Howdy from N. Georgia

[rbstern]

Glad to find this forum. Have been casually smoking on a Weber Smokey Mountain for about 10 years. By no means an expert. Have recently started making my own charcoal, and it's giving me outstanding results on the the WSM. That got me interested in other ways to use the plentiful fuel from my property (mostly oak, some maple, cherry, alder, hickory), so I'm considering an offset smoker next. I'll start another thread to get some input on that.

 

[gmc2003]

Welcome aboard.

Chris

 

[SmokingUPnorth]

Welcome to the party. Tons of great info and bad influences that will make you want to buy random things in here

 

[rbstern]

Welcome to the party. Tons of great info and bad influences that will make you want to buy random things in here

Exactly the kind of madness I'm looking for.

 

[DRKsmoking]

Welcome from Nova Scotia,
Good place for some Show and Tell, and a little fun also.

making my own charcoal,

Now this I would like to know a little more about.

David

 

[Newglide]

Welcome from North Carolina, Plenty of bad influnces areound here. I have often toyed with making my own charcoal. May have to give it a try

 

[JLeonard]

Welcome to the party. Tons of great info and bad influences that will make you want to buy random things in here

Exactly the kind of madness I'm looking for.

Oh you are in the right place then! Welcome from Mississippi. Look forward to your post and pics!.

Jim

 

[rbstern]

Now this I would like to know a little more about.

David

Making charcoal might be one of the easiest DIY projects ever.

You have to live somewhere where outdoor burning or open-fire cooking is allowed. I imagine you could probably do it with an electric smoker, too, but I've haven't tried that, and the cost of the electricity might be more than the cost of lump coal at the store.

I use a 6 gallon galvanized pail with a good fitting lid (Behrens brand from Home Depot). You could even use a burn barrel or garbage can, but it has to have a secure lid, and the larger the vessel, the larger the fire you'll need. Ideally, the lid has some sort of mechanism to keep it in place. On the Behrens pail, the handle also serves as a lid lock. Drill a 1/3"to 1/2" hole in the lid, for venting. Doesn't matter where the hole is.

Fill the pail up with splits and chunks of whatever hard wood you want to make the charcoal out of. Only requirement is that the lid has to close. I keep the pail handy when running the wood splitter, and fill with odd chunks and short splits.

Stick the pail directly in a burn pile, fire pit, or any other intense heat source. Get that fire hot, and keep it going for five or six hours. The hole in the lid serves as a vent, and there should be a steady stream of steam and smoke from it. When it stops, assuming the fire is still hot, the process is done

Let the pail cool for a couple of hours. Take off the lid...lump charcoal inside. I've also found, if you have pieces that are a little under-done (still not entirely coal black), you can put the pail back in a fire again to finish it. Or use as is. Still works just like charcoal.

 

[MJB05615]

Welcome from Dacula Ga. Where in N Ga are you from? I'd like to know more about making your own Charcoal too. You'll find this is the best place to be.

 

[rbstern]

Welcome from Dacula Ga. Where in N Ga are you from? I'd like to know more about making your own Charcoal too. You'll find this is the best place to be.

Howdy. Hart County. Before that, lived in Gwinnett for about 26 years.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Great to have you join the fun. You have come to the right place to find answers to any questions you may have about everything cooking related...

 

[fxsales1959]

Glad to find this forum. Have been casually smoking on a Weber Smokey Mountain for about 10 years. By no means an expert. Have recently started making my own charcoal, and it's giving me outstanding results on the the WSM. That got me interested in other ways to use the plentiful fuel from my property (mostly oak, some maple, cherry, alder, hickory), so I'm considering an offset smoker next. I'll start another thread to get some input on that.

Glad to find this forum. Have been casually smoking on a Weber Smokey Mountain for about 10 years. By no means an expert. Have recently started making my own charcoal, and it's giving me outstanding results on the the WSM. That got me interested in other ways to use the plentiful fuel from my property (mostly oak, some maple, cherry, alder, hickory), so I'm considering an offset smoker next. I'll start another thread to get some input on that.

Welcome from S Florida. this is a great place to get suggestions on how to spend money!

 

[rbstern]

Thanks all, really looking forward to the interaction.

I posted my charcoal making recipe/process above, it's awaiting moderation.

 

[Colin1230]

Welcome aboard, you're going to like it here. I guarantee it.

 

[02ebz06]

Greetings, and welcome to the community from New Mexico.

 

[DRKsmoking]

Making charcoal might be one of the easiest DIY projects ever.

Thank you, now I know , sounds easy enough, I've always got branches and sticks that fall a lot that I have to burn in a barrel.
So could stick my can in there .

Thanks

David

 

[rbstern]

Thank you, now I know , sounds easy enough, I've always got branches and sticks that fall a lot that I have to burn in a barrel.
So could stick my can in there .

Thanks

David

That will work. If you're using something like the Behrens pail, you could use a piece of rebar or other rigid metal to hang the pail at the top of the barrel, or even a metal coat hanger fastened around the handle and hooked to the lip of the barrel. Just be prepared to throw a chuck of firewood or two in your barrel if the burn time needs to be lengthened.

 

[MJB05615]

Howdy. Hart County. Before that, lived in Gwinnett for about 26 years.

Nice. I'm a Youth League Sports Photographer. We just did the Hart County Youth FB and Cheer photos a few weeks ago. Been going up there for many years. Great area. We've been in Gwinnett for 30 years.

 

[DRKsmoking]

That will work. If you're using something like the Behrens pail, you could use a piece of rebar or other rigid metal to hang the pail at the top of the barrel, or even a metal coat hanger fastened around the handle and hooked to the lip of the barrel. Just be prepared to throw a chuck of firewood or two in your barrel if the burn time needs to be lengthened.

Sounds good , I have lots of pieces of rebar around. and #9 wire to make a " S " hook, might even have a couple painter hooks around.

Thanks

David