How to Use an Instant BBQ Grill, Step by Step

An instant BBQ grill removes almost everything people dislike about barbecue: the assembly, the lighter fluid, the twenty minutes of fanning, and the scrubbing afterwards. The charcoal is already sealed inside the pack. You light one corner and wait.

That said, most first attempts go wrong in the same three ways, and all of them come down to timing. Here is the whole sequence.

What comes in the pack

A single Go Grill set has an aluminium container, a bag of instant lighting lumpwood charcoal, a stainless steel mesh that sits over the top, a wire stand, and bamboo skewers. Nothing needs to be bought separately and nothing needs assembling.

Step 1: Set it up on the right surface

Invert the wire stand and put it on something stable and heat resistant. A stone or tiled terrace floor, a concrete ledge, a metal table, or bare ground at a campsite all work. Avoid glass tables, plastic furniture, wooden decking and anything under a low ceiling or awning.

Set the aluminium container on top so it sits into the slot provided. The stand exists to keep heat off whatever is below, so do not skip it and place the tray directly on a surface.

Step 2: Light one corner and walk away

Light any corner of the paper charcoal bag that sits under the steel mesh. Do not remove the mesh first. One match is enough, and the flame spreads across the bag on its own.

Now leave it alone for about 15 minutes. This is where most people go wrong. The instinct is to blow on it or fan it, which cools the coals and slows the whole thing down. Just wait. Also avoid lighting it in strong wind, which does the same thing.

Step 3: Wait for the ash, not the flames

You are ready to cook when the flames have died down completely and the charcoal is covered in a light grey coat of ash. Not before. Putting food on while there are still visible flames is the second common mistake, and it produces marinade burnt black on the outside and raw chicken in the middle.

From this point you have roughly two hours of usable heat.

Step 4: Cook

Make sure anything marinated is fully defrosted before it goes on. Cold-from-the-freezer pieces will not cook evenly no matter how good the coals are.

Rotate everything regularly so it does not stick to the mesh or char on one side. Cook meat through until the juices run clear. Paneer, mushrooms, peppers and corn take far less time than chicken or mutton, so put them on later rather than all at once.

If you want to skip making a marinade from scratch, mix a 100g pouch of Happikery gravy with two tablespoons of thick curd, coat about 200g of paneer or chicken, and rest it for 15 minutes before it goes on the skewers.

Step 5: Put it out properly

The third mistake is disposal. When you are done, extinguish the coals with water or sand. Let the whole thing cool before you move it. Do not pick up a hot tray, and do not try to refill the container with fresh charcoal to get a second round out of it. It is designed for one use.

Once it is cold, put it in a designated waste bin.

How long does it actually last?

About two hours of steady heat from a single set, with the hottest window in the first hour. For a group of four that comfortably covers a couple of rounds of tikka, some vegetables and corn. For a larger party, run two grills side by side rather than trying to stretch one.

Can you use it indoors?

Only in a properly ventilated space, and never in a closed room. Charcoal produces carbon monoxide. An open terrace, balcony, courtyard or garden is the right setting. If you are cooking under any kind of cover, make sure air moves freely on at least two sides.

If you already own a barbecue and only want the easy-lighting part, Go Blaze charcoal bags work the same way inside your existing grill.