# lighter fluid substitute?



## stubster (Apr 15, 2020)

we all know lighter fluid is the devil for charcoal. has anyone ever warmed up bacon grease and used it instead? how about adding it to charcoal when adding unlit charcoal to your fire? seems to me it would work


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## dirtsailor2003 (Apr 15, 2020)

You can use any oil (animal fat) . Best to soak some paper in it and put it in. Soak the paper roll it up and let it sit and you have an emergency fire starter. I wouldn't keep them long unless you freeze them as the fat will go rancid.

I use a chimney and two pieces of newspaper. Charcoals ready to go in 5-10 minutes. Some times if I have any I will pour some rendered fat or oil on it.


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## Will Squared (Apr 15, 2020)

I start my 560 with a wax starter stick.


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## Fueling Around (Apr 15, 2020)

I start most of my charcoal in a chimney with 1 sheet of grease (animal) soaked newspaper.

Never tried pouring grease directly on the coal and I don't think it will  work very well. 
Better to soak a portion of a paper egg carton with grease and put it under the coal.


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## smokerjim (Apr 15, 2020)

never tried or heard so I don't know I always just use a chimney starter with some newspaper.


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## Kevinbthgrouse (Apr 15, 2020)

Dryer lint and wax combo


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## RichGTS (Apr 15, 2020)

Couple sheets of newspaper and with some vegetable oil squirted on the paper works well for me


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## 6GRILLZNTN (Apr 15, 2020)

Cotton ball coated with Vaseline.  Works great with a chimney, and it's a great campfire starter as well.

Dave


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## gmc2003 (Apr 15, 2020)

Weber starter cubes here. Although I have used paper towels with vegetable oil before. It was just to darn smokey when I lit it. Thick heavy black smoke.

Chris


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## Bearcarver (Apr 15, 2020)

smokerjim said:


> never tried or heard so I don't know I always just use a chimney starter with some newspaper.




Same-Same-Me, GI

Bear


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## pops6927 (Apr 15, 2020)

isopropyl alcohol works, no fumes


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## mike243 (Apr 15, 2020)

propane on the performer, electric rod on every thing else, I do have a can of lighter fluid somewhere but would be hard pressed to say where, the pitboss just lights its self lol


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## stubster (Apr 15, 2020)

stubster said:


> we all know lighter fluid is the devil for charcoal. has anyone ever warmed up bacon grease and used it instead? how about adding it to charcoal when adding unlit charcoal to your fire? seems to me it would work


Let me rephase. I use chimney starter no problems. I was thinking since we like drippings falling onto the coals for added flavor why not add it directly to the unlit charcoal.


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## SlickRockStones (Apr 15, 2020)

I get fire starters from Rural King. They’re flat compressed cardboard square thingies and they are cheap.


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## Fueling Around (Apr 15, 2020)

I guessed you were asking about lighting charcoal, not as an adder to the unlit briquettes.

 Let me finish my comment based on your added comments.
The flame up we get from meat fat dripping on hot coals is because the grease vaporizes almost instantly on contact and flashes away and does not soak in the briquettes
Not a clue if adding grease to unlit charcoal will stay in the briquette while it slowly lights or drip away.
Now you sparked my curiosity to try the experiment the next time I do a snake in the kettle  with random placed "enhanced" briquettes.


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## Will Squared (Apr 15, 2020)

Fueling Around said:


> Now you sparked my curiosity to try the experiment the next time I do a snake in the kettle with random placed "enhanced" briquettes.



You BBQ Snake?


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## tallbm (Apr 15, 2020)

I saw a video just today of a guy start a chimney of charcoal with a propane torch.  I would think u coul do the same with any mound of charcoal.
Made me think "why have I never thought of that" since news paper is in shorter and shorter supply these days hahaha.


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## stubster (Apr 15, 2020)

Fueling Around said:


> I guessed you were asking about lighting charcoal, not as an adder to the unlit briquettes.
> 
> Let me finish my comment based on your added comments.
> The flame up we get from meat fat dripping on hot coals is because the grease vaporizes almost instantly on contact and flashes away and does not soak in the briquettes
> ...


Thanks boss.That clarifies some. Maybe I'll run my own experiment also. Hat to waste my depleting stock of bacon fat but heck, Alexander Graham Bell had start with trial and error too.


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## noboundaries (Apr 15, 2020)

I keep cardboard egg cartons. When we use a paper towel to dry something (usually my coffee mug), I'll let the towel dry then put it in a Ziplock with other dried paper towels. When we find we have an oil that has gone rancid, that becomes charcoal chimney starter fuel. 

The trick to avoiding the thick black smoke is to use a sprayer to lightly spray a paper towel. I cut a 4-egg section of the carton, add the sprayed paper towel, light it, and it burns hot with no black smoke.


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## Fueling Around (Apr 15, 2020)

I did use paper egg cartons to start my charcoal.
They now go to my wife's co-worker that returns them with farm fresh chicken and duck eggs.
I returned the favor on Monday with a 2# pork loin cured and smoked into Canadian Bacon.


Will Squared said:


> You BBQ Snake?


LOL no and great question.
Snake is for longer cooks.
If "enhanced" briquettes are in a chimney, the flavor from the grease would be long burned off before poured out on the fire grate.
Not sure when I do my next snake cook.
Bought a pellet pooper a month ago and getting spoiled.  Load the tube and let it go


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## Weaverspitbbq (Apr 15, 2020)

stubster said:


> we all know lighter fluid is the devil for charcoal. has anyone ever warmed up bacon grease and used it instead? how about adding it to charcoal when adding unlit charcoal to your fire? seems to me it would work


Propane torch ..or. plumbers torch....


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## Bearcarver (Apr 16, 2020)

This Thread's Title reminds me of something we did in Vietnam, that maybe somebody could explain to me why it worked:
When it says "Lighter Fluid Substitute" it reminded me of the following:
Everybody in Vietnam carried a "Zippo" lighter, because they never failed.
Sometimes you'd run out of "Zippo Lighter Fluid", so in an emergency, we learned that we were able to fill our Zippos with "Mogas". Mogas was the fuel used in Army Jeeps in those days. I don't know if it was watered down or what, that made it work in a Zippo lighter without the whole lighter going up in flames, but it worked. I wouldn't want to try it with the Gasoline used here in the Good Old USA.

Bear


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