How to light a barbecue

Scholars of prehistory keep quiet about the fact that wherever Stone Age fire-making tools are found, rudimentary grilling apparatus and Cro-Magnon "Kiss The Chef" aprons have also been discovered.

As soon as there was fire, people were using it to cook, and barbecuing combines the enjoyable pastimes of burning things and eating meat.

Given the way that some people are fiercely protective of their grill-lighting technique, the novice would be forgiven for thinking that it involves the same kind of care and attention as open-heart surgery.

This is not the case. It's easy to do if you follow our tips.

Fuel

Use a fresh bag of charcoal. Charcoal needs to be dry, so last year's left-overs from a damp shed are best avoided.

Firelighters and fluid certainly help, but wood and newspaper can work just as well. With fluid, try to find the stuff which is more like a gel as this clings to the coals.

Stud the centre of the barbecue with firelighters, thin-ish wood splints (roughly 2 cm by 8cm) or twists of newspaper, and make a pile of charcoal on top. Add any fluid to the coals, light the splints, paper or firelighters and you're off.

Heat

The charcoal will start to burn slowly, so be patient.

Once the flames have gone, it's a good idea to get some oxygen into the fire. A bike pump will do the trick: direct the air at the centre of the pile and the heat will spread to all the coals.

When the coals start to go white at the edges, spread them out to cover the base of the barbecue and leave them for a minute or two to before you start cooking.

Put the grill over the coals at this point. Oil it with vegetable or olive oil first to prevent food sticking and make it easier to clean afterwards.

Now it's time to cook. For best results, cook tougher meats first when the barbecue is hotter and save delicate things like fish until later.

Location

It might seem obvious, but don't put the barbecue...

• beneath anything flammable
  
• next to any washing
  
• near an open window
  
• too close to anything which might splash it.

Use your head, choose an open, well-ventilated spot, and you'll be fine. Enjoy your meal!