Setup

Can you Use Charcoal on a Somerset Grill?

Yes. Wood is what the grill was built for, but a good British lumpwood charcoal works well on its own or mixed in with the logs – and the Ember Maker gives it the airflow it needs for an even burn.

Lighting charcoal in the Ember Maker

1. Start with kindling

A few pieces of kindling at the base of the Ember Maker.

2. Pour the charcoal on top

Fill the Ember Maker with lumpwood on top of the kindling and light it with a natural firelighter. The Ember Maker’s open sides give the charcoal plenty of oxygen, so it catches evenly.

3. Knock the embers down

Once the fire has reached the kindling and embers start falling through, use the Ember Rake to knock the rest of the coals into the cooking area. You’ll have a flat, flaming-hot bed in minutes.

Which charcoal

Use a proper British lumpwood, not briquettes – briquettes burn cooler and leave more ash. We buy ours from House of Charcoal. Restaurant-grade lumpwood burns longer and hotter than the bag from the garage.

Charcoal or wood?

Charcoal gets you cooking faster and gives a steadier, cleaner heat – handy for a weeknight steak. Wood takes about an hour to a bed of embers but gives you the smoke, the flavour and the flames the grill was designed around. Plenty of owners do both: charcoal to get going, a log or two in the Ember Maker for the flavour.