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Grilling and Smoking

Here's One The Worst Ways To Light Your Grill When You BBQ By David Stringer Oct. 26, 2025 1:20 pm EST

There's a primal thrill that comes when you douse your charcoal briquettes with lighter fluid and then throw on a match, sending up the flames. You may feel like you're doing the right thing to get your coals grey, hot, and ready to grill. After all, it's probably how you saw the grill lit up when you were younger. For many years, it was the most popular method for lighting a charcoal grill, but now, science and grill pitmasters say this is one of the many mistakes people make with charcoal grills .

Not only is lighter fluid bad for the environment, but studies have found that petroleum-based lighter fluids can transfer harmful chemicals to food a

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