Charcoal has been used for a long time in cooking. In fact, many societies continue to use this source of energy. However, it is common knowledge that using charcoal is not the most eco-friendly way to cook. This is perhaps the major downside to using charcoal. Charcoal is mainly produced from trees that have been cut down. This logging is many times illegal. Even when logging is legal in some places, cutting trees at a mass scale is detrimental to the environment. Therefore, when you choose charcoal, you will be promoting the wanton cutting down of trees. Growing trees to maturity literally take years and replacing the lost trees is a painstaking process. Below are other reasons why you should consider charcoal-less cooking.
When cooking with charcoal, you will have about 30 to 45 minutes of sustained temperature for the coal to reach its peak. This means that you will have to add more charcoal and wait until the temperatures are right. If you are having a barbecue, this becomes highly inconvenient. Thankfully, there is numerous electric smoker pulled pork recipes that you can use. This is if you are looking for excellent ways to make pulled pork. You do not have to compromise on the cooking process and such a smoker makes everything easy. Charcoal can be produced from various materials and in many cases, cheap charcoal will contain dirt and debris that cannot be used. Also, handling charcoal is not a clean process; you have to grapple with the darkening dust which can affect your health in the long term.
Compared to an electric smoker, charcoal will leave a lot of ash. If you are cooking often, this can create a huge pile that can be hard to deal with. Therefore, if you want to cook in a modern way where you do not have to handle unwanted residue, going charcoal-less is the best way. Some people will have a hard time lighting charcoal. This is because it needs fuel like gasoline to lightfast. If you are using manual tools, it may take more time than you desire. Also, cleaning after charcoal can be a daunting process; you can overcome this by using a cleaner source of energy.
Many times, because it is hard to adjust the temperature of charcoal, you will have to use indirect heating agents so that you achieve the right cooking results. This is difficult especially for people who are not used to cooking with charcoal. It needs a lot of experience to fully monitor temperatures while cooking. You also know that charcoal greatly increases the chance of carbon monoxide poisoning. Therefore, you must always be vigilant because carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless. Charcoal has to be used in places that have enough ventilation. Keep in mind that the charcoal fire can get out of hand and escalate the problem.
The good news is that there are many options and alternatives to charcoal. Electric and gas cookers can do a much better job when it comes to safety and temperature control. Going forward, eco-friendly approaches to cooking are more sustainable. This way, people and the environment are protected.
