What kind of charcoal is best for a yakitori restaurant?
An explanation of why "Binchotan charcoal" is so commonly used!

What is Binchotan charcoal?

Binchotan charcoal is also known as "white charcoal."

The name "white charcoal" comes from the refining method used to produce Binchotan charcoal.

Binchotan charcoal is made by carbonizing wood in an earthen kiln, firing it at a temperature of around 1200°C, and then quickly extinguishing the flames with a mixture of earth, ash, and water called "keshiko." During the refining process, the ash from the keshiko that adheres to the surface of the charcoal appears white, hence it is called "white charcoal."

Binchotan charcoal refined in this way is extremely hard and has a long burning time.

Furthermore, because producing Binchotan charcoal requires extremely high skill, it is considered a premium product among the many types of charcoal available.

Characteristics of charcoal used in yakitori restaurants

What are the characteristics of the charcoal used in yakitori restaurants? Let's take a look at each one.

Far-infrared effect can be obtained

The far-infrared effect is an essential element for grilling delicious yakitori.

The far-infrared effect allows us to grill yakitori to a perfect crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. Such yakitori will delight many customers and turn them into repeat customers.

To achieve that perfect texture, it's crucial to cook the meat without making the inside tough. By grilling with far-infrared rays, you can keep the inside of the meat at a low temperature while crisping the outside.

Using Binchotan charcoal, which emits a large amount of far-infrared rays, could be considered an essential element for creating a thriving business.

High firepower

If you grill yakitori slowly at a low temperature, the flavor will escape and it will lack juiciness.

Some parts of the chicken, such as gizzards, require very high heat to cook, so using charcoal with sufficient heat output is essential. Also, even if the charcoal has high heat output, if it flares up easily, the surface of the meat will burn quickly.

Therefore, Binchotan charcoal, which has the characteristic of "having high heat output but not easily producing flames," can be said to be the ideal charcoal for grilling yakitori.

Long burn time

Yakitori restaurants need to maintain a fire for long periods of time, from half a day to a full day.

Therefore, it is important to use charcoal with a long burning time. Below is a summary of the typical burning times for each type of charcoal.

Binchotan charcoal: Approximately 8 hours
Charcoal: Approximately 3 to 8 hours
Ogalite: Approximately 1 hour

Using charcoal with a short burning time can increase the effort required to rearrange or add more charcoal, and it could also lead to problems such as being unable to meet sudden orders due to insufficient heat.

In short, the key to choosing charcoal for a yakitori restaurant is to select one that "emits a lot of far-infrared rays," "has strong heat output," and "burns for a long time."

Binchotan charcoal is a type of charcoal that meets all three of these criteria at a high level.

Why Binchotan charcoal is suitable for yakitori restaurants

As explained earlier, the reason why Binchotan charcoal is suitable for yakitori restaurants is that it possesses all the important points for selecting charcoal for a yakitori restaurant!

- Top-level heat output among charcoal products
- One of the longest burning times among charcoal products
- Top-level far-infrared effect among charcoals

There is no charcoal more suitable than Binchotan charcoal for a yakitori restaurant.

It is said that the heat output of Binchotan charcoal can exceed 1000°C when air is introduced into it.

The high heat output and far-infrared effect not only allow us to serve high-quality yakitori, but the long burning time also helps reduce operational burden and prevent problems.

While "Oga charcoal" and other types of charcoal share similar characteristics with Binchotan charcoal, they tend to flare up more easily than Binchotan charcoal, making them more prone to flaming up when grilling fatty parts like chicken skin. For this reason, Binchotan charcoal is more recommended for grilling yakitori than Oga charcoal.

Furthermore, oga charcoal is inferior to binchotan charcoal in terms of burning time. While oga charcoal burns for about 3 to 5 hours, binchotan charcoal burns for about 8 hours. With binchotan charcoal, once lit, it can easily last for a full day of business.

Furthermore, using Binchotan charcoal offers additional benefits.

The savory aroma of smoke attracts customers.

Yakitori restaurants are known for their distinctive, savory aroma. When you pass by one and smell that delicious scent, you can't help but go inside.

When the fat rendered from the yakitori drips onto the binchotan charcoal, it transforms into smoke, which is what creates that appetizing aroma.

Furthermore, yakitori grilled over binchotan charcoal absorbs the aroma of the charcoal, enhancing its deliciousness many times over. The smoky flavor is incomparable to that of yakitori grilled over gas.

One of the advantages of using binchotan charcoal is that, in addition to providing a satisfying dining experience, it also attracts customers who pass by the restaurant or live nearby.

For all your charcoal needs, visit Nakasho Shoten

This article explains the characteristics of Binchotan charcoal, which is commonly used in yakitori restaurants, and why it is suitable for that purpose.

As explained, Binchotan charcoal is ideal for grilling yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) because it has "high heat output, a long burning time, and outstanding far-infrared effect."

Furthermore, its savory aroma attracts customers, so using it can lead to increased customer satisfaction and higher sales.

If you haven't yet introduced Binchotan charcoal into your home, why not consider doing so now?

Nakasho Shoten sells high-quality charcoal, including Binchotan charcoal. Nakasho Shoten's charcoal is ideal because it burns for a long time, is price-effective, and has a stable supply. Please try the charcoal made by an eel wholesaler with a history of over 90 years.