Fire Up Your Grill Game: The Art of Homemade Charcoal

As summer nears and the barbecue covers come off, many people head to the hardware store for a bag of charcoal.

From a lighthearted barbequed meal to survival scenarios, learning how to make charcoal is a skill that can significantly enhance one’s life. And it’s pretty easy to make. This article delves into the traditional method of charcoal production, offering a step-by-step guide tailored to situations where modern conveniences are out of reach.

Understanding Charcoal and Its Importance

Charcoal is made by heating organic material, like wood, at very high temperatures without much oxygen. This process is called pyrolysis. This process removes water and volatile substances from the wood, (essentially baking the hell out of it) leaving behind carbon-rich charcoal.

​Apart from barbequeing, charcoal is incredibly useful in emergency or survival situations for several reasons:

• Water Filtration: Charcoal can be used to filter water. When water passes through charcoal, impurities and contaminants can be trapped, making the water safer to drink.
• Air Purification: In confined spaces, charcoal can help purify the air by absorbing ​odours and harmful gases.
• Cooking: Charcoal can be used as a fuel for cooking. It burns hot and relatively cleanly, making it suitable for cooking food.
• Heat Source: In cold weather, charcoal can be used as a heat source for warmth.
• Medical Uses: Charcoal can be used in ​emergencies to help treat certain types of poisoning. It can absorb toxins in the digestive tract, preventing them from being absorbed into the body.
• Signal Fires: Charcoal burns at a high temperature and produces a lot of smoke, making it useful for creating signal fires in ​​emergencies.
• Bartering: In a survival situation, charcoal could be used as a valuable commodity for bartering with others.

How to make it:

First, start the project early enough in the day. It will take hours for your wood to transform into charcoal and you don’t want to leave the fire unattended. As well, do this on a day with no wind, when there is no fire ban and in an area that is free from materials that can catch fire.

Materials Needed

• A metal container with a tight-fitting lid (e.g., an old paint can or a metal drum) (or 2 metal containers – see notes)
• Wood (hardwoods like oak, maple, or hickory work best for longer burning charcoal)
• A shovel or digging tool
• Safety equipment (gloves, safety glasses)

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Charcoal

1. Preparation of the Wood: Start by gathering dry hardwood (logs). It’s best to use wood that is roughly the same diameter. Cut it into uniform pieces to ensure even carbonization. The size of the wood should be small enough to fit into your container but large enough to ensure the process is efficient.

2. Arranging the Container: Once you have your wood ready, fill the container with pieces of wood. You want to fill the container tightly, leaving as little air space as possible. This arrangement promotes the best pyrolysis process.

3. Sealing the Container: Secure the lid on the container. It’s important to make the container mostly “airtight” however, you need to provide a small vent to allow gases to escape and prevent pressure build-up. This can be achieved by making a small hole (1/4” – ½” diameter hole) in the lid (or slightly loosening the lid).

4. The Carbonization Process: Dig a shallow pit and place your container inside, then cover the container (sides & top) with wood or charcoal. Light the fire. The goal is to slowly heat the container without directly exposing the wood to flames. This process can take several hours depending on the size of your container and the amount of wood you are carbonizing. The emitted smoke from your container will gradually lessen and then stop, indicating the completion of the process.

*Keep an eye on the container to ensure the pit fire doesn’t go out. You should see smoke coming out of the hole in the lid. If there’s no smoke, you may need to adjust the lid to allow more airflow.

5. Cooling Down: Once the smoke has ceased, carefully remove the container from the fire using appropriate safety equipment. Allow it to cool completely before opening. Opening the container too soon can introduce a lot of oxygen and ignite the charcoal.

6. Harvesting Your Charcoal: Once completely cool, open the container to reveal your charcoal. Store it in a dry place until needed.

Notes: Instead of putting a drum into a shallow pit you can use 2 metal drums. One larger drum and one smaller (eg. A 50-gallon exterior drum and a 30-gallon interior drum). If you do this, you should punch or drill small holes in the bottom of the smaller one and place it on a couple of bricks in the bigger drum. This allows for more airflow within the drum. Put the lid on the smaller one (with a small hole for gasses to escape). Then arrange scrap wood between the 2 drums as fuel and light it (you might need something to get the wood to catch fire). This makes a kind of kiln. You can use the large drum lid (with a vent hole in it) to cover the outer drum once the flames from the scrap wood die down.

The BBQ Pit Boys have a good video on it – their charcoal is beautiful and they are entertaining to watch.

You’ll note in their video that their inner drum has a series of vents (little holes) around the side near the top. We don’t see it but the bottom (inner drum) should have holes for airflow. The inner drum could be placed on bricks or something like that for better airflow. Instead of using the outer drum lid they add a makeshift chimney to also improve airflow and regulate the temperature inside the drum.

Charcoal has a wide range of uses beyond just fuel. Here are some other common uses:

• Soil Amendment: Charcoal, also known as biochar, is used as a soil amendment to improve soil fertility and water retention. It can also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from soil.
• Art and Drawing: Charcoal is a popular drawing material for artists due to its rich, dark color and ease of use. It can be used for sketches, shading, and detailed drawings.
• Industrial Applications: Charcoal is used in various industrial processes, such as metallurgy, where it is used as a reducing agent in the production of metals from their ores.
• Cosmetics: Charcoal is used in cosmetics and skincare products for its ability to absorb excess oil and impurities from the skin, helping to cleanse and detoxify.
• Deodorization: Charcoal is used in deodorizers and odor eliminators to absorb and neutralize odors in the air or from surfaces.
• Fireworks: Charcoal is used as a fuel and a propellant in fireworks to create sparks and explosions.

Photo by Lukas: https://www.pexels.com/photo/charcoal-is-on-burning-1309067/