Pot holders

A squirt bottle of water to extinguish flare-ups

A standard charcoal or wood-burning barbeque grill

Charcoal briquettes

A long match or barbeque lighter (available at most hardware and grocery stores)

Lighting options (choose one):

A charcoal chimney (see Step 1)

A paper, half-gallon milk carton

Some lighter fluid

An alternative "jump" starter (see Step 1)

About 30 minutes to get a bed of charcoal lit and producing even heat.

If you coat your fingers and fingernails with a touch of petroleum jelly before starting any messy work, cleaning them afterward will be much easier.

If your grill is new, it's important to "season" it (remove any impurities or residue and residual metals). Just light some charcoal in the grill (the same amount you'd use for cooking) and let it burn at a low temperature for several hours (you'll need to add a few briquettes now and then to keep it going; see Step 3 for temperature guidelines). When the fire dies down, rub down the cooking grids and the inside of the barbecue lid with an old rag.

Smoking imparts a nice flavor to your barbecue. Simply throw a handful of soaked (and drained) wood chips/chunks on your coals just before you start cooking. Hickory and mesquite chips are two of the most popular. You can also place water-soaked fresh herb sprigs (or dried herb packets) like rosemary, thyme, oregano or basil directly onto the hot coals to add flavor.

You can revive a fire that's died down by sprinkling a few teaspoons of cooking oil on top of the coals--perfect for marshmallows!

Never place cooked food on the same platter you used for raw meat, fish, or poultry. Wash all utensils, plates, and containers that come into contact with these raw foods in hot, soapy water.

2torial #0816: Learn2 Light a Charcoal Grill Come on baby light my grill Barbecuing is a hot subject--probably no two people will ever agree on the "right" way to get it done. But before you can reap the rewards of a meal that's hot off the grill, you need to know how to light the coals. Lighting a charcoal grill is mostly a matter of patience and technique. We'll show you some sure-fire ways you can set those coals aflame--and keep them going strong. Once you get it down, and can consistently maintain a perfect temperature, you'll have mastered the grill. Just try to be humble as you rack up the compliments. Try to prepare side dishes and marinate the entree beforehand. This will ensure that when grilling time rolls around, you'll be focused on the task at hand. Once everything's ready to go, choose a level spot that's away from anything combustible. Never barbecue indoors or in a poorly ventilated area. Keep all the necessary utensils nearby, such as long-handled tongs, spatulas and your squirt bottle. Also be sure to keep a fire extinguisher or a charged garden hose nearby--just in case disaster strikes. Note: If you have a gas or electric grill, follow the manufacturer's instructions. This 2torial only covers charcoal grills. Arrange and light the charcoal To get things started, open the grill's lid and all of its vents. Remove the top rack (where the food cooks) and set it aside. To determine the proper amount of charcoal to use, spread a single layer of it across the bottom of the grill (if there's a bottom rack, put the charcoal on top of it). The layer should extend about one to two inches beyond the top rack's cooking area. If the weather is humid or windy, add a few extra coals (to keep up the heat). You can use any of several methods to light your charcoal. Check out the options listed here and decide which is right for you. Like most cooking methods, it basically comes down to a matter of personal taste. Method One: Use a charcoal chimney Charcoal chimneys, which are basically aluminum cylinders with holes around the bottom, are extremely easy to use (no lighter fluid necessary). You can purchase them in most hardware stores, but it's just as easy to make one yourself using the following steps: Remove both ends of a clean, empty one-gallon metal can. Use a handheld can opener to punch several holes around the bottom edge. Punch two holes directly across from each other on the top edge. Bend a coat hangar into a handle, and attach it to the chimney by bending the wire ends through the top two holes. Move the charcoal aside and place the chimney in the grill. Put a few pieces of wadded-up newspaper in the bottom of the chimney and fill the rest with the charcoal. Light the newspaper from the holes in the can's bottom edge. When the coals are glowing (they will be after about 15 minutes), use your tongs to slowly lift the can out of the grill, leaving the coals behind. Keep your chimney with your grilling tools for the next barbecue. Method Two: Use a milk carton Fill a half-gallon paper milk carton with the proper amount of briquettes, place it on the bottom of the barbecue, and light the bottom of the carton. The briquettes will be glowing when the last of the carton burns away. Method Three: Use lighter fluid Squeezing the can of fluid firmly, squirt the contents over the charcoal, dousing all of the briquettes. You'll need approximately two fluid ounces per pound of charcoal; it takes about one second to squirt out an ounce. Stack the charcoal into a pyramid. Put the remainder of the fluid away. Far away. Using it after the charcoal has already been lit is a bad and extremely dangerous idea. Light the bottom of the pile with a long match or barbecue lighter (you may need to light it in a few different places if you're using a lot of charcoal). Method Four: Use self-igniting briquettes Stack the charcoal into a pyramid and then light it at the bottom. Method Five: Use alternative "jump starters" Various other charcoal "jump starters," including jellies, waxes, compressed wood pieces and electrical devices, are available at many hardware stores. If you use them, simply follow the manufacturers' instructions. Note: Petroleum-based products such as liquid charcoal starter and self-igniting briquettes can in some cases affect the taste of your food (and not in a good way!). Use them as a last resort, and be sure to let their fumes burn off completely before placing your food on the grill. This will take 30 to 45 minutes. Wait and rearrange Now comes the wait. After about 10 minutes, it may seem like the fire has gone out. It hasn't. This is when it's really important not to be tempted to use any lighter fluid. Just be patient and leave the lid open. Talk with your friends or family. Whatever you do, stay nearby, keep a close watch on the coals, and keep kids and pets away from the grill. Depending on your lighting method, the charcoal will take about 15 to 45 minutes to develop a light coating of gray ash (you'll be able to see it glowing red all over if it's dark out). This means it's burning evenly, and it's almost time to start cooking. Before you start, you need to arrange the charcoal for the type of grilling you'll be doing. Direct grilling: If you're cooking food on the grilling rack, use your tongs to rearrange the charcoal into a single layer of briquettes at the bottom of the grill. Then put the top rack back on and use a basting brush to coat it with a thin layer of cooking oil. This will keep what you're cooking from sticking to it. Wait a few minutes for the rack to preheat (you don't want to put food on a cold rack). Indirect grilling: If you're cooking a roast, turkey, bone-in chicken, or ribs, use your tongs to rearrange the charcoal around the outside edge of your bottom rack (or bottom of the grill), leaving space in the center for your roasting pan where the food will be placed. You can also place the food directly in the center of the grilling rack (so it isn't above any coals) with a large dripping pan underneath it for the same effect. Test and maintain the temperature At this point you can test the temperature of the coals. The "hand test" is a common way to do this. Put your hand close to the cooking rack, palm facing down. Do not touch the rack. Hold it there and count seconds until it's too hot (being careful not to burn yourself!). Withdraw your hand and note how long it took. Depending on what you plan to cook, you may want to adjust the temperature. For example, red meat is generally cooked at a higher temperature than chicken, pork, fish or vegetables, which are cooked at a medium temperature. To lower the temperature, you can either raise the cooking rack, cover the grill (leave vents open), space the coals further apart from each other, or close the bottom air vents of the grill halfway to restrict airflow to the coals. To raise the temperature, you can either gently tap the coals with the tongs to shake off excess ash, put the coals closer together, add two or three more briquettes, or lower the cooking rack closer to the coals. If you have a lot to cook, adding a few briquettes every 30 to 40 minutes will also help maintain a more constant temperature. Now that your coals are nice and ready, it's time to put them to good use--so get out that entree and start cookin'! Put the fire out After you're finished cooking, extinguishing the charcoal is a matter of simply putting the lid on the grill and closing the vents. If you're really industrious, you can also steam clean the grill at this point. To do so, place several layers of wet newspaper (soak it while you're cooking) on the grill and close the lid--the hot coals will do the cleaning for you. Simply remove the newspaper from the grill when everything has cooled down. If steam cleaning isn't your thing, you can just clean the grill the next time you use it by leaving it on while you're heating the coals. Once the coals are properly heated, scrape off the residue with a grill brush or a crumpled piece of aluminum foil. But the finishing touches don't stop there: it's also important to remove as many ashes as possible from your grill or smoker once they've cooled. While the ashes themselves pose no particular problem, if they become damp for any reason (especially if you use the steam-cleaning method mentioned above), the resulting mixture will create a very corrosive compound capable of eating through almost anything if it's left alone for too long. Keeping your equipment in good condition will help it--and your well-deserved title of grill master--last longer. -end- Learn More!