Out daughter got us a big Weber charcoal grill for Christmas. Can we use small blocks of kiln dried oak instead of charcoal to cook on it? I'm looking for links about cooking on charcoal grills with wood. Here's one. http://woodforcooking.com/wood-cooking-for-beginners/ Any suggestions appreciated.
Brian-- read any of my threads in this forum where I am cooking outside, it's all done on wood and wood scraps from the splitter. I am contemplating doing a how to video or two on just that subject this spring. Get yourself a charcoal chimney starter and you can build some nice fires. After about 15 mins of burning it becomes pretty smoke free. Add extra wood if you want the smoke. Enjoy, let me know if you have any specific question. Oh, and you don't need any fancy kiln dried wood, and don't be spraying any lighter fluid on it. Just use the chimney starter with a single piece of newspaper.
Great, thanks Jack. I haven't spent much time reading the threads in this subforum so I've got some homework to do. I've got several cords of the kiln dried oak ends and a lot of it is in 3"x3" blocks from 3" to 10" long or so. Its great for firestarter/kindling but with this big new Beta stove, which almost always has enough hot coals left to restart splits, I'm never going to use it all up. I'm also thinking of picking up one of these at some point to play with (I should be able to cook a lot of meals with all the kiln dried oak ends I've got squirreled away):
Even if you are just burning junk off the lawn, you will love how your burgers and pork chops taste. And by junk, I mean firewood scraps, not like dog poo and stuff.
Thats pretty cool Brian but I would be leery about using it indoors maybe if you had some really good ventilation like next to an open window but not in an unventilated area.
I'd only use it inside for emergencies and only then by a partly opened window. We camp too, we have a pop up. I could see this being put to heavy use on our camping trips.
It is much safer to use chunk charcoal if burning indoors, more volatiles have been burned off. But, again, no lighter fluid!
My 3oz Dixie cup, shredded paper and wax firestarters would probably work well in this type of stove. I need to see one in operation. I wonder if with the stack on it they can be lit and covered until the fire is hot enough to cook, or if they must be left uncovered while the fire gets established. A friend has a Biolite stove, its a wood gas stove with the TEG powered fan. Great little stove but can only be used outdoors.
I cook with lump all the time with great results...and no never lighter fluid or briquettes. The shredded paper and wax fire starters should work very well.
