Tosa Binchotan - white charcoal 3 kg
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3kg Binchotan – White Charcoal - Tosa, Japan
Japanese Binchotan
Japanese Binchotan or Japanese white charcoal is known as the King of all charcoals, a favourite amongst Yakitori bars all over Japan due to it's clean burning properties and the amazing aroma and flavour it imparts when grilling. It is much harder and denser than ordinary black or lump charcoal and has a characteristic metallic sound when struck together.
Japanese Binchotan is the perfect charcoal for barbequing due to its long steady burning properties, and food grilled over Japanese binchotan results in a juicier texture and heightened flavours compared to many other charcoals. There is no smoke and it is completely odourless when burning, so the flavour of the food is kept pure. This of course all changes when you add meat to the grill. As the fats and oils drip onto the binchotan, plumes of delicious smelling smoke fill the air.
Compared to regular natural hardwood charcoal, Japanese Binchotan will burn many times longer and when finishing grilling, you should extinguish the charcoal so you can use it again. To extinguish simply place the charcoal in a covered metal container/pot so that oxygen is depleted. Alternatively, dip each piece of charcoal in cold water for 30 seconds and leave out to dry.
Genuine Tosa Binchotan
The Tosa binchotan we source is pure, 100% produced from Ubame oak trees (Quercus phillyraeoides) grown and processed in Tosa, in the Shikoku region of Japan. Tosa binchotan is becoming increasingly rare due to a shortage of quality Ubame Oak and the fact that many makers are reaching retirement age.
Tosa binchotan has a burn time of up to 5 hours.
Along with Kishu from Wakayama, genuine Tosa Binchotan are known as the best charcoal produced in Japan.
The flavour when cooking on authentic Japanese Binchotan is unparalleled, and as local demand in Japan far exceeds supply we are very fortunate to be able to offer this to our customers in Australia.
Charcoal Grades
Note: There are lower grades of white charcoal marketed as "binchotan" produced in Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Laos and Indonesia which are sometimes mixed with Japanese made product. There is also a tubular type of charcoal briquette (with a cylindrical hole in the middle) which is definitely not binchotan.
Inferior copies of binchotan charcoal often contain chemical accelerants and additives.
Prices
Not just for cooking, binchotan is used to deodorise shoe cupboards, purify water and for Ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement)
Some tips on using binchotan
- Use outdoors in a well ventilated open area
- Light over gas for approx 20-25 mins (it should be glowing hot), then transfer charcoal to your barbeque and let the heat build for an extra 20 mins
- Use a gas burner / cast iron gas ring connected to LPG or natural gas / open flame. You can also put it in a charcoal chimney, or an old pot with holes in the bottom. The naked flame needs to be in direct contact with the charcoal. Never use any fuel starters as they will affect the flavour of the charcoal.
*Note - Australia Only shipping.
