Seamus Hammond
Incense burning is a popular practice, with many different types of incense and burners available. Charcoal incense burners are a common choice, but they can be tricky to extinguish. Once lit, charcoal needs time to burn itself out, so it's important to set aside at least an hour to monitor the burner. To speed up the process, you can stir the remaining charcoal and resin into the white ash. Alternatively, you can place the lit charcoal on a bed of white ash in a metal burner. This will help to control the heat and prevent the burner from overheating. When burning incense, it's also important to control the heat to avoid an unpleasant smell. This can be done by using a heat diffuser, such as tinfoil or a sheet of mica, between the coal and the incense.
How to extinguish charcoal incense:
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Lighting the charcoal | Hold the charcoal with a tong and use a candle, lighter, or blowtorch. |
| Placing the incense | Put the charcoal tablet on a gas stove top or on a bed of white ash in a metal incense burner. |
| Burning the incense | Allow the charcoal to burn itself out. If you need to extinguish it sooner, carefully stir the remaining charcoal and resin ash into the white ash. |
| Adjusting the heat | If the incense starts to smell burnt, reduce the heat by using a heat diffuser such as tinfoil or a sheet of mica between the coal and incense. |
| Preventing an unpleasant smell | Avoid burning the gums and waxes of frankincense, which can smell bad. |
| Enhancing the aroma | Rotate the resin or incense to maximize the aroma and minimize burning. |
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What You'll Learn
Use a charcoal incense burner or thermostat-controlled burner
Using a charcoal incense burner or a thermostat-controlled burner is a great way to burn charcoal incense. Here are some detailed instructions on how to do it:
Firstly, you need to light the charcoal. You can use a candle, lighter, or blowtorch to do this, or even put the charcoal tablet on a gas stovetop. Hold the charcoal with tongs while lighting it to ensure safety. Once the edges of the charcoal are burnt, you can place it on your burner. It will take a few minutes for the charcoal to light completely, and you will see white ash forming on top. This is when the charcoal is ready for incense burning.
Now it's time to add the incense. You can place the incense directly on the charcoal or on a bed of white ash in the burner. If you're using a thermostat-controlled burner, start on the lowest heat setting and gradually increase the temperature until you achieve the desired fragrance strength. Remember, the key to incense burning is to take it slow and gradual.
If you're burning frankincense or Somali bakhoor, you may want to use aluminium foil or a sheet of mica on top of the burner tray to make clean-up easier. This will catch any melted residue, and you can simply remove the foil or mica sheet after each burning session.
When your incense has burned about 80%, you can increase the heat setting to high and burn the remaining incense quickly. Once the incense has almost completely burned, switch off the burner. This will ensure you're left with beautiful incense smoke rather than a burnt smell.
Always make sure you have enough time for the charcoal to burn itself out completely. Charcoal incense is not something you can quickly extinguish, so be sure to plan ahead and allow for at least an hour of burn time.
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Light the charcoal with a candle, lighter, blowtorch, or stovetop
Lighting charcoal incense with a candle, lighter, blowtorch, or stovetop is a straightforward process. However, it is essential to exercise caution when working with fire. Here is a detailed guide on how to light charcoal incense using these methods:
Candle or Lighter:
First, prepare your charcoal by cutting it to fit into your stove or incense holder if necessary. If you are using a stove, place the charcoal on a metal tray or directly on the stove's grate. For incense holders, ensure the charcoal tablet fits snugly without being cramped. Now, light the candle or lighter. With the candle, you can use the flame directly to ignite the charcoal. For the lighter, you may need to use it to light a piece of paper or kindling, such as crumpled newspaper, vegetable oil-soaked paper, or wax fire starter squares, and place this under the charcoal. You can also use cooking oil or grease on a paper towel, placed under the charcoal, to slow the burn. Light the kindling in several places to ensure an even burn.
Blowtorch:
Using a blowtorch is a preferred method by some due to its convenience and effectiveness. Start by filling your grill or stove with charcoal, ensuring the pieces touch but allow for airflow. Then, light the blowtorch and apply the blue part of the flame to where several coals meet. Move the blowtorch in small circular motions for about a minute to evenly distribute the heat. Repeat this process in two other areas of the grill or stove. The blowtorch's intense heat will quickly and efficiently light the charcoal.
Stovetop:
Lighting charcoal on a stovetop is a simple but supervised process. Place the charcoal directly on a gas stove burner or use a wire mesh to support the charcoal. Light the stove and leave the charcoal for about five minutes. Then, use metal chopsticks or tongs to rotate each piece of charcoal to ensure even lighting. This method is particularly useful for harder-to-light varieties like "green" charcoal. Remember to exercise caution and always supervise any open flames.
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Place the charcoal on a bed of white ash
To extinguish charcoal incense, it is important to let the charcoal burn out on its own. However, to ensure the incense burns cleanly and safely, it is recommended to place the charcoal on a bed of white ash. This method is suitable for incense resins such as frankincense and copal.
Firstly, light the charcoal tablet using a candle, lighter, or blowtorch. Alternatively, you can place the tablet on a gas stovetop. Once the charcoal is burning, carefully place it on a bed of white ash. Use a metal incense burner to hold the ash, ensuring it is large enough to hold sufficient ash to prevent overheating. A burner with a diameter of 2.5 inches and a depth of 1.5 inches should be sufficient. For added safety, choose a burner with a built-in metal pedestal that sits on a wooden coaster.
When placing the charcoal on the bed of white ash, ensure that it is slightly buried. Then, position the incense resin on or near the charcoal. You can adjust the intensity of the smoke and burn by altering the distance between the resin and the charcoal. For a milder effect, place the resin next to the charcoal rather than directly above it. If you prefer a stronger aroma, place the resin directly on the hottest part of the charcoal, which will produce an instant plume of smoke. However, this method may cause the resin to burn quickly and result in a caramelized or burnt smell.
Another technique is to light only a portion of the charcoal and place the resin on the unlit half. This approach allows for a longer-lasting fragrance. Additionally, you can use a heat diffuser, such as tinfoil or a sheet of mica, between the coal and the incense to regulate the heat further.
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Burn the incense slowly and gradually
To burn incense slowly and gradually, you should start by lighting a charcoal tablet. You can do this by holding the charcoal with tongs and using a candle, lighter, or blowtorch. Alternatively, you can place the charcoal tablet on a gas stove top to burn it. Once the charcoal is burning, place it on an incense burner. It will take a few minutes for the charcoal to light completely, and you will see white ash forming on top. This is when the charcoal is ready for incense burning.
When burning incense, it is important to start with the burner on the lowest heat setting. This will allow the burner to warm up gradually and help prevent the incense from burning too quickly. As the burner warms up, you will start to smell a light fragrance coming from the incense. If the temperature is right, the strength of the fragrance will gradually increase, and you will see smoke coming from the incense. If you don't see smoke, you may need to raise the temperature slightly. However, if the fragrance becomes too strong too quickly, you should reduce the heat setting.
The key to burning incense slowly and gradually is to adjust the heat as needed. With experience, you will be able to determine the ideal setting for each type of incense. It may take a few tries to get the hang of it, but you will eventually be able to maximize the aroma while minimizing the burning. Additionally, you can use a heat diffuser such as tinfoil or a sheet of mica between the coal and the incense to help control the heat.
Another technique to slow down the burning of incense is to place a layer of salt, sand, or Japanese rice ash on top of the charcoal. This will dampen the heat and allow the incense to burn more slowly. However, it is important to note that this technique may not work with all types of incense, and it is recommended to avoid using dyed incense with this method.
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Extinguish by stirring the remaining charcoal and resin into the ash
When burning incense, it's important to remember that it needs time to burn itself out. Therefore, you should ensure you have at least an hour before you need to leave the area. Once the charcoal has burned itself out, you can then stir the remaining charcoal and resin into the ash.
To extinguish the charcoal incense, you can start by reducing the heat. This can be done by using something to diffuse the heat between the coal and the incense. Tinfoil works well for this, as you can adjust the heat by folding it into more or fewer layers. A more traditional option would be to use a sheet of mica.
Another way to dampen the heat is to place a layer of ash, salt, or sand on top of the hot charcoal. However, this method may not work well with dyed sand. You can also use Japanese rice ash, placing it in a cauldron and letting the charcoal ash build up.
If you are using a charcoal incense burner, you can also try blowing air at the charcoal to make it burn out quickly.
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Frequently asked questions
Charcoal incense needs time to burn itself out. Once the charcoal has burned out, you can stir the remaining charcoal and resin ash into the white ash.
To prevent this, reduce the heat by using a coal that is not freshly lit. Allow it to burn for a bit until it develops a layer of ash and then place the incense on it. You can also use something like tinfoil or a sheet of mica to diffuse the heat.
The best way to burn charcoal incense is to place the incense resin on/near the charcoal. Place the resin on the white ash, beside the burning charcoal. Depending on how close you place it, it will be more or less intense smoke/burn.
You can light charcoal incense by holding the charcoal with a pair of tongs and using a candle, lighter, or blowtorch to burn the charcoal. You can also put the charcoal tablet on a gas stovetop to burn it.
