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Homemade Charcoal


Shelby

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Yes.  Ronnie must be bored.  Hunting season is over....fishing not good yet....too early to garden.  

 

Thus.

 

Charcoal.

 

But, truly it's really cool and it saves money.  

 

We have a ton of wood, both cut and  trees that he's able to cut from around the property.

 

thumbnail_IMG_2093.jpg.17ed22c480525679152e9c66923bedeb.jpg

 

First step is to make a cooker or kiln.

 

He used old paint cans.

 

thumbnail_IMG_1355-1.jpg.5b0b651e3a7ab00e04a782f237968232.jpg

 

Burn out all of the inside residue

 

thumbnail_IMG_1356-1.jpg.af6ffc8b3f79fdf2520efee3d697a014.jpg

 

Then drill a 1/2" hole in the bottom of the can

 

thumbnail_IMG_1357-1.jpg.ba442b5f95f3f7a52ffb6fcbb3af9bda.jpg

 

Cut your wood to fit and fill your kiln.  He used hackberry, oak and apple.

 

thumbnail_IMG_2096.jpg.a3a489eb53c53d8b6073a44f60624e16.jpg

 

thumbnail_IMG_2094.jpg.844762b20f256adc6627a7608d21a46f.jpg

 

Place the lid on tightly and turn your kiln over so the hole is at the top.

 

thumbnail_IMG_2097.jpg.616d5db4a4725fdcbe14b290300696f8.jpg

 

thumbnail_IMG_2098.jpg.040bbdac964479ee1bee7758cc8021aa.jpg

 

You can do this on your outside grill, but yesterday was cold and snowy so he used the barrel stove in the garage.

 

thumbnail_IMG_2099.jpg.45e9b518078933e1e0118dc1427a5b14.jpg

 

Get your fire going in the stove or grill and carefully place your kiln(s) (cans in our case lol) in with the hole facing up.

 

thumbnail_IMG_2102.jpg.205a7c81ce24905d7c53d9c031567995.jpg

 

Build the fire up and then sit back and relax :)

 

thumbnail_IMG_2101.jpg.ebc306e6fe2df52dc55677eda902a784.jpg

 

thumbnail_IMG_2100.jpg.63be02ec5f2023ed53efb2171b4f721c.jpg

 

thumbnail_IMG_2103.jpg.c1a473075b1d8a2b81f2b0b80a1956f0.jpg

 

In about 20 mins or so (this varies widely depending on what you're cooking in etc.) you'll see a flame shoot out of the hole.  This is good.  This is removing all of the moisture and wood gas which makes the charcoal.

 

thumbnail_IMG_2104.jpg.e22191cb55d3861dd01219da68415ee2.jpg

 

The charcoal is done when the flame shooting from the top disappears.  You can leave the kiln (s) or cans in for as long as you want to cool down.

 

All finished!

 

thumbnail_IMG_2109.jpg.5c08dedc8b68cdfdb1430c8c2a4cb6cf.jpg

 

thumbnail_IMG_2107.jpg.4e682d2aded404a77e28be5c304264fb.jpg

 

thumbnail_IMG_2108.jpg.897133c3a31f820bc702a66cdf537192.jpg

 

Using the apple, oak etc. gives a good flavor to what ever you're grilling or smoking.

 

 

My step-dad named it RonCoal 😁

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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4 hours ago, Shelby said:

Yes.  Ronnie must be bored.  Hunting season is over....fishing not good yet....too early to garden.  

 

Thus.

 

Charcoal.

 

But, truly it's really cool and it saves money.  

 

We have a ton of wood, both cut and  trees that he's able to cut from around the property.

 

thumbnail_IMG_2093.jpg.17ed22c480525679152e9c66923bedeb.jpg

 

First step is to make a cooker or kiln.

 

He used old paint cans.

 

thumbnail_IMG_1355-1.jpg.5b0b651e3a7ab00e04a782f237968232.jpg

 

Burn out all of the inside residue

 

thumbnail_IMG_1356-1.jpg.af6ffc8b3f79fdf2520efee3d697a014.jpg

 

Then drill a 1/2" hole in the bottom of the can

 

thumbnail_IMG_1357-1.jpg.ba442b5f95f3f7a52ffb6fcbb3af9bda.jpg

 

Cut your wood to fit and fill your kiln.  He used hackberry, oak and apple.

 

thumbnail_IMG_2096.jpg.a3a489eb53c53d8b6073a44f60624e16.jpg

 

thumbnail_IMG_2094.jpg.844762b20f256adc6627a7608d21a46f.jpg

 

Place the lid on tightly and turn your kiln over so the hole is at the top.

 

thumbnail_IMG_2097.jpg.616d5db4a4725fdcbe14b290300696f8.jpg

 

thumbnail_IMG_2098.jpg.040bbdac964479ee1bee7758cc8021aa.jpg

 

You can do this on your outside grill, but yesterday was cold and snowy so he used the barrel stove in the garage.

 

thumbnail_IMG_2099.jpg.45e9b518078933e1e0118dc1427a5b14.jpg

 

Get your fire going in the stove or grill and carefully place your kiln(s) (cans in our case lol) in with the hole facing up.

 

thumbnail_IMG_2102.jpg.205a7c81ce24905d7c53d9c031567995.jpg

 

Build the fire up and then sit back and relax :)

 

thumbnail_IMG_2101.jpg.ebc306e6fe2df52dc55677eda902a784.jpg

 

thumbnail_IMG_2100.jpg.63be02ec5f2023ed53efb2171b4f721c.jpg

 

thumbnail_IMG_2103.jpg.c1a473075b1d8a2b81f2b0b80a1956f0.jpg

 

In about 20 mins or so (this varies widely depending on what you're cooking in etc.) you'll see a flame shoot out of the hole.  This is good.  This is removing all of the moisture and wood gas which makes the charcoal.

 

thumbnail_IMG_2104.jpg.e22191cb55d3861dd01219da68415ee2.jpg

 

The charcoal is done when the flame shooting from the top disappears.  You can leave the kiln (s) or cans in for as long as you want to cool down.

 

All finished!

 

thumbnail_IMG_2109.jpg.5c08dedc8b68cdfdb1430c8c2a4cb6cf.jpg

 

thumbnail_IMG_2107.jpg.4e682d2aded404a77e28be5c304264fb.jpg

 

thumbnail_IMG_2108.jpg.897133c3a31f820bc702a66cdf537192.jpg

 

Using the apple, oak etc. gives a good flavor to what ever you're grilling or smoking.

 

 

My step-dad named it RonCoal 😁

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That. Is. Awesome!!!  He's my hero.

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That sort of wood stove is also the best place to “burn off” an old cast iron skillet or Dutch oven before reseasoning it. We had such a stove in the basement when I was a kid. Daddy was also taking in copious quantities of cast iron to burn off for folks every winter. Leave it in there 6-8 hours, pull it out with tongs onto the concrete, and attack it the next day with a wire brush. Smooth and clean as could be.

 

Daddy, always the frustrated engineer, eventually added to the stove, building an insulated skin around it and hooking it to ductwork beneath the entire house. Then he hooked a damper to a thermostat so one could easily control the temp. Wound up building probably 50 of those stoves for people who wanted them in their houses.

 

He never made charcoal, though. When he’d barbecue, he’d start with wood, let it burn down to coals, and add coals to the pit a half shovelful at the time.

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Don't ask. Eat it.

www.kayatthekeyboard.wordpress.com

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I've made charcoal on a small scale by wrapping sticks in foil and cooking them on a hot plate to generate smoke for smoking meats. 

 

Could be scaled-up, but will never be as cool as the paint can flame deal

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People come to our house and say things like "You make your own sausage/bacon/falernum/Rose's lime/pastrami/bitters? That's hardcore."

 

And now I have to answer, "Nope. I know someone who makes their own damn charcoal. That's hardcore."

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Dave Scantland
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Eat more chicken skin.

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Any idea how one cord of wood turned into charcoal would fare against one cord of wood burned down to coals (and used for cooking)?

 

I'm guessing the amount of BTUs contained within one cord is constant, and making charcoal is just to make things easier/quicker when it's time to get grilling. Or am I wrong and it's time for another G&T😄!

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So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money. But when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness."

So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.

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1 hour ago, Joe Blowe said:

Any idea how one cord of wood turned into charcoal would fare against one cord of wood burned down to coals (and used for cooking)?

 

I'm guessing the amount of BTUs contained within one cord is constant, and making charcoal is just to make things easier/quicker when it's time to get grilling. Or am I wrong and it's time for another G&T😄!

 

I think charcoal gets hotter esp with a bellows.  Colonial iron smelters went to great lengths to make charcoal

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10 hours ago, gfweb said:

 

I think charcoal gets hotter esp with a bellows.  Colonial iron smelters went to great lengths to make charcoal

Yes.

 

Ronnie says the gasses and moisture are removed making it denser thus it creates more heat.

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On 3/20/2022 at 11:54 AM, kayb said:

That sort of wood stove is also the best place to “burn off” an old cast iron skillet or Dutch oven before reseasoning it. We had such a stove in the basement when I was a kid. Daddy was also taking in copious quantities of cast iron to burn off for folks every winter. Leave it in there 6-8 hours, pull it out with tongs onto the concrete, and attack it the next day with a wire brush. Smooth and clean as could be.

 

Daddy, always the frustrated engineer, eventually added to the stove, building an insulated skin around it and hooking it to ductwork beneath the entire house. Then he hooked a damper to a thermostat so one could easily control the temp. Wound up building probably 50 of those stoves for people who wanted them in their houses.

 

He never made charcoal, though. When he’d barbecue, he’d start with wood, let it burn down to coals, and add coals to the pit a half shovelful at the time.

I've been meaning to sit down and respond to this.  I LOVE this story about your Dad.

 

Ronnie built our stove, too.  I think it's awesome that your Dad heated your whole house this way.  Very smart man :) 

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4 minutes ago, heidih said:

Nooo -she is the one who likes to butcher the deer :) Check out her hunting blog here  

That’s one blog I can’t do. No  offense @Shelby, I know where meat comes from, and I understand how it happens, but seeing how it’s done? It just isn’t my thing.

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On 3/19/2022 at 11:24 AM, Shelby said:

Yes.  Ronnie must be bored.  Hunting season is over....fishing not good yet....too early to garden.  

 

Thus.

 

Charcoal.

 

 

Too funny. 

 

Seen this done before a few times, if you have the resources - why not, eh!?

 

Good for him.  Ronnie sounds like a true salt of the earth fellow - my kind of lad.

 

 

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15 hours ago, Shelby said:

I've been meaning to sit down and respond to this.  I LOVE this story about your Dad.

 

Ronnie built our stove, too.  I think it's awesome that your Dad heated your whole house this way.  Very smart man :) 

I have a notion Daddy would have taken right up with Ronnie.

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Don't ask. Eat it.

www.kayatthekeyboard.wordpress.com

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