The first recorded use of charcoal is as a pigment in cave paintings which are 34,000 years old. Copper was first smelted 7,500 years ago and charcoal was used in increasing amounts once its important as a metal working fuel was discovered from 2000BC onwards, the periods known as the Bronze age and the Iron age. The first evidence of organised production of charcoal in coppiced woodland traces back to around about 4000BC so the organised production of charcoal pre-dates organised production of food on farms. At the end of the first millenium AD charcoal lots it's pre-eminence as the fuel of industry being replaced by fossil fuels however charcoal production had a renaissance in the industrial age because charcoal, combined with sulphur (obtained from natural deposits) and saltpetre (extracted from human urine, collected in barrels in inns) in exactly the right proportions became gun-powder. Much charcoal for BBQ use is made in cylindrical kilns, in much the same way as it was seven thousand years ago, however some larger scale charcoal production occurs in larger kilns called retort kilns, which even so are stacked and lit in much the same way as they always have been. A major chore of traditional charcoal making is the unloading of the traditional cylindrical kiln. The only way to unload a cooled charcoal kiln is to get down and dirty and to get fully into the kiln and to unpack the burnt charcoal by hand, a hugely dirty and dusty job. In the seventeenth century such was the demand for charcoal that teams of men lived for months on end in coppiced woodland stacking and unloading the kilns. Their lungs must have suffered terribly from the charcoal dust ant they must have been constantly dirty from the charcoal dust, however there was always plenty of lovely char-grilled food to enjoy at the end of the working day! Retort kilns nowadays produce charcoal quicker and facilitate much easier loading and unpacking. Charcoal when removed from the kiln consists of lumpwood pieces which can be used directly as a fuel and smaller particles called fines which can be used packed with a binder in charcoal briquettes or as a mulch on gardens.
Carbon grills live in a realm all their own. With this type of flexibility the barbecue can be at your home, the nearest parks, a friends or even the beach. Especially popular in South Florida because of hurricane season (both the football team and the weather), this collection encompasses stylish grills as well as multipurpose selections that offer portability and more. View the many possibilities within this site.
Products on this page:
Extra-Large BBQ Grill w 800 Square Inch Capacity
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MasterBuilt Barrel Grill - 840 sq. inches cooking space
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Portable Charcoal Grill - Stainless Steel
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22" Backyard Barbeque Grill - Red & Black
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Lone Star Texas Outdoor Fire Pit
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Char-Griller® Smokin Pro BBQ Grill w Side Fire Box
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Charcoal Vertical Smoker w Two Grates
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Double Grill Charcoal Smoker
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22 1/2 in. Portable Grill in Stainless Steel w Lower Storage Rack
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Portable Kettle Charcoal Grill in Black
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Smoke'N Grill Charcoal Outdoor Cooker in Stainless Steel
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Portable Gas Grill in Steel w Black and Chrome Finish
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Brinkmann Go Grill Round Charcoaler with Grate
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Starry Night Outdoor Fire Pit
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Multi-Purpose Quadque Smoker for Grilling, Smoking, Steaming
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Char-Griller® Patio Pro Mobile Smoker Grill
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Char-Griller® Wrangler Portable Outdoor Smoker & Grill w 600 Square Inch Grilling Capacity
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Sportsman Charcoal Griller and Smoker in Black
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Brinkmann Gourmet Grill and Smoker in Green with Vinyl Cover
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Brinkmann All-In-One Cooker with Domed Top and Stand
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Stainless Steel Backyard Grill w/ Hardwood Side Shelves
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Cowboy Theme Outdoor Fire Pit
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Outlaw BBQ Char-Griller® - Large Capacity Charcoal Grill & Smoker
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Portable Black Grill - Charcoal Fueled
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Brinkmann Smoke'N Grill Charcoaler with Temperature Gauge
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Moose Tracks Outdoor Fire Pit
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Barbeque Charcoal Cart w/ Wooden Shelves
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Portable Table Top Charcoal Grill w/ Chrome Plated Legs
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Char-Griller® Super-Pro BBQ Grill w 830 Square Inch Capacity
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Charcoal Grill - Portable
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14" Charcoal Grill w/ Enamel Finish - Portable
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Horseshoe Outdoor Fire Pit
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18.5" Black Porcelain Coated Kettle Grill by MasterBuilt
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All-In-One Gas & Charcoal Grill
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Brinkmann Cook'N Carry Lightweight Charcoal Grill and Smoker