Charcoal briquettes with additives for multi-purpose aromatic cooking

Abstract

The invention relates to an innovative briquetted charcoal designed for grilling and barbecue cooking processes, containing integrated aromatic additives. Unlike traditional smoking, fumigation, or roasting methods, this product incorporates natural aroma sources -such as wood chips, plant-derived shavings, and essential oils- directly into the charcoal briquette. The aim is to impart rich and diverse flavor profiles to the food being cooked. The product simplifies the cooking process and enables users to achieve consistent and safe aroma and flavor results without the need to purchase or manually add separate materials. This novel approach makes the grilling and barbecue experience more enjoyable, practical, and accessible.

Description

[0001] CHARCOAL BRIQUETTES WITH ADDITIVES FOR MULTI-PURPOSE AROMATIC COOKING

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to the field of charcoal briquettes used particularly during grilling and barbecue cooking processes to impart smoke, fumigation, or roasting aromas to food. Technically, it concerns innovative products involving the production of briquetted charcoal and the enhancement of these briquettes with smoking properties.

[0004] The invention focuses on the integration of aroma-providing materials into charcoal to deliver a natural and rich smoking, fumigation, or roasting flavor to foods during the cooking process, and on optimizing how these materials are used together with the charcoal. This technical field encompasses the production of briquetted charcoal, food cooking technologies, aromatization techniques, and the development of sustainable fuel products. The invention offers innovative solutions that aim to replace traditional smoking, fumigation, or roasting methods while providing ease of use.

[0005] Background of the Invention

[0006] Grilling and barbecue cooking techniques have the potential to impart a unique flavor to food. This flavor primarily results from the smoking, fumigation, or roasting effects produced by the smoke that penetrates the food during the cooking process. Smoking and fumigation are typically performed by sprinkling special wood chips, leaves, or botanical residues onto the charcoal. These materials are often derived from various tree species (e.g., cherry, apple, oak) and aromatic herbs (e.g., thyme, sage, rosemary). However, traditional methods require that such chips and shavings be purchased separately and manually added to the charcoal during cooking, making the process labor-intensive and time-consuming.

[0007] Current manual smoking and fumigation methods involve several disadvantages, including but not limited to: A. Time and Labor Intensity: Users must purchase smoking materials (wood chips, shavings, leaves, etc.) separately and add them manually to the charcoal during cooking. This process requires additional time and effort during preparation.

[0008] B. Difficulty in Dosage Control: With manual application, it is challenging to control the quantity and distribution of the smoking materials consistently, making it difficult to achieve the desired level of smoky flavor in the food.

[0009] C. Lack of Consistency: Each cooking experience may vary, as the manual addition method cannot guarantee uniform burning and smoke release. This leads to inconsistent flavor results in the cooked food.

[0010] D. Lack of Ease of Use: For users with limited grilling or barbecue experience, properly using smoking materials can be complex and intimidating.

[0011] E. Mess and Cleaning Issues: Manual addition of smoking materials may cause clutter and additional cleaning requirements around the grill or barbecue area.

[0012] F. Heat Management: Manual smoking can affect the heat of the grill, requiring extra attention to maintain the desired cooking temperature.

[0013] G. Safety Concerns: Manually adding combustible smoking materials increases the risk of uncontrolled flames or sudden heat surges, posing safety hazards.

[0014] H. Storage and Portability: Storing and transporting smoking materials separately may be inconvenient, especially during outdoor activities or travel.

[0015] These disadvantages make the cooking process more complex and less enjoyable, and may discourage some users from experimenting with smoking, fumigation, or roasting techniques.

[0016] Charcoal briquettes currently available on the market are typically produced from carbonized wood or biomass materials. These raw materials are ground into granules or powder, mixed with natural starch or starch-based binders and water to form a dough. This dough is then pressed into briquette form and dried. This production process provides a suitable platform for the incorporation of additional materials aimed at smoking, fumigation, or roasting.

[0017] The newly developed charcoal briquette with additives for multi-purpose aromatic cooking integrates smoking, fumigation, and roasting materials (e.g., wood chips, shavings, leaves, or essences) directly into the briquette manufacturing process. This eliminates the need for users to purchase separate products and manually combine them during cooking, enabling them to achieve the desired flavor profiles with ease. This innovation enhances the grilling and barbecue experience by making it more enjoyable, practical, and diverse, while also facilitating the infusion of aromatic and smoky notes into food. In this way, the charcoal briquette becomes more than just a fuel source, it transforms into an active aroma and flavor modifier contributing directly to the cooking process.

[0018] Objective of The Invention

[0019] The primary objective of the present invention is to simplify grilling and barbecue cooking processes and enhance ease of use. This is achieved by integrating the materials required for smoking, fumigation, and roasting -such as wood chips, shavings, leaves, and essences- directly into the briquetted charcoal. As a result, users can obtain the desired flavor and aroma profiles without the need to purchase and manually apply separate materials during cooking.

[0020] Another objective of the invention is to standardize the dosage and distribution of smoking, fumigation, and roasting materials. This allows for consistent and balanced infusion of smoke flavor and aroma into the food, ensuring the same quality and taste profile with each use.

[0021] A further objective of the invention is to improve safety and comfort during the cooking process. The integrated smoking, fumigation, and roasting additives in the briquetted charcoal minimize potential hazards such as uncontrolled flare-ups and fire risks that may occur during manual addition. This approach enables users to manage the cooking process in a more controlled and safe manner. Another objective of the invention is to enrich and diversify the grilling and barbecue experience for users. Thanks to the integrated smoking, fumigation, and roasting additives, users can experiment with various aroma profiles and create unique flavor combinations tailored to their personal preferences, making the cooking process more creative and interactive.

[0022] Another objective of the invention is to increase product variety in the grilling and barbecue market and to offer consumers a broader range of product options. Briquetted charcoal with different smoking and fumigation aromas can appeal to a wide user base with diverse cooking preferences and taste profiles. This contributes to the expansion of the market and differentiation through innovation in charcoal products.

[0023] Yet another objective of the invention is to promote sustainable cooking practices and reduce the environmental impact within the charcoal industry. By integrating smoking, fumigation, and roasting additives into the briquette, this approach aims to generate less waste and ensure more efficient use of these materials compared to traditional methods. It contributes to the conservation of natural resources and supports the proliferation of eco-friendly cooking alternatives.

[0024] To fulfill the above objectives, the invention relates to a briquetted charcoal product designed to impart a natural and rich smoking, fumigation, or roasting aroma to food, simplify cooking procedures, and enhance usability. It comprises aroma-providing materials -such as wood chips obtained from various tree species, dried leaves, shavings, and plant-based essences- uniformly distributed within conventional charcoal components like carbonized wood or biomass.

[0025] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0026] The present invention relates to an innovative briquetted charcoal product containing aromatic additives, designed for use in grilling and barbecue cooking processes. The invention aims to deliver a natural and rich smoking, fumigation, and roasting effect to meat, fish, poultry, and other foods during cooking. The product is designed as an alternative to traditional smoking and fumigation methods, offering ease of use and consistency in the cooking process. The product includes not only conventional charcoal components such as carbonized wood or biomass, but also specially selected aromatic smoking and fumigation additives. These additives consist of wood chips derived from various tree species such as cherry, apple, and oak; aromatic herbs such as thyme, sage, and rosemary; and their dried leaves, shavings, and essential oils. These materials are added in carefully determined ratios during the charcoal dough production stage and are uniformly distributed throughout each briquette.

[0027] The additive integration process is carried out during the manufacturing of the briquetted charcoal. After carbonized wood or biomass is ground into granules or powder, it is mixed with natural starch or starch-based binders and water to form a dough. To this dough, aromatic additives for smoking or fumigation are added in specific proportions. The additives are thoroughly mixed into the dough using mixing machines to ensure homogeneity. This aromatic dough is then pressed into briquette form and dried using special drying ovens or under appropriate ambient conditions (e.g., sun-drying) to produce the final product.

[0028] To summarize, the method comprises the following steps:

[0029] A. Preparing conventional charcoal components such as carbonized wood or biomass,

[0030] B. Adding aroma-providing materials — such as wood chips from cherry, apple, and oak trees, and dried leaves, shavings, or essential oils from aromatic plants such as thyme, sage, and rosemary — to form a homogeneous mixture,

[0031] C. Pressing the mixture into briquette form,

[0032] D. Drying the briquettes and preparing them for use.

[0033] Additionally, the charcoal product of the invention may also be produced by impregnating finished briquettes — those manufactured through standard methods without additives — with aroma-providing materials. This is achieved by spraying essential oils derived from tree species (e.g., cherry, apple, oak) or aromatic herbs (e.g., thyme, sage, rosemary) onto the surface of the dried briquettes, allowing the aromas to be absorbed into the charcoal structure.

[0034] During use, as the briquettes begin to burn, the aromatic additives inside gradually combust and release smoke. This smoke permeates the food being cooked and produces the desired smoking, fumigation, and roasting effects. The product carries the characteristic aromas of various wood and herb species, imparting diverse flavor profiles to the food. Users may select different flavored briquettes from the product range to achieve specific smoking and fumigation effects suited to their taste preferences.

[0035] While providing the desired sensory effects of smoking, fumigation, and roasting, the invention also offers a simplified, easy-to-use, safe, and clean solution for grilling and barbecue cooking. By eliminating the complexity and time-consuming nature of traditional smoking and fumigation methods, the invention allows users of all experience levels to prepare flavorful and aromatic meals with ease.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A briquetted charcoal product comprising conventional charcoal components such as carbonized wood or biomass, characterized in that it further comprises aromaproviding materials including wood chips, dried leaves, shavings, and essential oils derived from various tree species and aromatic herbs, which are uniformly distributed within the product, wherein the product is designed to impart a natural and rich smoking, fumigation, or roasting aroma to food, simplify the cooking process, and enhance ease of use.

2. The briquetted charcoal product according to claim 1 , characterized in that the aroma-providing materials are selected from wood chips derived from tree species such as cherry, apple, and oak, and dried leaves, shavings, and essential oils obtained from aromatic herbs such as thyme, sage, and rosemary, wherein said materials are uniformly incorporated into the product and are designed to burn slowly during use, thereby releasing smoke that enriches the cooking process with a variety of aromatic notes and imparts diverse flavor profiles to the food.

3. A method for producing a briquetted charcoal product designed to impart a natural and rich smoking, fumigation, or roasting aroma to food, simplify the cooking process, and enhance ease of use, characterized by comprising the following steps:• preparing conventional charcoal components such as carbonized wood or biomass,• adding aroma-providing materials including wood chips derived from tree species such as cherry, apple, and oak, and dried leaves, shavings, and essential oils obtained from aromatic herbs such as thyme, sage, and rosemary, to form a homogeneous mixture with the charcoal components,• pressing the resulting mixture into briquette form,• drying the briquettes to obtain the final product ready for use.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that it is an alternative process wherein, following the drying of briquettes produced using conventional methods without additives, essential oils derived from various tree species such as cherry, apple, and oak, or from aromatic herbs such as thyme, sage, and rosemary, aresprayed onto the surface of the finished briquettes to allow absorption of aromaproviding materials into the charcoal.