Charcoal making is an old craft, but that doesn’t mean the way we make it has to stand still.
At Chiddingfold Charcoal, we’ve made charcoal using traditional ring kilns as well as our more modern retort. The basic principle remains the same – heating British hardwood with a controlled amount of oxygen to turn it into lumpwood charcoal – but the way we achieve it has changed.
The Traditional Ring Kiln
For many years, ring kilns have been a familiar sight in British woodlands.
The kiln is packed by hand with timber before being covered and sealed. Once lit, the charcoal maker controls the burn by managing the air entering the kiln and watching the smoke coming from the chimneys.
It takes experience and judgement. The colour and behaviour of the smoke help indicate what is happening inside and when different stages of the burn have been reached.
It’s a traditional method of producing genuine lumpwood charcoal and one we’ve used ourselves.
Moving to a Retort
Our retort still turns real British hardwood into lumpwood charcoal, but it gives us greater control over the process.
Rather than the wood itself simply being allowed to burn, heat is used to drive the carbonisation process inside a controlled chamber.
As the timber heats up, moisture and gases are released and the wood gradually changes into charcoal.
Why Did We Change?
For us, moving to a retort was about improving the way we produce charcoal while keeping the product itself simple.
We’re still starting with British hardwood and finishing with natural lumpwood charcoal. What has improved is our ability to control the production process and make better use of the energy involved.
It also allows us to produce charcoal more consistently while continuing to use timber generated through sustainable woodland management.
The Craft Hasn’t Disappeared
Modern equipment doesn’t mean charcoal making has become a push-button process.
The timber still has to be prepared and loaded, and the process still needs to be watched and understood. Experience plays an important part in knowing how a burn is progressing and when the charcoal is ready.
The equipment may have changed, but we’re still making charcoal here in Chiddingfold from real British hardwood.
From an Old Craft to a Modern British Product
We like the fact that our charcoal combines the two.
Charcoal making has a long history in British woodland, and the traditional ring kiln is part of that story. Our retort is simply the next stage in how we produce it.
The result is the same product we’re interested in making: good-quality British lumpwood charcoal made from British hardwood, here in Chiddingfold, Surrey.
From woodland to kiln to BBQ – it’s a traditional product made for the way we cook today.
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