Lighting Shichirin: Quick-Koko, Binchotan, and Binchopan explained

Lighting a Shichirin can be tricky, especially when using Binchotan charcoal. This hard Japanese charcoal burns very hot and for a long time, but requires more time and heat to get going properly.

Fortunately, there are several ways to light a Shichirin. For a short grilling session, Quick-Koko briquettes are practical. If you want to grill for longer, you can use a Binchotan on a bed of hot charcoal or light it with a Binchopan. We explain the three methods below.

Lighting Shichirin with Quick-Koko

Quick-Koko is the simplest way to get started with your Shichirin quickly. The briquettes are designed to be easy to light and do not require a separate layer of charcoal.

Place the Quick-Koko in the Shichirin and open the vents fully. Light the briquette and let it burn well. Wait until the visible flames have disappeared and the briquette is glowing hot. Then you can place the grate and start grilling.

Quick-Koko is especially handy when you want to get started quickly and don't have a grilling session planned that lasts for hours.

Also watch this video about lighting a Shichirin for a practical explanation.

Light the Binchotan on a bed of charcoal.

Binchotan is much harder and denser than regular charcoal. As a result, it burns long and hot, but it is also more difficult to light directly.

A simple method is to first heat a small bed of ordinary charcoal, such as acacia or marabu, until it is very hot. Then place the pieces of Binchotan diagonally on top of the glowing charcoal.

The heat from the charcoal bed causes the Binchotan to slowly begin to glow. Give this sufficient time. As soon as the pieces are nice and hot, you can distribute them over the Shichirin and start grilling.

Would you like to take a look at this method first? In this video about lighting Binchotan on a Shichirin, you can see how this works in practice.

Light the Binchotan with a Binchopan

If you regularly use a Binchotan, a Binchopan is a handy solution. With this, you bring the charcoal up to temperature outside the Shichirin.

Place the pieces of Binchotan in the Binchopan and use suitable firelighters to generate sufficient heat. Let the Binchotan heat up slowly until the pieces are glowing hot. Then, transfer them to the Shichirin using sturdy BBQ tongs.

The advantage of a Binchopan is that the heat is concentrated around the Binchopan. As a result, you can bring this hard charcoal up to temperature more easily and evenly.

Additionally, you can use a Binchopan to extinguish leftover Binchotan after grilling. When you completely cut off the oxygen supply, you can reuse pieces that have not yet completely burned out.

Before using Binchotan, also watch the explanatory video on working with Binchotan charcoal.

What is the best way to light a Shichirin?

Which method is best depends mainly on how long you want to grill and how much convenience you are looking for.

If you want to get started quickly and easily, Quick-Koko is the easiest choice. For longer grilling sessions and powerful, stable heat, Binchotan is more interesting.

If you only use Binchotan occasionally, you can easily light it over a hot bed of regular charcoal. If you work with Binchotan regularly, a Binchopan makes lighting and reusing it much easier.

In this extra instructional video on lighting the Shichirin, you will see another practical application.

Ensure sufficient air

Regardless of the fuel you use, the Shichirin requires sufficient oxygen during lighting. Therefore, open the vents fully until the coals are glowing hot.

Afterward, you can use the air supply to slightly influence the heat. Keep in mind that Binchotan in particular can become very hot. Therefore, use sturdy tongs and suitable heat-resistant gloves when moving glowing charcoal.

Get more out of your Shichirin

A well-lit Shichirin provides intense direct heat and is ideal for small pieces of meat, fish, vegetables, and yakitori. The most important thing is to choose a fuel that suits the length and method of grilling.

For quick and easy grilling, choose Quick-Koko. For longer sessions and powerful heat, Binchotan is an interesting option. Moreover, lighting the Binchotan becomes much easier with a Binchopan.

At BBQ Valley in Venlo, you will find Shichirin table grills, Binchotan charcoal, Quick-Koko briquettes, Binchopans, and accessories for Japanese grilling. We are happy to help you with the right fuel and method for your Shichirin.