white, place the cooking grate on the charcoal.

After the fluid burns off, the edges of the coals will turn gray with ash. When the coals are mostly covered in ash they're ready to use. Grab your tongs or use a long-handled, metal spatula to spread out the coals. Now you're ready to cook!

Remove top grate from grill, place chimney inside, and light the newspaper. But how long should you let the coals burn? Let the charcoal or briquettes burn until they're covered with white-gray ash (it takes about 5 to 10 minutes for the coals to get to high heat and 25 to 30 minutes to get to medium heat).

The coals will be ready to cook when they're ashy, about 15 minutes. When they're ready, pour the charcoal onto the bottom grill grate and spread it out with a long-handled grill tool like a spatula or tongs.

You want to wait until at least 2/3rds of the charcoal lump has turned white and the charcoal has stopped smoking. You can use a charcoal grill tool to move the charcoal around so that it is evenly dispersed throughout the basin for even heating.

After lighting the grill, cover it with the lid and let the charcoal heat up for at least 15 minutes. You'll know it's ready when it looks gray and ashy.

The fire starter will slowly ignite the charcoal from the bottom of the chimney to the top. This process takes about 15 minutes. You'll see the smoke go from thick, white, and heavy to thin and blue as the charcoal catches. Your coals are ready to dump into your grill when they are ashed over and gray.

Always Add Some Lit Charcoal

When you're mid-cook and you notice the temperature is dropping, you want to get that temp back up ASAP. The best way to do that is with lit charcoal.

The heat produced by grilling on a charcoal grill can be intense and is long lasting and even. Unlike hard woods or gas, little to no flavor is imparted by smoke, since charcoal cooks food via its consistent radiant heat and not actual flame.

How to use a charcoal grill for the first time? ›

Fire needs oxygen, and if enough ash builds up inside of the grill it can make it next to impossible to get the coals burning well, or to keep them lit. It's very important to clean out left over ashes, not only to help the coals burn better, but to help keep the grill in great shape as well.

If you have a new grill or have taken one out of winter hibernation, you'll need to clean and season it before you cook.

Preheating with a Chimney Starter

Allow the charcoal to burn for approximately 15-20 minutes until it develops a layer of gray ash on the surface. This indicates that the coals are ready for cooking, as they have reached a consistent high temperature.

Depending on weather conditions, in about 10 to 15 minutes the coals should be sufficiently lit to pour into the grill. You'll know the coals are ready when the ones on top have started to turn a bit gray with ash.

If the coals are still black or grey with the flames, they won't be hot enough. Once they glow white hot with a red centre, however, you can use them for direct heat. When they are ash-white – but still very hot – you can use them for cooking in the coals or for indirect heat.

When is charcoal ready? Simply wait until most of the charcoal has turned white/grey. That's when it's already very hot on the outside (and ready for cooking), but still burning from the inside — even though it has stopped smoking.

Adding charcoal little by little or using charcoal baskets can help maintain temperature consistency and minimize disruptions. Creating heat zones and ensuring proper ventilation are advanced techniques that can enhance your grilling experience when adding charcoal.