If you are cooking on a small charcoal grill, chances are you are taking your grill out on the road, either camping, to a ballgame or for a picnic in the park. As long as you have the correct items and the time to let the grill properly heat up, you can grill from virtually anywhere with a small charcoal grill without sacrificing that smoky grill taste. You might not be able to grill a full rack of ribs, but small charcoal grills still work well for burgers, chicken, sausages, steak, vegetables and many other great grill-ready foods.
Step 1
Open the vent at the bottom of the grill and take off the grate from the top of the grill. Opening the vents will allow oxygen to circulate into the grill, keeping the flame going and the fire hot.
Step 2
Pile the charcoal in the grill, on top of a few pieces of crumpled newspaper. The newspaper is optional, used mainly if you do not want to use lighter fluid on top of the charcoal. Build a pyramid shape with the charcoal, so that the air can circulate around the briquettes.
Step 3
Pour lighter fluid liberally onto the briquettes if you are using it, and then light the briquettes with either a lighter or a match. If you are using the crumpled newspaper method, light the paper at the base of the grill. The goal for both is to eventually only have the burning charcoals remaining in the grill.
Step 4
Replace the grate on the top of the grill and allow the grill to fully preheat before cooking. This should take about 20 to 30 minutes for a small charcoal grill, and you will be able to tell when the coals have a consistent gray ash over all of the coals. When the coals are preheated, knock over the pyramid with your tongs into an even layer in the grill, leaving a smaller area with few coals for cooling.
Step 5
Cook your food as you would on any other grill. Since the grill is smaller, watch for flare-ups that will come closer to you and the food when grease drips down into the coals.
Tips and Warnings
- Make sure your grill is on concrete or a nonflammable surface in case the grill tips over. Wait until the coals stop smoking to put the food on the grill. Properly heated coals should glow and be white hot, but should not produce much smoke.
- Never add lighter fluid to a lit fire. Move the canister of lighter fluid far away from the grill immediately after lighting.
Things You'll Need
- Newspaper
- Charcoal briquettes
- Lighter fluid
- Matches/lighter
- Tongs
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