There’s something special about cooking with charcoal. It’s not just the outcome of having that deep smoky flavour, but it’s excitement of the process, seeing fire and smoke turn our food turn into something delectable. Maybe it’s got something to do with how we used to cook during the caveman era? All I know is that cooking with charcoal brings about a feeling of earthiness and rawness and when done correctly, can lead to an addictive cooking habit. So let’s take a look at what we need to get started.
Barbeque
There are multiple cooking devices which can be used to grill or slow cook, the most famous and accessible one being the ‘Kettle BBQ’ or ‘Weber Kettle’ if you’re looking for the most popular brand. This is a dome shaped device which when closed enables heat and air to circulate evenly around the meat to get the perfect cooked meat. Other common BBQ’s options include an offset smoker, or a Kamado Joe ceramic cooker. Here is an example of a Weber Kettle BBQ.
Hardwood Charcoal or BBQ Briquettes.
Hardwood charcoal is natural hardwood that has been oxidised until it turns black. This is my personal favourite as it produces much greater depth of flavour, however the downside is that it burns quicker and you will often need to add more during the cook. On the other hand, bbq briquettes are made from compressed sawdust which contain additives allowing it to burn in a more stable and long lasting fashion. Sometimes you may even choose to use both! See below for a popular clean burning hardwood charcoal.
Charcoal Chimney Starter
Use this device to heat the charcoal. Simply place the charcoal inside the starter so it is 80% full and then place it on top of some torn bits of newspaper. Light the newspaper using a lighter or a match and watch the charcoal burn. Initially you’ll see black smoke coming out, but as the charcoal fully lights, the smoke will look lighter and clearer which is when they are ready to be tipped out into the BBQ. This process should take 15-20 minutes.
Other tools that will help the cooking process include:
- Tongs – to help move the charcoal and food around.
- Meat Thermometer – to accurately measure the temperature of the meat to make sure it’s cooked to your liking.
- Basting brush – to keep your meat moist while it is cooking.
BBQ Cooking Method
Indirect Cooking
In this method the charcoal is place on one side underneath the grilling grate and the food is place on the adjacent side on top of the grilling grate. This results in a circulation of heat and smoke around the food. This cooking process will be slower than direct grilling and will stop the intense heat burning your food, so if you have bigger cuts of meat such as Lamb or a Beef Brisket, this will be a perfect method to produce succulent, smoky flavored meat. This same principle applies when using an offset smoker where the wood is burning in one small chamber off to the side and the smoke travels across the larger chamber to cook and infuse the meat.
Direct Cooking
This method involves the grilling of food directly above the charcoal and is perfect for cooking smaller cuts of meat. Due to the proximity of intense heat closer to the food, this can result in a shorter cooking time and also create a searing effect on the meat which can add a crusty texture and at the same time cook your food properly.
So, which method do you want to start using? The traditional Barbequing method is direct cooking which can be a great starting point if you’re just trying to learn and get a feel of using charcoal. What’s most important is getting a feel of how much heat is being produced, being able to control it and then applying the correct temperature to cook your food in the way that you desire. The easiest way to get better at it is to just practice so don’t wait any longer, go get yourself a BBQ and cook some meat!