Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

We are in the Girne area and are looking for good quality BBQ charcoal that heats up quickly but does not flame too much and burn the food. Any suggestions of a good brand and the store where it can be found would be appreciated. Thanks.

blueparrot wrote:We are in the Girne area and are looking for good quality BBQ charcoal that heats up quickly but does not flame too much and burn the food. Any suggestions of a good brand and the store where it can be found would be appreciated. Thanks.

Sorry, we can't help you with a recommendation where to buy.

Curious to know though if you are dissatisfied with the quality of lumpwood charcoal purchased here in general, thus asking for good quality recommendations.

Interested in what other Kibkom members think of the standard of lumpwood charcoal available here, in respect of BBQ use only.

Tried many different makes of charcoal that are available.

All of them are pretty fast burning and seem not to last a long time. For a big bbq we tend to have to keep topping up the charcoal.

Not a problem tho and we don’t get hung up about it!

I find the stuff from the North tends to burn too quick and spit a lot (poorly made). Get mine from Lidl.

I'm rubbish at BBQ'ing, but my pal who is an absolute ACE just uses chunks of wood - the same as you would ( ) put in a log burner, and it seems to work just fine!

OK, let the expert give you a crash course on doing a BBQ.

1) You need to have patience. Light your charcoal at least half hour before you start to put meats on.
2) Do not use fuel to start the coal off, use paper and/or small pieces of wood as kindle.
3) Pile charcoal in middle of the BBQ on top of kindle, use a tin (opened at both ends) on top part of charcoal pile to funnel the smoke up.
4) Use more charcoal than you may think you need.
5) Leave charcoal to flame and go red, then when most is alight, spread them around the BBQ.
6) Fan the charcoal to accelerate the burning of the charcoal.
7) Leave, until charcoal has turned white/grey from the ashes.

Now you can put your meats on. If charcoal is still too hot, remove meat and pour loads of salt on the flames and then return the skewers.
If there is a lot of fat on skewers of meat which cause the charcoal to flame, then remove from heat, bang the tips of skewers of meat on edge of BBQ to remove excess dripping oil, then return over charcoal.

Let the smoke flavour your meat/chicken.

Never leave the BBQ to get a beer, the minute you leave, the flames will appear to burn your food.

Simples.

I do everything you have written Soner.

But.... I will admit to being caught out as I wandered off to find a beer. On my return it’s like a scene from KRAKATOA.

There is a good book which explains about Grilling over Charcoal and over wood called Berber and Q. I have my grill mad out of a medium sized gas bottle cut in half lengthways and hinged. I can adjust the height of the coals/wood with it too.By having the lid hinged I can close to smother the flame whilst adding the smoke flavour to the meat.

I do not think there is anything wrong with the charcoal here and if you use the traditional mangals there are no vents so it burns slowly. If you are using a stone built grill 2 issues to watch for, the flue will make it burn quicker and the stone sucks in a lot of heat, good to burn a fire in it before setting up to cook.

Wood I use is almond, olive, carob or apple.

Been doing the same as you Soner for years, minus the funnel, just needs time to go to white

Jonnie, that's the best way to use a gas bottle for a BBQ