How practical is stir frying with charcoal?

[HungryChris]

3 hours ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

 

Yeah, you can do that with the lowly, $30, Weber Smokey Joe.

There are many ways to snuff out charcoal.

There is nothing lowly about a Smokey Joe, except it's stature.

HC

[Martin Fisher]

2 hours ago, HungryChris said:

There is nothing lowly about a Smokey Joe, except it's stature.

HC

 

Yeah, I was just comparing it to the much more expensive Mini Green Egg.

[Captain]

Either my Kettle, Webber or Kamado bbq's.  Close the lid shut the vents and you have fuel for next time.

[rustwood]

On 4/20/2018 at 5:13 PM, Okanagancook said:

I used to have one of these propane units.  It got really, really hot but you could adjust it.  Sounded a bit like a jet engine but not like in a commercial kitchen.  Propane I believe gets hotter than natural gas.  But, it's not a charcoal fire as per the original question.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fryer-Steel-Stand1-Gas-Stove-Propane-Burner-Portable-Outdoor-Camping-Cooker-NEW1/123042696469?hash=item1ca5ea8d15:g:UT4AAOSwUWBauUhC

 

 

+1.   I have one of these and love it: King Kooker 24WC Heavy-Duty 24-Inch Portable Propane Outdoor Cooker with 18-Inch Steel Wok

 

The first time I used it my oil burst into flames.  I hadn't even started cooking anything yet so it wasn't from a spill.  Lesson learned!  I use a more moderate burner setting now and I don't put anything on it until I am 100% ready to cook - all my ingredients at hand, a clear plan for what I need to do, and a vessel for the finished dish (basic wok protocol).

 

I have a kamado, but it takes a while to get the charcoal hot enough for stir fry.  My weber chimney gets more than hot enough in a hurry, but as @FeChef said, it gets dangerously hot.  I would want to corral it with some sort of fire-safe surround if I were going to wok on it  as it is might be too easy to tip it over.  I have occasionally used one to do quick sear on steak though.

Edited April 22, 2018 by Smithy
Adjusted Amazon link (log)

[Quevun]

20 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

Not with the big green egg - you shut the lid and air supply off - charcoal is there for the next time.

But can the charcoal be reused repeatedly?

 

e.g.

1. Light charcoal

2. Stir fry for 2 minutes

3. Extinguish

4. Repeat every day with same charcoal?

[Martin Fisher]

31 minutes ago, Quevun said:

But can the charcoal be reused repeatedly?

 

e.g.

1. Light charcoal

2. Stir fry for 2 minutes

3. Extinguish

4. Repeat every day with same charcoal?

 

 Until it dies out.

You can't get something from nothing.

Fire it up, and see what works best for you.

[Kerry Beal]

3 hours ago, Quevun said:

But can the charcoal be reused repeatedly?

 

e.g.

1. Light charcoal

2. Stir fry for 2 minutes

3. Extinguish

4. Repeat every day with same charcoal?

 

3 hours ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

 

 Until it dies out.

You can't get something from nothing.

Fire it up, and see what works best for you.

Like Martin says - until it dies out. Keep in mind there is a preheat time which may be as much as an hour.

[dcarch]

53 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

 

Like Martin says - until it dies out. Keep in mind there is a preheat time which may be as much as an hour.

 

Or, here I used a small blower, ready to cook in a few seconds.

 

A hair dryer will work well also.

 

dcarch

[rotuts]

@dcarch

 

nice

 

what's your full Rx for those Puppies ?

 

pls consider posting in the SV topic ?

 

love the idea of a CharSear  for pulled pork p SV

[Kerry Beal]

With the BGE I find certain amount of time is required to burn off the volatile organic compounds, or your food will taste like gasoline.

[FeChef]

TS, so concerned about wasting charcoal. Chimney starter uses about 1lb charcoal. KBB on sale cost about $10 for 2x 18lb bags. You get that chimney starter roaring hot and toss your stir fry in for a minute or two and your done. Want to throw some cold pre cooked rice, with some peas/carrots, and a egg, with some left over chicken, pork, or shrimp? No problem. All with 1lb of KBB. 

[Quevun]

22 hours ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

 

 Until it dies out.

You can't get something from nothing.

Fire it up, and see what works best for you.

 

18 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

 

Like Martin says - until it dies out. Keep in mind there is a preheat time which may be as much as an hour.

 

Thanks for your comments, I guess its best if I try it out and see for myself.

 

4 hours ago, FeChef said:

TS, so concerned about wasting charcoal. Chimney starter uses about 1lb charcoal. KBB on sale cost about $10 for 2x 18lb bags. You get that chimney starter roaring hot and toss your stir fry in for a minute or two and your done. Want to throw some cold pre cooked rice, with some peas/carrots, and a egg, with some left over chicken, pork, or shrimp? No problem. All with 1lb of KBB. 

 

Damn, no wonder I couldn't find any article on conserving charcoal, I didn't know it is so cheap in the US.

In the Netherlands, it costs 25 euros ($31) for one 22 lb bag.

Edited April 23, 2018 by Quevun (log)

[nasi goreng]

7 hours ago, Quevun said:

Damn, no wonder I couldn't find any article on conserving charcoal, I didn't know it is so cheap in the US.

In the Netherlands, it costs 25 euros ($31) for one 22 lb bag.

 

Where do you buy your charcoal?

Just a quick google gives me 18 Euro for 10 kg bag at praxis (restaurant quality?) or 5 kg weber charcoal for 8 Euro..... (also at praxis)

[Kerry Beal]

Another advantage of conserving charcoal is avoiding the need to more frequently wrestle with large bags of something that will cover you with black dust! And the second time you light your charcoal the VOCs burn off more quickly.

[Quevun]

4 hours ago, nasi goreng said:

Where do you buy your charcoal?

Just a quick google gives me 18 Euro for 10 kg bag at praxis (restaurant quality?) or 5 kg weber charcoal for 8 Euro..... (also at praxis)

 

I bought from bol.com. I have to check out praxis next time. Thanks for the tip!

It is still quite a bit more expensive than in the US though.

[Martin Fisher]

14 hours ago, Quevun said:

Damn, no wonder I couldn't find any article on conserving charcoal, I didn't know it is so cheap in the US.

 

If you have access to hardwood, making your own charcoal isn't difficult.

 

[Kerry Beal]

25 minutes ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

 

If you have access to hardwood, making your own charcoal isn't difficult.

 

I know it is possible - but I'd love to hear more about how it is done.

[Martin Fisher]

5 hours ago, Kerry Beal said:

I know it is possible - but I'd love to hear more about how it is done.

There are several ways to make it.

The way I make it is the same way I make biochar (but with larger pieces of wood) which is much more efficient than other methods.

Probably the most popular way involves heating the wood with an external heat source, anaerobically, in a sealed barrel or the like.

Here's a link to how I make biochar: 

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/homemade-lump-charcoal.137701/#post-949818

Edited April 24, 2018 by DiggingDogFarm (log)

[Kerry Beal]

2 hours ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

There are several ways to make it.

The way I make it is the same way I make biochar (but with larger pieces of wood) which is much more efficient than other methods.

Probably the most popular way involves heating the food with an external heat source, anaerobically, in a sealed barrel or the like.

Here's a link to now I make biochar: 

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/homemade-lump-charcoal.137701/#post-949818

 

Hmmm - wonder if I could do it in my egg - pack the wood tightly - light from the top with a small amount of air through the vent below - once burning put the lid down with the cap off on the top. Once the gas blows off, I could choke down the fire to extinguish. 

[Martin Fisher]

26 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

Hmmm - wonder if I could do it in my egg - pack the wood tightly - light from the top with a small amount of air through the vent below - once burning put the lid down with the cap off on the top. Once the gas blows off, I could choke down the fire to extinguish. 

 

It's worth a try.

[gfweb]

I've made small quantities of charcoal by wrapping fruit wood in foil and roasting on a hotplate. Takes  30 minutes. 

[Martin Fisher]

17 minutes ago, gfweb said:

I've made small quantities of charcoal by wrapping fruit wood in foil and roasting on a hotplate. Takes  30 minutes. 

 

Yeah, that's a good way to make char-cloth or char-rope for woodcraft fire starting. 

[btbyrd]

Import Food sells a charcoal-fueled "tao" wok burner made from clay and concrete set into a metal bucket. It's the upgrade pick to the budget chimney starter method. 

 

But for sheer convenience and maximum therms (without resorting to forced-air for the charcoal) nothing can beat a high pressure gas powered wok burner. I can't ever imagine choosing charcoal over gas if I had the option.

 

[nasi goreng]

I use this contraption:

It's originally meant for potjies (sort of South African Dutch oven), but it works good for stir frying and also doubles as a small braai...

It's in use for making kebabs here:

I think it measures something like 35 x 35 cm