Barbeque charcoal

Plentyofice

Anybody know where you can get charcoal cheap. Summer is coming and in B&Q you're paying €9 for a 7kg bag (i think). That generally wouldn't even last a full barbie (big barbie). I can find very little on the web bar american sites selling 16kg bags for $10 !!:o

olaola

http://www.westbiogroup.com/#/bbq-charcoal-etc/4535807741

Dunno how much it is though! They seem to do larger quantities too.

TheVoodoo

Yes, it's not charcoal, but i use Braii wood for my bbq's.

http://www.braaiwoodonline.com/Billtong.htm

20kg for 15e.( or deals on Bulk. ) Usually mix the wood with a bit of charcoal.

Unrealistic

Plentyofice wrote: »

Summer is coming and in B&Q you're paying €9 for a 7kg bag (i think).

That seems cheap. I just paid €4 for a 2kg Polish bag in my local Eastern European foodstore and €6 for 4kg self-lighting in Lidl. That works out at €2 per kg and €1.50 per kg respectively so if B&Q are really selling for €1.30 per kg that seems like a good price.

TheWorldisFlat

It's definitely time for the BBQ. I'm using the easy light charcoal from Woodies - there has to be better out the than that.

I find the briquettes difficult to light. I had a bag of charcoal from a local Polish shop last year and it was the business.

I'm new to this board so I'm expecting plenty of experts to enlighten me....

foodaholic

TheVoodoo wrote: »

Yes, it's not charcoal, but i use Braii wood for my bbq's.

http://www.braaiwoodonline.com/Billtong.htm

20kg for 15e.( or deals on Bulk. ) Usually mix the wood with a bit of charcoal.

so do you just mix a bit of charcoal in and away you go?
how do you light it ?

Plentyofice

The best I've gotten so far is charcoal in B+Q. 7kg for €8.60. I generally use some firelighters to get it started and then use the barbeque lighting fluid (about €3 per 500ml). All in all you're looking at a tenner .
Although €8.60 for 7kg is the best I've found it's still very dear. In the states you'll get 20kg for a tenner !! Ireland ...huh

opti76

charcoal chimney starter in argos are fantastic.. cheap one is 18 weber one is 23... you wont regret buying one of them ...

TheWorldisFlat

Plentyofice wrote: »

The best I've gotten so far is charcoal in B+Q. 7kg for €8.60. I generally use some firelighters to get it started and then use the barbeque lighting fluid (about €3 per 500ml). All in all you're looking at a tenner .
Although €8.60 for 7kg is the best I've found it's still very dear. In the states you'll get 20kg for a tenner !! Ireland ...huh

Thanks boss, I tried the B&Q instant light mixed with their ordinary charcoal. Worked a treat.

Planet X

5kg. Aldi €4.79 last weekend.

Lord Derpington

I know this is slightly off topic, but I have a gas bbq and was wondering if anyone knows if its ok to add charcoal/wood to the ceramic bricks for extra flavour.

I know all bbq's are different but still. There are holes in the base of the bbq that could be used for getting out the ash.
Just wondering if anyone has done it with theirs

slowburner

You'd probably need to take steps to stop the ash from clogging up the burners. Would it be worth it - I doubt it.
Tesco cc briquettes €4.99 for 5kg

Unrealistic

Lidl a bit of a swizz. They were selling 4kg bags of self lighting charcoal for €3.99 when they first got them in in April. When I bought a couple more bags in May they had gone up to €4.99. Now they are on 'Special Offer' as part of their BBQ week at €5.99.:eek:

slowburner

Unrealistic wrote: »

Lidl a bit of a swizz. They were selling 4kg bags of self lighting charcoal for €3.99 when they first got them in in April. When I bought a couple more bags in May they had gone up to €4.99. Now they are on 'Special Offer' as part of their BBQ week at €5.99.:eek:

It's a crappy charcoal anyway. i don't like/trust the self lighting stuff.

Unrealistic

slowburner wrote: »

It's a crappy charcoal anyway. i don't like/trust the self lighting stuff.

It's handy for getting started in a hurry. I throw a 1kg Lidl bag in the grate and it's white already in about 10 minutes. Then I tip in good shake of B&Q regular lumpwood charcoal to get enough to actually cook on.

olaola

Charcoal starter FTW! Forget buying one - get a catering can (empty!) and make one out of it. Takes about 5 mins. And works a charm.

CJhaughey

Here is a simple and cheap way of starting a BBQ, get a tin as Olaola says and punch lots of big holes around the base.
1 jam jar with lid and some white spirits.
Put a handful of your briquettes or Charcoal into the jam jar and a good slosh of the white spirits.
The WS will be absorbed very quickly by the charcoal and add more as needed turning so the WS is absorbed evenly.
remove the impregnated charcoal and stick it in the bottom of the holy can.
Light it and let it catch for a minute or 2 then cover with the untreated charcoal.
Wait about 5 minutes and use a pair of long pliers to empty the whole lot onto your grill.
You should be able to cook very soon after that.

slowburner

CJhaughey wrote: »

Here is a simple and cheap way of starting a BBQ, get a tin as Olaola says and punch lots of big holes around the base.
1 jam jar with lid and some white spirits.
Put a handful of your briquettes or Charcoal into the jam jar and a good slosh of the white spirits.
The WS will be absorbed very quickly by the charcoal and add more as needed turning so the WS is absorbed evenly.
remove the impregnated charcoal and stick it in the bottom of the holy can.
Light it and let it catch for a minute or 2 then cover with the untreated charcoal.
Wait about 5 minutes and use a pair of long pliers to empty the whole lot onto your grill.
You should be able to cook very soon after that.

Will try that this evening. Does a priest have to bless the can?

CJhaughey

slowburner wrote: »

Will try that this evening. Does a priest have to bless the can?

Only if the fires of hell appear unbidden in the can.;)

slowburner

Anyone ever made their own charcoal?
I've googled unsucessfully, well tbh I just couldn't understand most of it. I've a very short attention sp....

CJhaughey

slowburner wrote: »

Anyone ever made their own charcoal?
I've googled unsucessfully, well tbh I just couldn't understand most of it. I've a very short attention sp....

I have made it and looking at the mountain of wood I have I may make some more.
Not really worth it if you only need a small bit,but for serious BBQ its good fun. Takes a few days though.

slowburner

I need lots. Any pointers?

CJhaughey

An easy way is to get a 205litre steel drum, and stack it full of your wood
Try this method first, then scale it up if you need to make bigger quantities.
Hardwoods work best.

slowburner

Many thanks CJ. That's a nice, simple, no b.s. description of how to make charcoal. I've my doubts about the economics/environmentals of it, though - I'd expect you end up using a whopping amount of firewood to make a small amount of charcoal. The guy suggests a 12 hour fire for a 1 gallon tin, presumably this means a 24 hour fire for 2 gallons, 48 hours for 4 and so on.
Will give it a go.

CJhaughey

I go by the colour of the smoke from the holes in the can, it starts out white, then yellow, then blue. Thats when you stop the burning process by burying the can and shutting the o2 out.

kylemore56

Buy a charcoal starter for all they cost, look after it, and it will last a lifetime and make life a lot easier:D

JohnnyB23

Evening All,
I live in Trim, Co. Meath. I've been phoning garden centres and hardware's and none of them have charcoal in stock! Can anyone help me out?

Dizzyblonde

Welcome to Boards JohnnyB23.
As a general rule we don't revive very old threads like this when they've had no posts for over a year.
Also, for region-specific threads you're much more likely to get helpful replies if you post a thread in the relevant forum.
The Meath forum is here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=946