What is Charcoal Knowledge Base?
Our charcoal knowledge base is a library that contains a collection of easily consumable BBQ & charcoal content created by our White Horse Energy experts
Professional Charcoal
White Horse Energy Charcoal Products Are Suitable For
- Meat and vegetable based Indian Tandooris.
- Korean Bulgogi and Gabi dishes.
- South African braai – sosaties, boerewors and other meat-based dishes.
- Latin American Churrascarias.
- Japanese Yakiniku restaurants.
- Jamaican jerk recipes and other Caribbean dishes.
A bulk order will cover kitchens for frequent use and large-scale catering services, with options of quarter, half and full pallets depending on your business needs. We recommend purchasing Natural firelighters as a clean and easy option for igniting the charcoal.
Ecoblaze Pini-Kay Charcoal Briquettes
Made of the highest grade sourced recycled wood waste, compressed into its briquette shape and carbonised to create an incredibly energy dense charcoal briquette. Charcoal briquettes are recommended for indirect and slow cooking to infuse stews and large joints with flavour in tandoor ovens, smoking pits and offset smokers.
- Packed in 10kg boxes
- Cook for up to 5 hours for grilling and 10 hours for smoking
- Reach temperatures between 300 and 400°C.
- No additives or artificial binding agents. The compression process binds the materials.
Ecoblaze Oak Lumpwood Charcoal
Large lumps of carbonised high quality oak hardwood, easily pourable and versatile for multi fuel ovens/BBQs. Our Oak Lumpwood Charcoal is perfect for searing meat and locking in the flavour in quick cooks.
- Packed in 4kg bags
- Ready for cooking in 10 – 20 minutes.
- Reach temperatures between 300 and 400°C.
- Great for adding flavour to dishes and achieving high temperatures quickly.
- No additives.
BBQ Charcoal For Home
Our charcoal is so easy to use for most cooking purposes outdoors and can be used by anyone – from beginners to grill-masters. Whether you want to grill the perfect steak, or you’ve planned a day of baking, whip out your BBQ and get smoking with our lumpwood charcoal and charcoal briquettes.
Not sure which charcoal product is for you? Here are the differences:
Charcoal Briquettes
- For grills, rotisseries, tandoors, pizza ovens, smoking pits.
- Burns for much longer – 5 to 10 hours of heat.
- Ideal for indirect cooking – try low and slow cooks for larger joints of meat.
- Carbonised briquettes – compressed wood waste.
- Pairing them with firelighters is recommended.
Lumpwood Charcoal
- Large lumps or baking, grilling and smoking.
- Can grill directly over the heat source.
- Works well for indirect cooking too.
- Sear meat quickly and lock in flavour.
- Works well for ‘dirty’ grilling (straight onto the coals).
- Pourable, making it easy to transfer to chimney starters.
- Reaches 300° – 400° after 10-20 minutes.
Before You Start
Set up your BBQ in an open space, on a non-flammable surface like a concrete or brick area – keep it away from plants and off the grass (especially dried out grass). Wear heat resistant protection such as aprons and gloves as well as choosing cooking utensils with heat resistant, long handles. Make sure your coals are hot enough; look for glowing coals or a coating of white ash. Use a firelighter in your grill and an evenly spread layer of coals. Alternatively, you can light the charcoal in a chimney starter by using a firelighter to speed up the process, and then pour them onto the grill afterwards.
Why You Should Use Our Natural Firelighters
When lit, our Ecoblaze natural firelighters will burn for 8 to 10 minutes to ensure the flame will spread to the charcoal. White Horse Energy sells these in packs of 200 and 500 on the Express page. They’re incredibly versatile and can be used in all appliances.
BBQ Cooking Methods
The usual way to grill is directly above the coals, on high heat. You can crank up the heat to cook a meal in under 20 minutes (cooking for longer than 20 minutes on high heat will probably burn your food). Sear the sides of your tenderloin steak to lock in the flavour and get that classic chargrilled pattern.
Indirect methods work well for several different dishes cooking at the same time. One way to do this is to place the coals on one side of the grill – the two-zone method means you can put a joint of meat on the side without coals for a gradual cook while directly grilling other ingredients on the other side.
“Low and slow” is recommended for larger cuts of meat to cook all the way through without burning, leaving you with an incredibly tender and juicy joint. This method works for anything that you’d usually cook in an oven. Mimic an oven’s convection heat by putting charcoal or briquettes on either side of the grill, then leaving a gap in the middle. This works even better for BBQs with closable lids during cooking.
For that Caveman experience, you can try grilling straight onto the charcoals – otherwise known as “dirty grilling”. This works well if you get the temperature high and use decent quality lumpwood charcoal, without any chemicals – we recommend using a natural firelighter as a clean lighting method to cook on the charcoal safely. Our oak lumpwood charcoal is perfect for this as well as producing the best smoky flavours when cooked on.
Other Tips
Drip trays are great for maintaining the heat and are also used to catch drips of juice or fat from the food (which can be used as stock later). Place a shallow dish of cold water beneath the grill before cooking.
When cooking on a two-zone fire with charcoal on one side, rotate the meat regularly for an even cook.
For longer cooks or for smoking food, we recommend using Ecoblaze charcoal briquettes – they burn for longer and maintain the temperature, making them perfect for indirect cooking.
Purchase a meat thermometer for safe and accurate cooking. It’s difficult to tell whether your meat is cooked properly just by the timing.
After Grilling
Smother the charcoal and leave it overnight to cool down, as charcoal retains its temperature for up to 24 hours. Clean your BBQ after each use. Burn off any food remains before letting the grill cool down and wipe away the remains with a soft cloth to avoid scratching the surface. A clean BBQ allows for a clean burn, which will result in tastier food that is cooked well.
What Are Briquettes?
1. Tongs? Check! Tasteful Frilly Apron? Check! Fuel? Err… Hold On…
It’s important to do everything within your power (and bank account) to prep and grill safely and effectively. Protect yourself with heat-resistant gloves and an apron, as a BBQ can reach temperatures of up to 400°C. To reduce the risks of injury even more, select utensils (tongs, forks, skewers etc.) with longer handles, so that you’re able to keep your body and arms further from the heat source. Of course, do make sure you’ve actually got a barbecue grill to cook with – bit pointless otherwise!
2. Set Up Your Cooking Area Outdoors
First port of call: make sure you’re setting up everything outdoors, and not in an enclosed area or under a canopy. Avoid all small spaces and put your BBQ on a non-flammable surface. Seems obvious, but we’ve seen enough YouTube videos to know that people need to be told this from time to time! You’ll need to consider whether the space you choose to cook in will have a high amount of “traffic” – be mindful of how people may need to move around you while you’re standing at the grill. Be especially aware of children and animals, as they won’t be as wary of a hazardous sizzling tray of coals as an adult.
Yes, we know it can rain sometimes. No, we can’t control the weather.
3. Make Sure Those Coals Are A – Glowin’.
A non-toxic solid fuel is essential for a traditional BBQ; You can use bagged lumps of charcoal for that quick heat-up duration or use charcoal briquettes to create a longer lasting heat. Both supply consistent heat for an evenly cooked meat joint. Use a couple of firelighters to get started – when lit, they will burn for 8 to 10 minutes to really get that flame blazing. White Horse energy sells these in packs of 50, 200 and 500 on our White Horse Express page. They’re incredibly versatile and a fool-proof necessity for even the most seasoned BBQer. The flames will soon lick around the coals or briquette and generate some impressive heat.
4. Direct Grilling.
You can choose between direct or indirect cooking methods, but this is the classic method. Grilling takes a maximum of 20 minutes on a high heat. Any longer and you risk your food becoming charred and inedible. The direct method is ideal for a perfect rare steak – sear both sides and you’re good to go. Our lumpwood charcoal creates a beautiful smoky flavour and you can cook directly on the coals (at your own risk) to truly saturate the meat and make everyone’s mouths water in anticipation.
5. Indirect Cooking.
When the coals are placed on one side of the grill, this gives you the option to choose between methods. You can continue directly grilling other ingredients while your meat slowly cooks all the way through on the other side, retaining its temperature and smoky flavour. This will result in a delicious tender meat that falls off the bone and will guarantee that your cousins will love you to the fridge and back (if not the moon).
6. Cooking Larger Joints.
For food that usually relies on an oven (bread, a whole roast chicken, casserole) you need not waste that heat on your BBQ. Place charcoal or briquettes either side of the grill, leaving a gap in the middle. You can also add a drip tray containing a small amount of water to maintain the heat for longer and catch any drips from the food. If cooking with charcoal on one side, make sure to rotate your meat regularly for an even cook. Ecoblaze charcoal briquettes are ideal for this method, as they have an unmatched burn duration, and the desired temperature can be maintained for hours.
7. Check The Temperature Regularly.
It’s a good measure to use a meat thermometer, as this makes checking your meat much simpler, instead of guessing how well-done your burger is. As a general rule, monitor the cooking process by measuring its internal temperature instead of timing the cooking duration. but you can roast on lower temperatures by using indirect grilling methods for larger joints of meat that take longer to cook.
8. Clean Up That Mess.
Residual grot stuck to the grill can be removed by simply turning the heat up high and letting it all burn off. If this doesn’t work, then wait ‘til your BBQ has cooled and wipe away remaining dirt using a special BBQ cleaner and a soft cloth. Don’t use abrasive sponges or scours as these could damage the metal and ceramic surfaces. But whatever you do, clean up as soon as you can, as this will ensure your BBQ will remain in good condition and will be one less thing to worry about the next time you use it.
9. Cool Off, Mate!
Coal takes a while to cool down – briquettes take even longer. First, remove the grate/grill with the tongs, then smother the coals to starve them of oxygen and let them cool down for 12 hours or more. You can close the lid on your grill to do this. It’s best to leave it overnight before disposing of it. It’s important to be aware that it could take up to 24 hours for all the heat to escape, so don’t dispose of your fuel unless you’re certain there are no embers left that could start a fire.
If you’re still not a level-headed grill extraordinaire after reading this, remember to keep practicing.
How to Grill Your Meat to Perfection: Interview with BeardandBBQ
We pride ourselves on knowing how to handle our charcoal products. We’ve spoken to Jack – a US based Instagram influencer and BBQing extraordinaire known as BeardandBBQ – to get the low-down on all things grill and roast related. Gaining almost 2,800 followers in the space of a year, his content has captured the hearts (and stomachs) of food enthusiasts everywhere. Here he answers a few questions and gives us his five top tips for the most effective approach to BBQing meat (vegetarians look away now).
Out Of All The Meats You’ve Cooked, What's Your Meat Of Choice, & The Best Way To Cook This?
This is a tough one as there are so many things I like! If I had to pick one, I would choose pulled pork. For me there is nothing better than a low and slow cook and this is the one of the ultimate BBQ meats that also has a variety of leftover Options! The best way for this is a low and slow cook around 225-250°F, which can last anything from 6-15 hours, depending on size. You just need your favourite BBQ rub to apply to the meat before cooking and patience! I will personally spritz the meat with apple juice every 45 minutes or so.
Many people will also wrap their pork butt in either foil or butchers’ paper once the meat has a nice colour and continue to let it cook until it reaches an internal temperature of around 195°F. However, many will also leave it unwrapped for the entire cook. This is the beauty about BBQ as you can experiment with many different methods.
When, & How, Did Your Beardandbbq Journey Begin?
I’ve always loved cooking and have been cooking since I was a kid. My Instagram journey, however, only started at the beginning of lockdown when I had started showcasing my cooks when I had a bit more spare time at home.
While You’re Cooking (especially with the low and slow technique), How Do You Keep Your BBQ Burning Steadily?
Have a good quality fuel source and a good understanding of heat management. There are many ways to do this depending on your type of grill. My best tip would be that it’s better to wait for a grill to slowly come up to temperature than to rapidly get it hot and then try to cool it down. The charcoal and briquettes burn steady and for a prolonged period of time. This makes them suitable for low and slow or hot and fast cooking. The lumpwood charcoal particularly has seen me through an 8 hour cook with no problem. To get them going, the Ecoblaze firefighters are an eco-friendly and easy lighting option that allow lumpwood charcoal or briquettes to go from the bag to glowing white in a matter of minutes.
What’s The Most Unusual Thing You’ve Cooked On The BBQ?
I would say the most unusual thing I have cooked on the BBQ is probably a cake. It’s not the first thing that springs to mind when you go out to BBQ but having a little smoky hit of flavour certainly makes it stand out!
Do You Have Any Advice For Beginners?
Don’t be worried about getting things wrong. Everyone was a beginner once and I don’t think there is anyone within this community that has got it right every time. I have had several cooks that haven’t gone to plan but ultimately this is how we learn.
If you want to get started, you don’t need an expensive grill or the most expensive cut of meat.
Get to know people in the community. I have made so many friends within the Instagram cooking community and there is so much knowledge that is on offer. If I am thinking of trying something new, I always have people I can ask for help.
Allow yourself more time than you think you may need. No two cuts of meat are the same and there is nothing worse than hungry people waiting to eat if your timings are off!
Get a good meat thermometer. A seasoned pro may be able to tell by touch when meat is finished, but for guaranteed results using a meat thermometer will get you great results each time.
Have a good quality fuel source. This can be lumpwood charcoal, briquettes or wood but having the ability to either get to really hot temperatures for searing or really low for the ultimate low and slow cook requires a quality fuel source.
Have patience – this is really for low and slow cooking. If you are cooking a big brisket, time is your friend!
Enjoy it!!!
Number five is probably the most important point – none of this is relevant if you aren’t enjoying the process! Having the right tools and the right mindset will allow you to experiment with the best flavours and textures, which will bring your grilling game to a whole new level. But most importantly, if in doubt, reach out to someone like Jack on social media for advice and inspiration. Follow Beardandbbq on Instagram to see some mouth-watering content: instagram.com/beardandbbq
Jack’s Top Tips:
- Allow yourself more time than you think you may need. No two cuts of meat are the same and there is nothing worse than hungry people waiting to eat if your timings are off!
- Get a good meat thermometer. A seasoned pro may be able to tell by touch when meat is finished, but for guaranteed results using a meat thermometer will get you great results each time.
- Have a good quality fuel source. This can be lumpwood charcoal, briquettes or wood but having the ability to either get to really hot temperatures for searing or really low for the ultimate low and slow cook requires a quality fuel source.
- Have patience – this is really for low and slow cooking. If you are cooking a big brisket, time is your friend!
- Enjoy it!!!
- Number five is probably the most important point – none of this is relevant if you aren’t enjoying the process! Having the right tools and the right mindset will allow you to experiment with the best flavours and textures, which will bring your grilling game to a whole new level. But most importantly, if in doubt, reach out to someone like Jack on social media for advice and inspiration. Follow Beardandbbq on Instagram to see some mouth-watering content: instagram.com/beardandbbq
Tips For BBQing in the Rain
There’s nothing worse than damp charcoal on a barbecue. Barbecues and British weather are two things that don’t tend to go hand in hand. Yes, it might be raining. Does that mean you need to cancel the BBQ? Not necessarily. There are plenty of ways to keep your BBQ out of the firing line of the rainclouds.
Get an Umbrella
For health and safety reasons, we don’t recommend this method, but this is still a popular choice (according to the British BBQ society Facebook forum). You can always get yourself a large brolly that will cover both you and the grill, or more ideally a parasol that can be secured to the ground properly. Remember that if you do this, ensure the umbrella is far enough away from the heat source to avoid any fire hazards! Holding an umbrella in one hand is a bit impractical, so this should probably be a last resort option. Robin Tunsley – a member of the British BBQ Society – couldn’t have said it any better… “The only trouble I found is, when using an umbrella, you have to put your tongs down to drink your beer”.
Cook Low & Slow
Rain will make the air cooler and damper, which isn’t ideal for reaching high grilling temperatures. However, this doesn’t have to stop you from cooking with lower temperatures. A bit of drizzle won’t stop you from achieving that tender pull apart meat on a larger joint. The best thing about this method is that the smoky flavours will be enhanced.
Add Extra Fuel
To keep those temperatures high, you will undoubtedly need more fuel. Place a layer of lit charcoal over a layer of unlit charcoal so that you can keep the heat for longer or continue adding it as you go along.
We recommend using a chimney starter to light the charcoal if you want to reach the desired temperature more easily. This allows you to get the charcoals hot before pouring them onto your grill – simply add a firelighter to get the flame going first. Chimney starters – or charcoal chimneys – can be bought at supermarkets, retailers or ordered on amazon.
Precook Indoors & Finish Off Outdoors
This method will work particularly well for something like ribs. You can leave them on a low heat for a while, then nearer to the time of serving up, transfer the dish to the barbecue to sear both sides for the last leg of the cooking duration.
Try Charcoal Briquettes
Charcoal briquettes – although more challenging to light – burn for much longer and are commonly used in pizza ovens, tandoor ovens and smoking pits. They are made from recycled wood waste that is compacted into a dense briquette shape. The briquette is then carbonised and turned into an even denser charcoal briquette. When you’re planning a barbecue that lasts for several hours this fuel will see you through some challenging cooks.
Make Or Buy A BBQ Shelter
If you can’t be bothered with all the above, you could just find a sheltered place to store your BBQ. You can buy grilling stations, with a little roof and storage space as a cute garden feature or you could even build one yourself.
IMPORTANT: Make sure this is in an outdoor space with plenty of air circulation – do not use a barbecue inside your home or garage.
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