Wait until the top coals ash over, not just smoke

You’re ready when the top coals are glowing orange and starting to develop a thin layer of gray ash, with occasional flames licking through.

That usually takes about 15–20 minutes from lighting the chimney. Don’t dump them when you only see smoke and some bottom coals lit — that means half your coals are still cold and you’ll get uneven heat. Conversely, don’t wait until the whole chimney is fully ashed over like a spent campfire — you’ll lose too much heat and burn time.

The sweet spot is when the top coals are just beginning to show ash and you can see flames dancing at the top edge. That tells you the fire has spread through the whole column. Pour them into the grill, spread them out, and you’re golden.

A quick visual cue: if you hold your hand six inches above the chimney after 15 minutes and it’s too hot to keep there for more than a second, it’s ready.

Don’t rush it — cold coals mean uneven heat.