Had an idea ths morning that I wanted to share

[i is a moose]

Starting coals in the rain is pretty hard, and can take alot of effort in the predawn hours to get it all to work right. Enough to lead many astray, following lies such as barbecue being seasonal.  Anyway, this morning, I keep losing the flames in my chimney, and I don't have any kind of burner or torch to light them off. It's pouring down, and I'm operating under the headlights of my Hilux that I pulled around into my yard so I can see, when I sudenly have an idea:

Hose the coals down generously with PAM, which helped keep the rainwater from soaking into them, and also gave the flames below something to "grab" that helped carry them upwards.

Everything worked out, and about 20 minutes later, I had my Weber loaded up and a small butt roast smoking away. All weather is bbq weather!

 

[fpnmf]

What??? No pictures???

  Hahahaha congrats!!

  Craig

 

[jjwdiver]

Interesting idea - thanks for the tip!

 

[tjohnson]

Great Idea!

Todd

 

[alblancher]

Well,

It probably rains methane on Titan so I would imagine you don't have much trouble getting a fire started. 

We dip small pieces of wood and our matches in wax when we go camping and expect rain.  Keeps them dry and acts as an accelerant.   I've learned to douse my newspaper with cooking oil before putting in my chimney, the fire burns hotter and longer.   Good idea.

Al

 

[i is a moose]

I like the wax idea! I've tried parafin on matches, but not the wood, I'll have to look into that. Since switching ovger to a Zippo for camping and backpacking, I've had no trouble with wet fire-startes, but wet fire materials, that's another story.

Back in my scout Troop we cut up a dead 5 gal. propane tank into a chimney that we'd throw over a 35,000 BTU burner to gaurantee coals when we had alot of DO's but I don't own a burner, or have the chimney, and Troop 14's long gone.

 

[Dutch]

Great idea moose- I figure if I can't get a fire going with my trusty ol' turbo action weed burner then it's time to give it up and go back to bed!

 

[SmokinAl]

I sometimes pour cooking oil on the newspaper & the charcoal when it's windy & cold. It has been working so good that I think I will just do it all the time.

 

[frankp]

I've been making my own fire starters. I take the shredded paper from our paper shredder and fill each section of an old egg carton about 3/4 full with the paper. Melt some parafin wax or old candles even, and pour over the paper until each section is full. Let cool.

Call me cheap, but it works!

 

[coffee_junkie]

How about a chimney cap???