Yes, absolutely! It’s not as fun as cooking with wood, but charcoal works great!

For the best results, we recommend using high-quality British lumpwood charcoal, such as House of Charcoal. This ensures a clean, consistent burn with excellent heat retention.

How to Light Charcoal on a Somerset Grill

Step 1: Start with kindling. Place a few small pieces of kindling at the base of the ember maker.

Step 2: Add charcoal. Pour your lumpwood charcoal on top.

Step 3: Light it up. Use natural firelighters to ignite the kindling.

Step 4: Let it burn. The ember maker’s excellent airflow ensures an even and controlled burn.

Step 5: Create the perfect cooking bed. As the fire spreads and embers begin to fall through, use your ember rake to knock the hot coal through then move the hot coals into the main cooking area, creating an even bed of glowing charcoal for grilling.

Using Wood and Charcoal for Longer Cooks

You can also use a combination of wood and charcoal for longer cooks. I like to start with wood to build a strong ember base, then gradually add lumps of charcoal to the ember bed as the cook goes on. This method ensures steady heat while still giving your food that rich, wood-fired flavour.

Want to see it in action? Watch the video below to see exactly how it’s done!

Now you're ready to cook over the perfect bed of embers.