BINCHOTAN CHARCOAL: THE ULTIMATE CHOICE FOR BBQ ENTHUSIASTS
Are you curious why binchotan charcoal is the ultimate choice for barbecue experts? This type of charcoal, known for its purity and long burning time, distinguishes itself with consistent heat that elevates your grilling experience to new heights. Keep reading to understand what makes binchotan charcoal so special and how it can transform your barbecue experience.
Key Points
Binchotan charcoal is renowned for its purity with a carbon content of up to 98%, providing intense heat and long-lasting, consistent temperature during grilling, as well as the potential for reuse.
The production process of Binchotan is a traditional Japanese craft where wood is slowly burned into charcoal in specially designed kilns, resulting in charcoal of exceptional quality with a distinctive grey glow.
Binchotan is environmentally friendly due to its chemical-free composition, offering a smoke and taste-free grilling experience, and when combined with the Shichirin Grill, it is ideal for preparing perfectly grilled meat and fish dishes.
The Exceptional Qualities of Binchotan Charcoal
Binchotan charcoal, often hailed as the 'king of charcoal types worldwide,' is a phenomenon in its own right. With an extremely high carbon content ranging from about 95% to 98%, this original binchotan charcoal stands out for its pure composition and ability to emit intense heat. This not only makes it the most suitable charcoal for culinary applications but also highlights the unparalleled Japanese quality standards pursued during its production.
The scorching hot Japanese charcoal is a symbol of efficiency and durability, thanks to the impressive heat production that persists for a long time while maintaining a constant temperature. It is this consistency that transforms grilling into a true craft. Because of these characteristics, and the fact that reusing binchotan charcoal is possible, many chefs and enthusiasts choose this high-quality charcoal over ordinary charcoal types.
There are several variants of this charcoal type, each with its own unique burning properties. Whether it's binchotan eucalyptus or binchotan lychee, each type has a distinctive grey glow and offers a specific grilling experience for various types of food.
The Art of Making Authentic Japanese Binchotan
The production of authentic Japanese binchotan charcoal is an art in itself, a beautiful traditional method dating back to ancient Japanese traditions. The meticulous production begins with selecting the right wood species, which are then slowly heated in specially designed stone and clay kilns where the binchotan burns. The binchotan burners operate these kilns with great craftsmanship. It is a meticulous process where the wood is slowly heated to 200°C with minimal oxygen supply for ten days. This method prevents combustion and promotes carbon purity.
When the charcoal finally reaches the right red glow, a sign that it has reached the desired temperature of about 1000°C, it is rolled in ash and sand to fixate the heat and give it the distinctive grey glow. This intricate process results in a product that is unmatched in quality and performance, thus forming an essential part of the Japanese charcoals known for their impeccable burning properties.
Differences Between Binchotan Variants
The genuine Japanese binchotan charcoal is supplemented with various variants, each with its own character and suitable for specific applications. Binchotan Eucalyptus, for example, is known for its long burning time averaging 4 hours and the ability to reach temperatures of 870 to 1000°C. This makes it an ideal choice for grilling that requires even and constant heat.
On the other hand, Binchotan Maitew, with an even higher carbon content and the capacity to reach temperatures of 1000 to 1200°C, resulting in an average burning time of 6 hours. This makes it an excellent option for grilling that requires intense heat. Variants like Binchotan Konia and Binchotan Lychee also offer specific benefits, such as slightly shorter burning times but comparable high temperatures, making them suitable for a wide range of grilling tasks.
The diversity of variants ensures that there is a suitable Binchotan for every grilling need.
Lighting Binchotan: A Step-by-Step Guide
Lighting the appropriate charcoal is a crucial step in ensuring a perfect barbecue experience. Although lighting Binchotan requires a bit more time and attention than regular charcoal, the result is more than worth it. The process begins with ensuring the right supplies and safe placement of the charcoal. Additionally, proper ventilation is essential to optimize airflow, aiding in the ignition of the charcoal.
A commonly used method is placing the Binchotan on a bed of regular charcoal that is already glowing well. The Binchotan is then flipped and rearranged until it begins to glow and is covered with a white ash layer, indicating it is ready for use.
Another method is using a gas torch, which can ignite the Binchotan within about 15 minutes, or using Quick-Koko grill bricks that facilitate and expedite the process.
Sustainable Grilling with Environmentally Friendly Binchotan
Binchotan charcoal is not only known for its superior grilling capabilities but also for its environmentally friendly properties. It is produced without the addition of chemicals, giving it a purer composition that does not emit smoke or taste during grilling. This makes it an ideal product for grill enthusiasts who value not only quality but also sustainability and the environment.
Thanks to the lack of chemicals, Binchotan charcoal provides a smoke and taste-free grilling experience, making it a more environmentally friendly alternative to other charcoal types that often contain chemicals. Furthermore, due to its high carbon purity and low ash production, it offers ecological benefits, simplifies cleanup, and contributes to a more sustainable barbecue.
The Ideal Match: Binchotan and the Shichirin Grill
The Shichirin Grill and Binchotan charcoal form a perfect combination for the ultimate grilling experience. The grill is specially designed to withstand and retain the high temperatures produced by Binchotan, thanks to the use of heat-resistant, insulated ceramic material. These properties allow Binchotan to burn at a constant temperature, which is essential for achieving that perfect grilled texture and flavor.
Moreover, with Binchotan charcoal, a grilling session of 3 to 5 hours can be realized, making it an ideal match with the Shichirin Grill often used for prolonged and intensive grilling tasks. This combination allows for the preparation of dishes that not only taste delicious but also offer an authentic grilling experience.
The high temperatures and consistent heat produced by Binchotan charcoal are ideal for grilling meat and fish. Binchotan is nearly odorless and produces no smoke or splatters, providing a pure grilling experience and beautifully caramelizing the natural sugars in food for an umami flavor. Thus, chicken yakitori style and thin slices of Wagyu beef are perfectly grilled by the even distribution of Binchotan in a Shichirin grill, offering an authentic yakitori BBQ experience.
When grilling fish on a Shichirin grill, it is essential to place the fish over evenly glowing Binchotan to prevent overcooking and form a beautiful crust. Shellfish, on the other hand, should be placed directly over hot Binchotan for quick and intense cooking. Even reused Binchotan can still generate high temperatures, making it suitable for preparing flavorful meat, fish, and vegetable dishes.
For inspiration, you can always check out our recipes page.
Reuse and Maintenance of Binchotan Charcoal
One of the many advantages of original binchotan charcoal is that it can be reused, making it a sustainable choice for both your wallet and the environment. To safely extinguish Binchotan charcoal for reuse, it can be placed in a metal container with a tightly sealed lid, extinguishing the fire due to the lack of oxygen.
Another option is to immerse the charcoal in sand or gravel, isolating the fire from oxygen and allowing it to slowly extinguish. Once the Binchotan is extinguished, it can be immediately immersed in cold water and then dried for future use. It is important to store Binchotan in an airtight environment to prevent moisture absorption, which could otherwise lead to crackling sounds when ignited.
An appropriate way to store Binchotan is the BBQ Flavour storage box. The BBQ Flavour storage box has a professional waterproof finish with a lid and is ideal for this purpose. In this storage box, you can store up to 10kg of charcoal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to do with Binchotan after BBQ?
After the grilling session, it can be easily extinguished and reused by sealing it in a closed Barbecue/Kamado or by extinguishing it in water and letting it dry for a day.
How do you know if charcoal is good?
High-quality charcoal has a high carbon content, indicating that it has been properly manufactured. This is an important indicator of charcoal quality.
Which is the best charcoal?
The best charcoal can be found at BBQ Flavour, from premium charcoal to Binchotan and smoking woods and chunks. BBQ Flavour has everything for a perfect BBQ experience.
How do you light Binchotan?
To light Binchotan in the Shichirin, use a gas torch for about 15 minutes. Place the Binchotan coals diagonally on the charcoal bed and let them burn. This way, you can enjoy the delicious dishes you can prepare with them.
Another effective method to light binchotan: start by creating a sturdy base with the lighter combustible charcoal. Quick koko or marabu are ideal as they ignite quickly and emit high heat, which is necessary to activate the binchotan.
In this post, we have examined the unique properties of Binchotan charcoal, from its careful and traditional production to the different variants, each with its own burning characteristics. We have seen how this charcoal can be lit and used properly for a sustainable and environmentally friendly grilling experience. The synergy between Binchotan and the Shichirin Grill ensures superior grilling results, perfect for preparing meat and fish.
It is clear that Binchotan charcoal is more than just a fuel; it is an essential part of the art of grilling. With the ability to reuse and maintain this charcoal, it offers a sustainable and economical choice for every barbecue enthusiast. We hope you are inspired to try out this "black diamond" of charcoal types and elevate your grilling skills to new heights.