Make Your Own Charcoal
I am a big fan of putting wood chips into my grill to add flavor when I’m cooking out. What I didn’t realize is the charcoal is a by product of burning wood. In fact it is pretty much what is left when the impurities of the wood are burned off. When I found this out, I thought it was so interesting that I thought I would explain it a bit further.
I had always thought that it was impossible to burn wood without allot of oxygen but it turns out not to be true. In fact if you burn a log in a low oxygen environment you will be left with a clean burning form of charcoal. During this process the water contained in the wood will burn away. Then the tar and other volatile oils that disturb the taste of the food will disappear. There are so many impurities that will filter off during the burn that you will actually remove about 70% of wood’s weight leaving behind a great burning fuel for your favorite grilled delights.
Have you ever seen the burnt remains of a campfire? Those burnt black logs like very similar to charcoal don’t they? If you imagine yourself breaking up the wood into chunks you will basically be making your own charcoal. However, unlike the the coals we buy in stores, these won’t be loaded with lighter fluid and other fillers to get them to light. These will light quickly and burn much cleaner than most popular brands.
Remember briquettes are not organic. Incidentally it was Henry Ford that is known to invent them and he used petroleum products to spark them. Even though our burnt wood seems like a horrible byproduct, the burning of wood is natural and the remains can be used as a nice homemade charcoal.
Lighting the coals in the grill can be a tricky proposition. I for one do not like to use lighter fluid. I prefer to use a chimney starter powered by a little bit of newspaper to get things started. I find that even though it is a little bit slower than flooding the coals with fire starter, the charcoal will heat up a little more evenly and do a better job cooking the food. Once they sit in the chimney starter for about 10 minutes, I dump them on the grill and if they are completely ashy I will add a fresh layer of unlit coals over them. I won’t swear this is the best way but it is something that has been done in my family for years and I enjoy the process.
Another thing I like to do that makes grilling a lot easier is to use the Grill Glove. This is and As Seen On TV heat resistant grilling glove made of food grade silicone. It allows you to grab your food off the grill without using tongs or other accessories. It is a brilliant idea because it is the only thing you need to work the grill. You won’t get burned while you are turning your food and can even reach onto the coals without any problem.
Want to find out more about Grill Glove, then visit Renae Walsh’s site on how to choose the best grilling glove for your needs.
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