Charcoal briquettes were developed by Henry Ford in the 1920s using wood scraps from his automaker. They are still popular for outdoor grilling, but may emit unhealthy gases. Lighting them can be a challenge, but electric charcoal lighters and instant briquettes are available.
Before propane stoves became popular for outdoor grilling, charcoal briquettes were a primary means of heating and barbecuing. They are still used by many, and even those who enjoy gas grilling can’t argue that the wood smoke taste produced by charcoal briquettes is often better or more authentic “barbecue.”
Coal has a long history in our world and is believed to have been discovered at least 5,000 years ago. Yet people would have to wait until the 1920s for charcoal briquettes when Henry Ford developed the manufacturing process.
Ford, best known for its automobile manufacturing, used wood scraps from its automaker, along with dirt and ash to create charred wood in large pits. The wood burned slowly and cooled slowly, leaving charcoal, which ignited quickly when used in barbecue pits. A continuous burning method developed by Orin Stafford helped Ford turn base coal into charcoal briquettes. This method took the wood through various kilns, producing much larger batches.
The preferred woods for charcoal are some of the harder woods, such as oak or walnut, and the briquette is essentially 90% charcoal. The other main ingredient in briquettes is charcoal, which can come in a variety of types and differs by manufacturer. To keep their shape, charcoal briquettes may contain small amounts of binding agents such as starch and may be treated with an accelerant such as nitrate, for faster lighting and burning. The blended ingredients are typically placed in molds, where high temperature and pressure help form the briquettes.
Charcoal briquettes from one point of view are environmentally friendly. They are usually made from wood waste and, in most cases, the trees are not cut down to make charcoal. On the other hand, the gases emitted during the use of charcoal briquettes or during preparation may not be as healthy. When towns or cities have “air change” days, they ask people not to use barbecues.
Lighting charcoal can be a bit of a challenge for the novice cook. First, only use them outdoors and in well-ventilated areas. Many people coat briquettes in lighter liquid, which really affects the final taste, and some people find it particularly off putting. Instead, you can build a small fire using some paper and scrap wood and then layer the briquettes. Another great invention is an electric charcoal lighter. With access to a plug, you can use a heating element to light charcoal briquettes quite easily. Just use them with care around children as they get very hot.
Sometimes you’ll find instant briquettes, where you simply light the bag on the fire to start heating the charcoal. In most cases, when cooking with charcoal, you need to wait for the coals to go from black, to red, and then to white before you start grilling. Red coals are usually too hot and can burn the outside of the meat without cooking it in the middle.
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