Alton Brown Lights His Charcoal Grill Using This Pantry Staple

Nothing says summer like the smell of burgers and hot dogs sizzling on a charcoal grill — but nothing will have you spitting out your first bite faster than the taste of lighter fluid. Alton Brown shared a solution in a Fourth of July Instagram video, where he offered a tip for lighting charcoal without dousing it with liquid fuel. The trick? Drizzle a sheet of newspaper with a little cooking oil (It doesn't matter what kind) before stuffing it under the chimney starter. The hardest part might be finding an actual newspaper.

"You're basically turning it into an oil lamp," Brown explains. Just before you wad up the paper like you usually do, add a small pour of whatever cooking oil you have on hand. The oil slows down the burn, giving the flames plenty of time to get the charcoal burning — even in a stiff breeze. Skipping the petroleum-based lighter fluid, this method works with any type of chimney starter and offers a clean, eco-friendly alternative for your charcoal grill.

Using a charcoal chimney is one place where Alton Brown's preference aligns with Bobby Flay's stance on the charcoal versus gas grill debate. With a one-time investment of around $20, you can ditch the lighter fluid for good — and skip the hassle of wasting time trying to relight stubborn coals.

Opting out of using a chimney starter is one of the most common charcoal grill mistakes. But while some may overlook its usefulness, a chimney starter helps you avoid using chemicals, and it gets the coals hot enough to sear your steak in about 15 minutes or less. It's one of the easiest ways to improve the way you grill, whether you're cooking for a crowd, experimenting with new techniques, or just firing up the grill on a weeknight. 

The chimney starter setup is even part of Alton Brown's genius method for a more flavorful grilled cheese. For that, he places a cast iron pan on top of the chimney to cook the onions, then positions the chimney on top of the assembled sandwich to toast it — showing how much you can get out of that chimney before the coals ever hit the bottom of the grill.