BBQ Charcoal

OmegaRed

Hi All,

Can anyone recommend a brand/type of charcoal and where to buy it? Looking for something that stays white hot for a long time and doesn't break up and fall to far to the bottom of the grill...

I'm living in Dublin city center so if anyone has pointers, please let me know where I can pick it up

Thanks!

CJhaughey

Don't buy anything that says Briquettes on the bag. They are rubbish and mostly sand in my experience.
There is a brand that comes in a black heavy paper bag with red white and yellow graphics, it's lumpwood charcoal and is good stuff.
Any lumpwood charcoal should be pretty good.
To get it going I use a big old tin can with holes punched around the side near the bottom.
Fill it with small pieces of charcoal and soak with BBQ starter fluid.
Wait for a few minutes and light it. after about 10-15 mins tip the mass of coals into the middle of the rest of the charcoal and cover it with more charcoal this will kickstart the charcoal rather than waiting ages for it to light.

CJhaughey

To revive this thread, Namchar is the brand of charcoal that I find the best.
100% Namibian hardwood charcoal, I got some today €6.95 for a 5kg sack.
The heat it produces is amazing, I lit a third of a bag with a few firelighters and once it had turned white I could hardly stand near the BBQ. It lasted at full heat for over 45mins and even an hour later I could still cook with the coals.
This is the best charcoal I have used.

OmegaRed

CJhaughey wrote: »

To revive this thread, Namchar is the brand of charcoal that I find the best.
100% Namibian hardwood charcoal, I got some today €6.95 for a 5kg sack.
The heat it produces is amazing, I lit a third of a bag with a few firelighters and once it had turned white I could hardly stand near the BBQ. It lasted at full heat for over 45mins and even an hour later I could still cook with the coals.
This is the best charcoal I have used.

Cheers mate. Where did you buy them?

CJhaughey

OmegaRed wrote: »

Cheers mate. Where did you buy them?

I got them in an Arro hardware store, I will find the distributor out tomorrow if you want and see if they stock Dublin.

OmegaRed

CJhaughey wrote: »

I got them in an Arro hardware store, I will find the distributor out tomorrow if you want and see if they stock Dublin.

that would be great mate but don't go far out of your way to find out. thanks though!

Planet X

http://www.arro.ie/Arro/StoreLocator.aspx

good one

Is there anywhere else selling Namchar or simliar charcoal? (Newry to Dublin)

I've tried Arro in Balbriggan but they didn't have any.

Cocoon

good one wrote: »

Is there anywhere else selling Namchar or simliar charcoal? (Newry to Dublin)

I've tried Arro in Balbriggan but they didn't have any.

B&Q and Woodies have loads of lumpwood charcoal, I use the B&Q lumpwood all the time and it burns hot. If you have a kettle BBQ you can close the vents when finished and save whatever charcoal is left for next time. It doesn't fall apart like briquettes and is much cleaner.

airboos

Just resurrecting an old thread here.

Am looking for a decent amount of charcoal for cooking a whole pig so she will be burning for about 8-10 hours or so.

A google search lead to a place on the Naas Rd in Dublin run by some South Africans who import Namchar and give good discounts. Can't find an address/phone number and am on the north side so don't particularly want to go on a wild goose chase.

Does anyone know if the place is still there and can give me some details?

Cheers

Brian?

I always use briquettes to be honest. According to the good people at Weber, lumpwood doesn't burn as hot or as long so I go along with their advice.

Just don't buy any that's impregnated with a starter fluid to help light it.

This doesn't disagree:

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/zen_of_charcoal.html

Amazingribs answers all your BBQ queries .

lordstilton

Don't use lighter fluid..A few pieces of sticks at the bottom of your chimney and some newspaper underneath should get it going..another site thats really good is http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/ Its mainly for webber smokers but there is a really good kettle section too.

CJhaughey

briankeating wrote: »

I always use briquettes to be honest. According to the good people at Weber, lumpwood doesn't burn as hot or as long so I go along with their advice.

I have to say that Namchar lumpwood beats all other types of fuel that I've ever used.
Maybe the Briquettes that Weber sell are good but the ones here are all sand and quite frankly are shíte.
I have a friend who does BBQ professionally for a living and he uses Namchar exclusively because it burns so hot for so long.
Its worth a try IMO, you could be in for a surprise.
Airboos
Try this thread Unklerosco was doing a group buy.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056649554

zacmorris

I'm after some Namchar myself, dying to try it. Briquettes are just crap!
I can't keep consistent heat when doing a cook over 1hour. Te briquettes I'm using (tried loads of types) lose heat very quickly- so I'm constantly filling up my chimney starter to add more.

CJhaughey

zacmorris wrote: »

I'm after some Namchar myself, dying to try it. Briquettes are just crap!
I can't keep consistent heat when doing a cook over 1hour. Te briquettes I'm using (tried loads of types) lose heat very quickly- so I'm constantly filling up my chimney starter to add more.

Try asking unklerosco if he has some that he will sell you?