There are a few methods to light your charcoal grill, depending on the materials you prefer to use. Using a charcoal chimney is the Char-Griller preferred method for speed and convenience but igniting your lump charcoal or briquettes directly in the grill is a great way to get cooking as well.

Charcoal Chimney

1. Remove your grill grates and set them to side
2. Fill your charcoal chimney ¾ of the way full with briquettes or lump charcoal
3. Set fire starter on charcoal grate, light and then place the charcoal chimney directly on top of the fire starter
4. Coals will fire upward from bottom to top
5. After coals on top of chimney are ignited (usually 10-15 minutes) dump the coals over the charcoal grate and replace your grill grates

Fire Starters

1. Remove your grill grates and set them to side
2. Pour approximately 1.4 kg (approx. 50-60 briquettes) of charcoal directly on to your charcoal grate and stack together in a pile
3. Insert fire starter into the middle of the charcoal pile so that it is slightly covered and light
4. After the charcoal has thoroughly ignited, typically glowing red or gray in color, use tongs to spread them out and replace your grill grates

Do not use lighter fluid, gasoline, kerosene, alcohol or other accelerant for lighting charcoal due to flammability, risk of bodily injury and potential to leave a distasteful flavor in your food.

If necessary, use tongs to move coals for even heat.

Always wear gloves when handling grill grates, charcoal grate, or adjusting coals

Upon purchase, you will want to season your grill using the steps below to provide a protective polymer coating to protect against rust. 1. Coat cooking grates, ash pan, interior hood, and body with 100% oil (Vegetable, Olive or Animal Fat, Bacon Grease works great and adds flavor) Heat the grill to 148-177 °C for an hour to an hour and thirty minutes allowing the oil to bake into the metal. 2. Let the grill cool down and go through the process again. You'll see the coating begin to cover the entire interior and after the third time, you'll see that dark bronze, shiny, hard coating. This polymer coating will protect your grill from rust and keep food from sticking to your cooking grates. Note: We find it helpful to keep a spray bottle of 100% vegetable oil by the grill and give the entire grill a light coat after each use. Depending on how often the grill is used, will determine how often the Seasoning Process needs to be repeated. Seasoning the grill is NOT a one-time process and is best repeated at least twice a year.

Controlling the temperature of your grill is all about controlling the air flow to the fire. MORE AIR = MORE HEAT. LESS AIR = LESS HEAT. By opening and closing the top and side dampers, you can easily control the temperature of your grill. The amount of charcoal used when grilling can also greatly impact your ability to control temperature. Dampers may need to be adjusted during the cook to account for changes in weather like wind or to accommodate for more or less fuel. When first learning how to operate your grill, always use the same amount of charcoal to best learn your grill’s damper control.