Coir for the BBQ

Barbequing is one of the most highly anticipated pastimes of the summer. If you’re a casual griller, you may barbeque only a few times a year. But for those of you who are grilling connoisseurs, you know that you have a variety of options when it comes to your grill. Do you choose charcoal or gas? Do you work with hardwood chunks or briquettes? Are you cooking a fast meat like a steak, or are you doing a slow roast?

With so many options out there, it’s easy to miss a few, and that’s why we’re here to tell you about coir for the BBQ. 

What Is Coir?

If you’ve never heard of coir, you’re missing out. Coir is an incredible renewable resource made from the fibrous part of coconut husks. While coir has been viewed as little more than a waste product for centuries, recent studies have shown that coir is a viable alternative to many synthetic products. After it has been processed, it has a number of uses, and more are added to the list every day. From an agricultural growing medium to an erosion control product to, yes, fuel for your charcoal grill, coir is an eco-friendly, sustainable product that’s changing the way the world views organic waste and how it can be used. 

Coir Charcoal

Coir charcoal briquettes are made from charred coconut shells pressed into cubes or rods. They provide a consistent heat with low ash and even temperatures. While they can burn at an incredibly high heat — up to 800 degrees — these temperatures can be easily controlled with venting, and coir charcoal briquettes have become a favorite among those who prefer the low-and-slow cooking method. 

Using coir for the BBQ is a great way to experiment with a sustainable, eco-friendly ‘charcoal.’ A properly produced coir briquette won’t have added chemicals, meaning that you’ll get a clean burn that won’t negatively impact the flavor of your meat (or whatever else you’re grilling). 

In addition to being a neutral grilling medium, coir charcoal briquettes burn for longer than traditional briquettes, and fewer briquettes are required to produce the same amount of heat. It is estimated that you need one-third to one-half as many coir charcoal briquettes as ordinary briquettes, meaning that a 7-pound bag of coir charcoal would perform as well as a 14-pound bag of standard briquettes.

Benefits of Coir for the BBQ

When you choose coir charcoal briquettes for your barbeque, you’re choosing an organic, sustainable, naturally renewable resource that doesn’t create undesirable fumes the way some commercially available briquettes do. Because of its even heat and low smoke production, coir briquettes can be safely used in indoor home smokers. 

Coir briquettes are excellent for residential and commercial applications, and, as more manufacturers produce them, they will continue to become more cost-effective. If you want to experiment with a new medium for your summer cookouts, try coir for your barbeque. You’ll be so pleased you’ll never want to go back to your old methods of barbeque!