If you have a barbecue Whether you have one at home and enjoy hosting meals with family and friends, or you work in a restaurant or grill house where you prepare barbecued food, you'll know that although many barbecue lovers deeply enjoy the moment of lighting the coals, there are many other people for whom lighting charcoal or wood can be a real ordeal.
The truth is, getting good embers It's a real art, but it is also true that until less experienced people can manage to light them correctly by following the right guidelines.
That's why, from Jumaco Maestro Ovens, Grill and barbecue manufacturers, we want to share with you The best lighting techniques for achieving perfect embers. So forget about trying to get your embers going by fanning them with cardboard or a hairdryer and take note of these tips!
But first, remember The most important thing for achieving good embers is oxygen Since fire needs air for good combustion so that the embers can ignite and to prevent excess smoke. And we don't want that, do we?
Now then, let's have a look at some Simple techniques for generating good embers with coal or wood.
Initiators
The fire starters They are products or objects that aim to help us to make the fire so that after, Coal or wood that we have chosen Can it turn on.
However, if we use initiators that contain chemicals like kerosene or other oil distillates we run the risk of them leaving odours and transferring to food, affecting its taste. Therefore, we recommend you use initiators as natural and ecological as possible such as, pineapples, wood chips, wooden boxes Firelighters made from wood or straw that allow fires to be lit quickly, effectively and safely without leaving any trace on food.
Wood-fired heating
This It is the most traditional way. to light the coals. However, when planning our barbecue, it's important to take into account that The process is slower when we start with charcoal briquettes.
To try and achieve the quickest possible flame, we recommend using logs that aren't too large (ideally around 30 centimetres).
Afterwards, all we will have to do is to light some pine cones or slivers of pine with newspaper or a firelighter (remember it's important that it's odourless) and, when good flames have been generated, gradually incorporating the logs and wait until they become good embers.
Coal-fired
With this technique, what we will have to do is to create a small mountain with the coal and place different starters at its base (pinecones, wood chips, or whatever you prefer) always trying to have different fire focal points distributed throughout the base so that the charcoal ignites and turns into embers homogeneously.
Furthermore, instead of making a mountain out of the coals We can also make a sort of volcano where we leave a space with air inside to put an igniter and light it. Likewise, it is necessary to light different flares around the base of the volcano.
The more spotlights you think you need, the more starters you'll require, but the quicker the ignition will be.
With fruit boxes
If you have at home legs Typical wooden crates that some fruit and vegetables come in such as strawberries, you should know that they can become your best allies because They are made from fine poplar wood, which is ideal for starting fires.
You just have to perform a few holes in the base (if they don't already) to ensure the air enters properly, fill it with charcoal and place it on the barbecue at a 45-degree angle0.
Once you have this, all that will be left for you is to attach the base of the box using an adhesive And voilà! In a few minutes you'll have perfect embers.
Tongs
If what you are looking for it is the simplest, fastest and most effective way To always have your embers ready, the charcoal basket or chimney starter is your best option.
It is about a Metal cylindrical container with a grated base which allows a lot of air to enter. Its operation is very simple: you just have to Fill the charcoal basket with charcoal, place it on top of the barbecue and light it from the base with firelighters.
After a few minutes, as if it were a fireplace, the charcoal will start to catch. And, when it has transformed into embers, you will only have to tip them under the grill.
Smoke-free ignition
If you have an indoor barbecue or want to prepare it on the terrace or in a space that doesn't have too much ventilation, you'll be glad to know that Is it possible to light a barbecue without smoke.
To do this, the only thing You will need is Coconut shell charcoal and a gas blowtorch. You'll only have to Place about 10 charcoal cubes in a pyramid shape and light the base of the pyramid with the blowtorch.. Once the base is lit, the rest of the coals will light by themselves.
If you are thinking of acquiring a barbecue o grill for your home or business, don't hesitate Contact us. At Hornos Jumaco, we have an extensive catalogue of industrial barbecues., Brick barbecues and grills, and we also offer you the possibility of having it made to measure. Our specialists will be happy to advise you.
Source:
Benayas, J. M., Celada, E., & Hernández, A. (2018). Among burning embers: the secrets of fire cooking. Planet.
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