Grill Up! Sizzle Without Zombies - Your PZ BBQ Guide

Quick Answer

To light a barbecue grill in Project Zomboid, you'll need three things – fuel (e.g. a bag of charcoal for the red grill, or a propane tank for the gas grill), some tinder (paper, twigs, etc.), and an ignition source (lighter or matches). Add fuel to the BBQ first, then right-click it with a lighter/match in your inventory and choose "Light Fire." In Build 42, make sure you've built a stone fire pit if it's a campfire. Once lit, you can cook food or warm up safely. Master cooking techniques to make the most of your BBQ setup.

Welcome, survivor! In this toolbox-style guide, we'll walk through everything you need to know about lighting a Barbecue in Project Zomboid – covering both Build 41 and Build 42 versions of the game. Whether you're a lone wolf surviving solo or teaming up in multiplayer, and whether you play pure vanilla or with mods, this guide has you covered.

We'll start with a quick-start summary, then dive into the nitty-gritty: differences between B41 and B42, the types of BBQ grills (charcoal vs propane) you'll encounter, step-by-step instructions, troubleshooting tips, and more. Let's fire it up! 🔥

Quick-Start Guide: Lighting a BBQ in a Hurry

If you're already in-game and need fast instructions, this section is for you. Here's a quick-step guide to get your barbecue burning:

Position the Barbecue: Ensure the grill is placed where you want it (on the ground, either outdoors or indoors – yes, indoor use is fine in vanilla). For propane grills, detach the propane tank before moving and reattach after placing.
Add Fuel: Right-click the BBQ → Add Fuel (or "Destroy for Fuel" in B42's terminology). For a charcoal grill, add a unit of Charcoal (each adds ~30 minutes burn time) or any burnable item (wood plank, twigs, book, etc.). For a propane grill, make sure a Propane Tank (not empty) is installed. Find propane tanks at gas stations and hardware stores.
Use Tinder (Kindling): Toss in a little tinder unless you're only burning charcoal. This can be a sheet of paper, ripped cloth, tree branch, or even your character's ID card in Build 42. It helps the fire catch quickly.
Light It: With a Lighter or Matches in your inventory (or the notched plank set for primitive fire-starting), right-click the BBQ and select "Light Fire". Your character will attempt ignition. Lighters and matches ignite almost instantly; a notched plank takes longer (and won't work if you're exhausted in B42).
Success Check: Once lit, the barbecue icon will show flames. You'll hear a gentle fire sound. Congrats – your BBQ is now lit and ready!
Start Cooking: Right-click the lit grill → Insert food item to cook, or place a cooking pot/pan with food on it. Watch the food's cooking bar so it doesn't burn. Boil water if needed. Enjoy your warm meal in the apocalypse! Learn about nutrition and food safety to maximize your survival.
Maintain or Extinguish: The fire will burn until fuel runs out. Add more fuel via right-click if you need it longer (before it goes out to avoid the B42 re-light bug). Otherwise, let it die down. Turn off a propane grill to conserve fuel.

That's the crash course. But don't run off yet – the sections below contain vital details, including what's new in Build 42, safety tips, and how to troubleshoot if things go wrong.

Barbecue Types: Charcoal vs Propane Grills

Project Zomboid features two main kinds of grills:

Charcoal Barbecue (Red BBQ)

Uses charcoal or other burnables as fuel. Portable; no built-in fuel tank.

Fuel Source: Requires a bag of charcoal or any burnable material (ripped sheets, books, twigs, planks, etc.) to provide ~30 minutes+ per piece.
Lighting Method: Needs tinder (if using larger fuel) and an ignition tool (lighter, matches, etc.). Treated like a campfire in mechanics.
Usage: Add fuel via right-click ("Add Fuel"/"Destroy for fuel"), then right-click again to Light Fire (shows success if conditions met).

Propane Grill (Jorge Foreguy BBQ)

Has a propane tank for fuel.

Fuel Source: Requires a Propane Tank (can spawn attached; removable by right-clicking the grill). One tank provides multiple uses (in Build 41.78+, partially consumed per use).
Lighting Method: Attach a filled tank, then right-click and select "Turn On" or "Light Fire" (no additional tinder needed, as propane is gas fuel). Still needs a lighter/match to ignite.
Usage: Must remove tank before moving the grill (or risk losing it). Indoors usage is safe (no fumes in-game).

One more thing: charcoal grills cannot use propane – and vice versa. It sounds obvious, but some players have tried hooking a propane tank to a red grill – no dice!

Build 41 vs Build 42: Key Differences in Fire Starting

Project Zomboid's Build 42 (B42) brought some realism tweaks and UI changes that affect how we light fires (including barbecues and campfires). If you're used to Build 41, here's what changed:

Campfire Building Changed

In B41, you could craft Campfire Materials (typically from logs or planks + ripped sheets) and place a campfire via right-click menu. In B42, the devs made it more realistic – you now build a Fire Pit using 3 stones (rocks). You'll find the option in the Build/Construction menu. The barbecue grills, however, don't require this step – they are already containers for fire.

"Add Fuel" is now "Destroy for Fuel"

B42 changed the wording when adding fuel to any fire source. Instead of "Add Fuel: Newspaper (10 min)" like in B41, it might say "Destroy Newspaper for Fuel (10 min)". This is to make it clear that the item will be consumed (destroyed) when used as fuel. Functionally it's the same action.

Fuel Addition Bug (B42 initial releases)

Early in B42's testing, players encountered a bug: once a fire was lit, the game often would not let you add more fuel to it, or fuel wouldn't extend the duration properly. The golden rule that emerged: add sufficient fuel before lighting. So in practice, load up that BBQ or campfire with what you need (e.g. 1-2 hours of fuel) then light it.

New Craftable Charcoal

Build 42's focus is crafting/industry. Now you can create Charcoal yourself, which is great for long-term survivors (and for blacksmithing, which needs charcoal). You do this by building a Charcoal Kiln or Charcoal Pit. The charcoal item produced is the same one used by BBQs.

Ignite from Existing Flame

One cool flavor change – B42 introduced the ability to light cigarettes on an open flame (campfire or lit stove) without needing matches. This implies that the game now recognizes being near a fire as a source of ignition for some actions. Don't waste matches if you're by a nice campfire!

B42 Bug Workaround

If you're playing early B42 versions and experiencing the fuel bug, make sure to add ALL your fuel before lighting. While patches have addressed this issue, some players still encounter it occasionally.

Solo vs Multiplayer: Any Differences?

Lighting a BBQ is generally the same whether you're alone or with friends, but there are a few considerations in multiplayer:

Permissions & Safehouse

On cooperative servers using the safehouse system, non-members of a safehouse might be prevented from interacting with objects there. For example, if you're at Alice's safehouse and she hasn't approved you, you might not be able to move her BBQ or light it. The fix is simply to have the safehouse owner or a member do the honors, or grant you permission.

Fire Spread Settings

Many MP servers turn off fire spread to avoid trolls burning everything. If fire spread is off, you can use BBQs pretty safely anywhere (flames won't jump to walls or furniture). If it's on, be very careful with grills indoors or near lots of flammable stuff – one accident could torch the entire base. Learn about choosing safe base locations for your cooking setup.

Lag and Desync

Sometimes in multiplayer you might light the fire on your screen, but others still see it unlit for a few seconds. That's network delay. Usually it syncs up quickly. To avoid confusion ("Is it lit? Should I try lighting it?"), designate one person to light the fire and announce it.

Zombies & Noise

In MP, activities can attract zombies from farther due to multiple people (and some server settings have higher zombie spawns). A smart team move is to have one person lighting and cooking, another standing guard.

MP Community Tip

Multiplayer is a great setting for something like a "BBQ party." Some servers host meetups where everyone brings food to grill. Just remember, the grill UI is accessible by one person at a time; avoid a pileup of players all trying to cook on it simultaneously – queue up those steaks!

Modded Considerations: Lighters, Fire, and More

Mods can significantly alter your fire-lighting experience. Here are a few popular ones and how they affect BBQ usage:

"I Don't Need A Lighter" mod

This mod was popular in B41 – it allowed alternative fire sources for smoking (like using a lit stove or car's lighter socket). As noted, B42 made some of that vanilla. For BBQs, the mod could also let you start fires if you had say a pilot light (like a stove) nearby, but generally it targeted cigarettes. If you use this mod, it shouldn't interfere with BBQ lighting, it just might make lighters less crucial if you're near other fire sources.

Refillable Lighters / Infinite Lighter mods

These QoL mods ensure you won't run out of flame. In vanilla, lighters do eventually die – you'll see them go from 100% to 0% and then they're spent. On long runs, you might loot dozens of lighters so it's normally fine. But if you like realism or scarcity, a refillable lighter mod might require you to find lighter fluid to recharge your lighter.

Hydrocraft

This older mod added tons of content, including the ability to craft a campfire kiln to produce charcoal, fire drills, etc. If you play a modpack with Hydrocraft or similar, you might have more options like a Flint and Steel item to light fires, or even a Magnesium fire starter. These would give you alternatives to lighters without resorting to the slow notched plank method.

Mod Compatibility Warning

Always check if fire-related mods are compatible with your game version, especially with B42's campfire changes. Using outdated mods may cause glitches with the fire lighting mechanics.

Troubleshooting: Why Won't My Fire Light?

Despite following the steps, you might run into some hiccups. Let's address common problems:

"Light Fire" option is greyed out or not appearing

This means some precondition isn't met. Check the following:

Did you add fuel to the BBQ? An empty grill or campfire won't give the option at all. Solution: put something burnable in first.
Do you have a lighter or matches? The game only shows "Light Fire" if an ignition source is present or you have the materials for a notched plank fire.
Are you exhausted when using the drill method? If yes, get some rest or use a lighter instead.
Are you trying to light a campfire on ground in B42 without a stone circle? If so, it won't work – you need to build the fire pit first.

Fire fails to start (with notched plank)

This is normal – the primitive fire starting has a failure chance. Each try might consume your tinder. Solution: have plenty of tinder and be patient. Also ensure you're not in rain or strong wind (these lower your success chances if you're outdoors). Consider finding a lighter; life's too short in the zombie apocalypse for rubbing sticks unless you have to!

Fire lights but immediately goes out

This can happen if your only fuel was something like a single sheet of paper or very low-duration item, or if a B42 bug glitched the fuel. If it lights and dies, quickly try to add a better fuel before it dies completely. If it's already out, you have to re-light from scratch. Always check fuel burn times in the menu – if it says e.g. 5 minutes, that's not much. Combine a few fuels to buffer it.

Can't add a log or plank as fuel in B42

There was a bug where certain large items (logs) wouldn't be accepted as fuel (especially if the fire is already lit). A workaround was to chop logs into planks or sticks first. This may have been fixed in a patch by now; but if you encounter it, use smaller pieces or ensure you add the log at the very start when building the fire pit (via the build menu, you can actually pre-place logs when building the campfire object).

Safe Cooking & Final Advice

Gather all needed items before you try to light up. Nothing's worse than getting "ready" and then frantically searching your base for a lighter while your tinder goes to waste.

Don't

Leave a lit BBQ unattended for too long, especially with food. Burning food can start fires (and definitely creates smells). If you need to step away, take the food off or at least be aware of the risk.

Cook in batches to maximize fuel usage. If you light a fire that lasts 30 minutes, have multiple foods ready to cook in that window. Efficiency is key in survival. Stock up on ingredients through foraging and hunting.

Don't

Stand on the fire. Sounds silly, but in isometric view it's easy to mis-click and end up one tile too close – your character can catch fire from standing directly on a campfire or BBQ. Give it a little space.

Survivor's Anecdote

"I still remember my first Project Zomboid barbecue – my character was holed up in a cabin during winter. I dragged a rusty charcoal grill inside, determined to cook a can of chili and hot cocoa. In my excitement, I lit it without opening a window... not that it mattered in-game, but it felt wrong. There I was, in a snow-covered apocalypse, cozy by my indoor BBQ, eating heated chili like it was a summer camping trip. A zombie started thumping on the door, drawn by the smell or maybe the sound of my content munching. That moment encapsulated PZ for me: a fragile peace, a warm meal, interrupted by chaos knocking on the door."

In the end, surviving is all about knowing your tools and using them wisely. Now you know how to safely light and use a barbecue grill in Project Zomboid – so go on, spice up that squirrel stew, grill those fish fillets, and keep the fire burning. Stay warm, stay fed, and stay safe out there! 🔥

Version History & Updates

Build 42.0 (Unstable, Late 2024): Introduced stone-based campfires (fire pit requires 3 stones) and new crafting for charcoal (e.g. Charcoal Kiln/Bonfire using logs and a shovel). Early version had bugs with adding fuel post-ignition.
Build 42.1 (Nov 2024): Tweaked fire tinder – e.g. Wooden Tongs can serve as tinder/fuel. Various fixes to campfire building UI and allowing more tool types (any shovel for charcoal pit, not just spade).
Build 42.3 (Early 2025): Multiple bug fixes – resolved issues with adding logs to fires, and adjusted fuel durations. Made fire lighting impossible while exhausted to simulate physical struggle (for stick drill method).
Build 42.5 & 42.5.1 (Spring 2025): Fixed the notorious "can't fuel fire after lighting" bug – players can now add additional fuel to an ongoing fire more reliably. Minor update to fuel context menu text ("Destroy for Fuel" clarified).
Build 42.7 (Apr 2025): Added Coke fuel as an alternative for crafting (forge fuel) – not directly about BBQs, but part of fire-related resources. Improved zombie AI regarding light sources (zombies slightly more attracted to light at night).
Build 41.78 (Sept 2022 – last B41 patch): Quality of life changes – matches are used before lighters for smoking (preserving lighters for fires), and partial propane tank usage introduced (refill torch uses 1/16th tank). Set groundwork for propane items in B42.
Build 41.50 (2021): Initial implementation of movable Propane BBQ with removable tanks, and adjustment where indoor grills do not produce harmful fumes (design decision for gameplay). Also added chance to find charcoal in picnic/event scenes.