Charcoal BBQ for beginners: how to light it and cook on it

Charcoal cooking isn't hard. It just looks that way from the outside. Once you know how to light it and where to put your food, you can cook nearly anything on a kettle.

The short version: a quarter-full chimney, ready in 10–15 minutes. Coals on one side, food on the other. Lid on, aim for 175–180°C.

Lighting: how do I light a charcoal BBQ?

Fill a charcoal chimney about a quarter full, light a couple of fire lighters underneath it, and wait until the top coals are covered in grey ash. Tip them into your BBQ and you're ready to set up.

1. Fill: a chimney about a quarter full. That's roughly one charcoal basket's worth.
2. Light: put two fire lighters on the bottom (charcoal) grate, light them, and sit the chimney on top.
3. Wait: until all the charcoal is ashed over, usually 10–15 minutes.
4. Tip: pour the coals into a charcoal basket on one side of the BBQ.

Watch the 4 steps on Instagram

Prefer YouTube? Watch it as a Short.

What you need

• A charcoal BBQ with a lid (a kettle is perfect)
• A charcoal chimney and a charcoal basket
• Fire lighters and a lighter
• Charcoal. Any kind works. I usually use olive pip briquettes, mallee charcoal, or lump charcoal from Bunnings.

Two-zone cooking: how do I use a charcoal BBQ?

Good for: sausages, chicken, steak, veggies, most weeknight cooks.

With all the coals on one side, you get a hot zone right over them for searing and a cold zone on the other side for gentle, oven-style cooking. If something is cooking too fast, you just slide it across.

1. Tip your lit coals into the basket on one side.
2. Put the cooking grate back on and close the lid.
3. Open the bottom and top vents fully. Turn the lid so the top vent sits on the opposite side to the coals.
4. Let it heat for 5–10 minutes. Over that time, slowly close the bottom vents to about halfway.
5. You should settle around 175–180°C (350°F).
6. Cook in the cold zone, or sear over the hot zone and move it back if it gets too fiery.

Not hot enough yet? Add a bit more charcoal.

Think of it like an oven. Lid down, the cold zone is your oven shelf and the hot zone is your grill. If you'd roast it in the oven, you can probably cook it in the cold zone.

Watch two-zone and the snake method

Cooking for hours, like brisket or pulled pork? Use the snake method →

Vents: what do they do on a charcoal BBQ?

The vents are your temperature dial.

• Bottom vent: lets air in. More air, more heat. This is the one I adjust.
• Top vent: lets air out and pulls heat and smoke across your food. I leave mine fully open the whole cook.
• Too hot? Close the top and bottom vents a little at a time and give it a few minutes.
• Too cool? Open the bottom vent a bit, or add more charcoal.

Small changes, then wait. Charcoal is slow to respond, so patience beats fiddling.

Seasoning: while the coals get going

The chimney takes a little while, so use it. Grab your meat from your local butcher, cover it in The Adventurer rub, and let it sit while the coals ash over. For two-zone cooks, brush on The Trailblazer sweet chilli sauce in the last 5–10 minutes over the cold zone, so it glazes without catching.

Tips and safety

• Start with less. It's easier to add charcoal than to wait for too much to burn down.
• Read the day. Wind and weather change how your fire behaves, so treat these numbers as a guide.
• Cook to temperature, not time. See our meat temperature guide.
• Outdoors only, away from anything that can catch fire. Never use petrol or other accelerants.
• Ash stays hot for a long time. Let it go completely cold in the closed BBQ before emptying it.

See it done at a real festival: Feeding hundreds off one charcoal kettle (YouTube).

FAQs

How long does charcoal take to be ready?

Usually 10–15 minutes in a chimney. It's ready when the top coals are covered in grey ash.

What temperature should a charcoal BBQ be?

Around 175–180°C (350°F) for everyday two-zone cooking, and 120–150°C (250–300°F) for low and slow.

Lump charcoal or briquettes?

Either works. For everyday cooks I use olive pip briquettes, mallee charcoal or lump charcoal. For the snake method I use briquettes, because they burn more evenly over a long cook.

How do I put out a charcoal BBQ?

Close all the vents and the lid. Without air, the coals go out on their own.

Can I reuse charcoal?

Yes. Unlit briquettes can be used next time.