04/27/2026
Making Charcoal from Scrap Oak
Sawing logs generates a lot of scrap wood. We save some of it for firewood, but even that seems wasteful when you have big chunks of oak leftover. Why not make charcoal?
Ever wonder what’s in store-bought charcoal? Charcoal briquettes are remarkably uniform and consistent—what do they use in addition to wood to bind them together? Look at the label on “premium” chunk charcoal. Most of it’s not made in the United States. What kind of wood are they using? Is it wood? Any chemicals involved? Who knows…
I’ve been making charcoal for several years out of hardwood scraps (hickory and oak). It’s the best charcoal I’ve ever used, and I know what I’m getting. Burns hot and long and generates hardly any ash. See captions below:
