Page 19 - MARCH 2020 Barbecue News Magazine

bbq products
Firestarter Reviews
Raymond Cato catoraymond40@ gmail.com
Since the discovery of fire, man has sought out the best way of controlling the flame to prepare food. In the late 19th century, Ellsworth B.A. Zwoyer developed a process of making charcoal briquettes. That discovery led to a new quest in the best, fastest way to light these briquettes. In the 1950s, charcoal lighter fluid seemed to be the way to go; however, there were drawbacks. Many BBQ purists scoffed at the thought of adding chemicals into their food through the use of these fluids.
In the 1960s, a solution was achieved that was known as the "Auto Fire" or as we know it today, the charcoal
chimney. It seemed genius; all you had to
do was load it with coals and light some
newspaper underneath. The recent de- cline in printed media, however, has made newspapers harder to find and led to another search for the best way to light your chimney full of coals.
The following review will cover two lead-
ing charcoal companies (Royal Oak and
B&B Charcoal's) breakthrough products
that may be the best alternative to the
crumpled up newspaper. These reviews
are based on the following criteria; ease of lighting, time until charcoal ignition, time until coals are ready to cook, aroma while burning, availability, and price.
First up is B&B Charcoal's Sure Start Firelighting Squares. The squares come in a box with 24 squares of all-natural compressed wood leftover from the production of pellets. They also list wax and ten percent recycled wood and paper as the ingredients. I lit one chimney of Royal Oak lump using only one of the Surestart
squares. The starter itself lit after a 4-second contact with the flame. After nine minutes of burning the coals still weren't ignited, and the starter itself was all burned up. Next, I added an additional square, using 2 squares under the chimney this time. Again, it lit with ease after only a three or four-second contact with flame, but the char- coal ignited after only four min- utes. In nine minutes, the coals were ready to be used for cooking. This process equaled a total of 18 minutes and included the first at-
tempt. During this entire process, there were no unpleasant or unnatural odors.
You can buy B&B SureStart from numerous online dealers or find them in stores like Academy Sports, Buc-Cees, Ace Hardware, H.E.B, or wherever B&B Charcoal products are sold. The retail price per box is $4.99. This product is definitely worth trying for yourself, and I also suggest starting with two squares to get your charcoal lit.
The second product tested was Royal Oak Charcoal's Tumbleweeds. The Tumble- weeds come with 16 pieces, and like the B&B product is all-natural. The ingredi- ents on the Tumbleweed box lists wooden wool and paraffin wax. I at- tempted one chimney of Royal Oak lump with one Tumbleweed just as in the pre- vious trial. The Tumbleweed ignited al- most instantly upon contact with flame. After three minutes, the coals were ig- nited. After 11 minutes, the coals were lit and ready for cooking. This burning process produced no strange or unpleas-
ant smells. The Tumbleweeds can be purchased at Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Tractor Supply, or numerous online sites. The retail price for the Tumbleweed product is $4.97 per box of 16 starters.
In closing, I recommend purchasing a box of each and deciding which is best for you. You will not be disappointed with either product. I personally go with the Tumbleweeds just because of the availability in my small South Georgia hometown.
MARCH 2020
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