The Chimney Starter

   Now that Fall is here one needs to ask is grilling season over.  Well, maybe in Alaska, but certainly not in Southern California.  Grilling season here could arguably be all year long but to be fair, lets say Indian Summer is still fair game.  One of the tools of the trade that I discovered this year is the Chimney Starter.  A Chimney Starter is a BBQ tool that is used to ignite charcoal or wood prior to putting it into the grill or smoker.  It is made out of steel with holes cut into it and an insulated handle to grasp when pouring the coals or briquettes into the grill or smoker box.  

   Back 'in the day', I like most people, would simply pour my Kingsford briquettes into my Webber Grill, usually the matchlight type, light it, and wait.  Or if using non-matchlight, pour copious amounts of lighter fluid on a pile of said briquettes, throw a match on the pile, run from the ensuing explosion, and call that 'grilling'.  How wrong I was!  For years I thought gasoline was a natural taste of grilled meats.  

   Then came my interest in the art and science of smoking, and by extension, grilling.  

   A Chimney starter as previously stated, is a metal cylinder that has holes cut into it to facilitate airflow.  The bottom is an inverted cone.  The starter is turned upside down and newspaper is wadded up and placed into the cone.  Then it is turned right side up and filled with lump.  Now lump is the correct medium to use for two reasons.  One, it burns hotter than conventional briquettes and two, it burns cleaner.  In other words, no more gasoline flavored steaks!  

   At this point, the starter is placed on the bowl of a grill such as a Webber, or a piece of metal or cement.  A match is inserted into one of the holes where the paper is and set on fire.  The reason it must be placed on something fireproof or the grill itself, is because as the coals burn they will drop embers.  For my purpose, I have a smoker with a side firebox, so a piece of metal is used.  The fire will burn hot and the lump will catch very quickly and slowly burn upwards.  At this point, thick smoke will come out the top and the holes and it will seem that something is wrong.  Not to fear!  This is normal.  The smoke will slowly subside.  The coals are done when there is a fine white ash powdering the top.  I like to start smoking early, so this is a good excuse to drink a hot cup of coffee on a crisp morning next to a hot fire outside and pretend that I'm camping.  

   When the coals are done, a grill mitt or glove is used, and the Chimney Starter's contents are dumped into the grill or smoker box.  For smoking, a few coals can be left in the starter and fresh ones poured on top so a constant supply of hot coals can be added every hour or so.  The reason a starter is used is because it will add an evenly lit pile of coals immediately to a firebox, a fully lit pile.  

   In my opinion the best Chimney Starter is the Webber.  Its sturdy, its big and it has two handles to facilitate the removal of the coals.  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000WEOQV8/thevirtualweberb

   As I mentioned smoking is an art AND a science and to make truly great grilled cuisine, attention to detail must be maintained from start to finish.

   Now here is a terrific recipe that you can make now that you've got your chimney starter and a fresh, hot bed of coals smoldering in your grill.  Its very simple and very delicious!

                                                 Cedar Planked Salmon

One belly cut slice of Pacific Salmon

Mustard

Brown sugar

One soaked cedar plank

   Soak a cedar plank for at least an hour.  Bring salmon to room temperature and brush regular yellow mustard over the top.  Then sprinkle with brown sugar.  Place skin side down on the plank.  Put on the grill.  I have done this in a smoker where a small hardwood log is placed besides the lump to smolder and give up smoke.  This can be done in a regular grill as well, however care must be taken not to catch the log on fire.  You want smoke, not fire, as well as a temperature between 225-250.  Grill aprox. 35 minutes.  The salmon should be reddish pink, however, can be rare or well done, depending upon one's taste.  The salmon MUST be fresh.  Enjoy!