I really can't say cause I've never tried that, just chimneys, a couple electric starters and starter cubes, but it's worth a shot. The starter cubes can usually be found anywhere that sell charcoal and grilling supplies and they work pretty well. And as swarden43 said good results can be obtained with starter fluid, obviously he has a lot of experience and has learned how to use fluid properly. I've just been to too many cookouts where the cook dumps fluid everywhere, lights it up and then starts dropping meat on the grill. I was at one where the coals weren't getting hot fast enough so he dumped some Kingsford Matchlight onto the lit coals and then started adding chicken. It was horrible. I usually wipe the grates down good with a hand full of paper towels soaked with Pam cooking spray and use them in the chimney, the paper towels seem to make less ash than newspaper.
That's the way to do it if you have the right kind of grill. I can do all wood cooks on my offset, but the Weber Smoky Mountains, Big Green Eggs and others are really designed to use charcoal for fuel and some wood for flavor. All wood cooks on kettle type grills would be pretty difficult as well.
Can't go wrong with a Weber. I like kettle type only because that's what I've been using the last 27 years. I've learned how to get the most out of it. I can grill with it or smoke with it. Very versatile.
Don't forget the steak seasoning which is what interests me. Use the Kosher salt, garlic powder, Cayenne pepper, peppercorns, celery seed, and dill. Put it in a Dollar Store, large, rubbermaid type container and shake the dickens out of it. Rub it on the steaks or beef and cook to your liking. The extra large plastic bottles of spices are ony two or three dollars at Sam's and last for a long time.
Tom, You are going to laugh, our setup is basically just a cement pad, some bricks for height and a piece op expanded mesh that we've been using for the last 20 years or so. That's the one option, option two is obviously a Weber (only use charcoal in it) and third option is an old drum that was cut in half. I'm still looking for a drum brake from a tractor trailer, they make for a pretty sweet braai (bbq) setup.
Thanks for the Link... For years I used one of those tall smoker grills, But currently all I have now is a Weber. This may very well serve me well. I really miss smoked turkey, goose and rabbit.
