Make Charcoal at Home for the
Best Barbeque
 Almost everything tastes better when it is cooked outside
over an open flame. I love the convenience of propane, but a wood or charcoal fire
imparts a touch of smoky flavor that is unmistakable. Most Americans are familiar
with bags of formed charcoal briquettes, but did you know that lump unprocessed
charcoal was an available alternative? To be honest, I can’t detect a difference
in taste between food cooked over briquettes or lump charcoal. If there is no detectable
difference in taste, why pay a premium for lump charcoal or go through the hassle
of making it yourself?
Charcoal briquettes are typically made using finely ground charcoal, sawdust, starches,
coal, borax, and petroleum distillates although ingredients can vary by manufacturer.
Starch is a binder that holds the individual ingredients together and borax is commonly
used as a mold release. Sawdust helps the briquettes burn and impart a smoky flavor.
Any other ingredients are added as combustible filler or to simplify ignition. Harmful
substances, along with any lighter fluid used, are said to burn off and not affect
the safety or flavor of your food if you wait long enough. I do not intend to paint
charcoal as a dangerous product, but when given the opportunity don’t we want to
keep some of those things out of our food?
 Charcoal
is made by heating wood which drives out moisture and gasses until carbon is the
primary element remaining.
Some of the gasses do remain in lump charcoal, but the
vast majority has been driven out. Heat can be applied to the wood directly or indirectly,
but the trick is to stop the combustion process once the moisture and volatile gasses
have been driven out but the carbon remains. The direct method is accomplished by
setting the wood on fire and then removing access to all air once sufficient burning
has been accomplished. The indirect process is where the wood is separated from
the flames, but not the heat of a wood or gas fire. The
volatile gasses can be captured and circulated back into the flame box to prevent
their release into the environment and to make the charring process more efficient.
When using lump charcoal you will first notice that it doesn’t ignite as quickly
or as easily as briquettes; this is because petroleum distillates and other chemicals have not been added. Consider using a wax, gas, or electric fireplace starter to
get a few lumps going. Once a sufficient base is aglow, additional charcoal can
be added over the top and spread out. Lump charcoal has a tendency to burn hotter
and faster than briquettes, but the temperature can be controlled by restricting
airflow.
I don’t know that producing natural additive free lump charcoal is a viable backyard
business, but it could be an opportunity for self employment. While I currently
have no plans to increase my production or attempt to market my homemade charcoal;
there is something satisfying about making charcoal for family, friends, and myself.
After all, when does a guy turn down a chance to ‘play’ with fire! |
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