If you have a grill gas you have it easy and the only trick is to check that the contents of the cylinder have not been exhausted. However, if you are one of the people who believe, because I include myself, that a good barbecue It is made with firewood or charcoalsurely you are always looking for the way to give life to the embers in the best way.
And it is that although it seems easy, it is notand we well know that it is not the same to make the fire when there is a lot of windwhen a little cold and rain (which are not impediments for barbecue fans), or when the space we are in does not contain the necessary qualities and we require a epic trick to give strength to the fire.
In the spirit that you learn something that makes you happy, and that you show off the next time you have to make the fireI give you these tips that will make you leave with force fire, in addition to doing so safe.
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Light the charcoal on the grill?
Let’s start with a version that I saw in the south and that, although it is rare and It is never recommended in small spaces such as terraces or small patios.it’s pretty good.
After brushing and passing a lemoneither onionto the irons of the grillyou put on them the Coal. Then below, where the coal goes, you light paper or thin cardboard so that the flames that rise begin to give direct fire to the coals that are above them. As there is a very good distance between the initiator (paper or cardboard) and the coals, it happens that a very good printing which gives them a quick force at the start of the fire.
Then very carefully, and with the help of thick cloths or gloves, you take the grill and go through or dump the charcoal on the grill.
Before putting the meat you wait until they are not too hot and clean the irons with a lemon or half an onion. Clever. Enjoy it!
Speaking of being careful:
Another piece of information that will be useful to you, because we do not always think about this, is to have a fire extinguisher or a large bottle of water near youin case the flames get out of control and have to be extinguished quickly.
And it is that as obvious as it may seem one of the greatest abilities of the large grills and grills is to control not only the fire on the grill but also to maintain a safe space for those who accompany you in the task of cooking with grace and style.
How important is the charcoal or firewood used?
For those in the south we grilled with firewood we know that the fundamental thing is that it be very dry, because a damp firewood is known to smoked excessively Y can turn a roast into hideous smoke.
Now, when we do it with charcoal, it is essential to always have a good quality charcoal produced in a sustainable way. Although it seems that any carbon is the same as the other, that is not true. The coal of Huallefor example, is the one I like, because it «sparks» less.
As Sernac indicates on its website, we advise you to pay attention to: in the forest species of carbon origin and its composition. The most common are the Espinothe quebrachothe Pine treeeither blends of these. Depending on the forest species or the proportion of combinations of these, heating value and performance of coal may differ. Prefer those containers that declare what species it is and the proportions of its contents (moisture, carbon, ashes).
The famous metal jar
In Chile we popularly call him «maricón» and that he is nothing more than a metal jar that serves as a kind of «chimney cannon» that stokes the fire. coal goes under, or surrounding the jar a little, in the manner of a small volcano. It works, not so much but it works.
Another alternative is to do it the other way around, that is, with the charcoal inside the jar.
you put the coal within, you set it on fire from below with paper or cardboard, and blow. The air flows inside the tube and makes the fire grow.
A kind of chimney is formed that protects the embers if there is a lot of wind. Once the coals are readyyou can safely and easily pour them onto the grill.
Simple and safe!
Making a coal volcano is also a good technique
Another very simple and effective way it is to make a pile of coal and give it combustion from the center.
Put newspaper balls or natural lighters (such as wood chips or wool) between the coals. Then light the paper so that the flames ignite. when they go up wait and go lowering the level of the flames so that they become internal embers that can be reanimated later.
When a few embers have lit up, the others will catch fire on their own, so don’t fan them too much by adding more paper or anything. If the heat begins to drop while grilling. Then keep the coals with air, ready.
Direct heat or indirect heat?
Something that not many people realize is that the way you place the coals will give you different heat zones and more control over your grill. And this has to do with the type of heat with which you want to make the meat. If it is direct it can burn it, if it is indirect it can take time and remain raw. Let’s see both possibilities
direct heat
If you think of a barbecue as cooking, lighting an even layer of charcoal is the equivalent to cooking everything at maximum temperature in the hottest pan. Although this direct method may be suitable for thin cuts of meat that cook quickly (like burgers and steaks), will incinerate and could spoil anything that takes longer to cook.
indirect heat
Distribute the coals to one side of the grill, Leaving the other side free to obtain a range of temperatures, it is a good option if you are going to mix different types of meat that require different cooking times. Like when we put sausages or longanizas that are done quicklyand we place them next to a thick cut of meat that requires several hours on the grill.
Use the non-charcoal side for indirect heat cooking. Coals on one side also allow you to cook on one half and keep food warm on the other.
Indirect cooking is perfect for large cuts and bone-in meat such as chicken and lamb. It is also ideal for more delicate dishes, such as fish fillets. Plus, it provides some direct heat where the coals are stacked in case you want to quickly brown other items. Cooking indirectly means that the food will not burn or burn.
Have you tried cooking with a container in the middle of the grill?
The second way to harness the heat is to place an old roasting pan or pan in the middle of the grill and stack the coals around it, then cook the food on the grill inside the pan, again covered by the lid. The heat circulates around the grill giving you an effect of hot smoked / roasted.
A little bit of each one
Tilting the embers creates a gradient of heat from searing heat to a gentle crackle. This comes in handy when grilling for a crowd – you can keep things going at one end while cooking full blast at the other.
How do you know when the charcoal is ready?
Well, we are coming to the end but there is one point missing that is very important. Because this thing about making a well-done barbecue is not a matter of throwing a match and that’s it, but of knowing every detail and perhaps the most important is knowing if the charcoal is ready or not.
If you start cooking something when the embers are not ready, it may overcook or burn, and the fame of the person in charge of doing the roast ultimately depends on the perfect cooking of what is put on top.
A good way to tell how your charcoal is doing is by looking at the colors.
Black or gray with flames: Not ready yet. Walk away, have a beer and relax. Missing.
Incandescent white with red centers (blow very gently to check): Ready to direct heat.
Ash white but still very hot: Ready for indirect heat or cooking to the coals
And that was it!
Now that you have all these tips, I hope you make yours and they serve you. Like the gift. You can consult them silently in the middle of a barbecue going to the bathroom and looking at this article again, in case you don’t want them to see you weak in grilling techniques; either writing them down in a sheet; either sharing them with whoever you want. The important thing is that they serve you.