Ian, my step dad, has been a traditional charcoal kilner for over 25 years. He spent the first two years living in a Showmans caravan in the middle of Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire, felling trees and producing charcoal using the traditional kiln method. I am often asked if he is the guy who built a home in the wood on Grand Designs several years ago (Ben Law) but he actually started out several years before, in 2000. It was then he bought the woodland we live in today and created a yard where he produces charcoal and cuts logs to deliver to customers in the local area.
I've helped out with kilning a few times over the years but last weekend Ian gave Dave a practical lesson in charcoal making. Here are a few snaps of the kilning process:
Wood laid in a lattice ensures air can be drawn in and forced out through the chimneys.
The smoke created when the fire is ignited in the bottom of the kiln is
Thick smoke bellows from the chimneys for over around 15-20 hours as the charcoal cooks within the kiln.When the smoke gets thinner. it is a sign the charcoal is almost ready.
When the mixture of gases emitted from the chimneys easily ignites when a flame held above them, it indicates the charcoal is almost ready
In Briton, we buy 60, 000 tonnes of charcoal each year, with around 95% being imported. Buying locally produced charcoal is more environmentally friendly than buying the imported bags generally sold in supermarkets as it hasn't traveled as many miles and has most likely been produced on a small scale, like we do. You will be supporting small local businesses too.
