Homemade Charcoal Step by Step (Pics)

Beavercreek_Smoker

This is something I saw on youtube and wanted to try. After doing it once I probably won't do it again. It made about 50 pounds if I had to guess. I have a few cords of seasoned Oak that I got from a neighbor who felled 5 of his oak trees last year. It takes 10 times the wood to burn than the charcoal you make. But I think it would be so cool to make bacon with this charcoal, just to say I did it...

Cut wood

Grab Beer

Start fire

Grab another beer

After a good bed of coals, place barrel or in my case, a metal trash can full of wood chunks on the coals

Grab another beer

Stack plenty of wood around barrel

Watch fire burn while drinking beer

Stumble to bed smelling of smoke

Wake up next day and check out a can full of homemade charcoal

Basically I was burning the wood without oxygen. All that is left behind is the carbon. I drilled a 3/16 hole in the lid to allow smoke to escape but I don't think I needed to as the lid allowed plenty of the smoke to escape. 

theyolksonyou

That's pretty cool, but I'm with you, a lot of effort, not a lot of payback. But, Hey!, you can say you did it. Top it off with homemade bacon sound like a good story. My wife already complains because the dog and I smell like smoke and the dog doesn't shower. Think I'll just buy premade.

Beavercreek_Smoker

I noticed the top of the can some of the wood is not all the way converted to charcoal. the middle and down was. I suspect the top was not hot enough. This may be my smoking wood lol

Ragtop99

Neighbors must have been looking at your trash can fire and thinking WTF. Looking forward to hearing what you think of cooking on it.

DMW

I've been wanting to try this. The method I was looking at involved a 55-gallon drum + a 30 gallon drum. 

Thanks for the post.

Beavercreek_Smoker

LOL, naw. They know me and know my love for egging and doing weird things.