3 ms·

I'm disappointed the article neglects to mention the use of actual coal in Kingsford briquettes. I imagine charcoal alone would not be energy-rich enough to get

I'm disappointed the article neglects to mention the use of actual coal in Kingsford briquettes. I imagine charcoal alone would not be energy-rich enough to get the temperatures. Anyway, the environmental permit applications for their plant in West Virginia (close proximity to coal) are available online and make for interesting reading: https://dep.wv.gov/daq/permitting/titlevpermits/Documents/March%202014/Kingsford%20Parsons%20FS.pdf https://dep.wv.gov/daq/permitting/titlevpermits/Documents/Ma... https://dep.wv.gov/daq/permitting/titlevpermits/Documents/November%202022/093-00004/FinalPermit_R30-09300004-2019(MM02).pdf https://dep.wv.gov/daq/permitting/titlevpermits/Documents/No... For example, one can learn that their VOC emissions are in excess of 100 tons/year or that they can use 80,000 tons of coal per year. I guess folks that are willing to saturate their food in vapors of lighting fluid wouldn't care about a little bit of coal...

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
encoderer 3y ago
Not an expert here, but I imagine they shove a bunch of wood briquettes into a barrel and seal it shut and then put it in a coal-fired furnace. The wood smolders but there’s no oxygen so charcoal is formed. No coal or coal vapors going in here. Thoughts? I’ll add - you don’t need fluid! Newspaper or shopping bags and some canola oil works every time.
- lukevp 3y ago
  No, the briquettes have actual coal in them. I was surprised too. I’m switching to lump charcoal when my kingsford runs out. “That char is then mixed with ground coal and other ingredients to make a charcoal briquette.” [1] “Technically, charcoal briquettes aren't actual charcoal, but a combination of charcoal and other ingredients molded into easy-to-light lumps. Kingsford Charcoal, for example, by far the most popular brand in the US, is made up of bits of charcoal, coal, starch (as a binder), sawdust, and sodium nitrate (to make it burn better). For the same reason that SPAM is cheaper than a whole ham, briquettes are cheaper to make than all-wood charcoal.” [2] [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsford_(charcoal) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsford_(charcoal) [2] https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/everything-you-need-to-know-about-charcoal-from-briquettes-to-binchotan https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article...
  - firesteelrain 3y ago
    I had to look it up myself but even the brands with less fillers still include lots of fillers and that’s the only way you can do it
  - encoderer 3y ago
    Wow thank you! Ive been partial to lump but eager to try out a snake method with briquettes. I think I will skip that now.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

encoderer 3y ago

Not an expert here, but I imagine they shove a bunch of wood briquettes into a barrel and seal it shut and then put it in a coal-fired furnace. The wood smolders but there’s no oxygen so charcoal is formed. No coal or coal vapors going in here. Thoughts? I’ll add - you don’t need fluid! Newspaper or shopping bags and some canola oil works every time.

lukevp 3y ago
No, the briquettes have actual coal in them. I was surprised too. I’m switching to lump charcoal when my kingsford runs out. “That char is then mixed with ground coal and other ingredients to make a charcoal briquette.” [1] “Technically, charcoal briquettes aren't actual charcoal, but a combination of charcoal and other ingredients molded into easy-to-light lumps. Kingsford Charcoal, for example, by far the most popular brand in the US, is made up of bits of charcoal, coal, starch (as a binder), sawdust, and sodium nitrate (to make it burn better). For the same reason that SPAM is cheaper than a whole ham, briquettes are cheaper to make than all-wood charcoal.” [2] [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsford_(charcoal) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsford_(charcoal) [2] https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/everything-you-need-to-know-about-charcoal-from-briquettes-to-binchotan https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article...
- firesteelrain 3y ago
  I had to look it up myself but even the brands with less fillers still include lots of fillers and that’s the only way you can do it
- encoderer 3y ago
  Wow thank you! Ive been partial to lump but eager to try out a snake method with briquettes. I think I will skip that now.