[JackFr]

> Of extraordinary interest is the fact that the blacksmith made his own charcoal

True. In medieval Europe charcoal burner was typically a very specialized profession.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charcoal_burner#Medieval_charc...

"During the Middle Ages, charcoal burners were ostracised. Their profession was considered dishonourable and they were frequently accused of evil practices. Even today there is a certain denigration of this former occupation."

[easytiger]

> True. In medieval Europe charcoal burner was typically a very specialized profession.

This thread reminds me of Kingdom Come: Deliverance, a computer RPG which has done in incredible job recreating aspects of life in medieval Bohemia. It has a fantastic level of historical accuracy and things like charcoal trading as a dependency to a forge are integral to one of the DLCs of the game.

[JackFr]

While barbecuing last summer one afternoon I fell down the Wikipedia rabbit-hole and for a few days afterwards I was an expert on the chemistry, physics, history and economics of charcoal.

Sadly now all I've retained are a few dirty smudges.

[irrational]

I always knew there was something off about all these Traeger enthusiasts.

[zikduruqe]

Correct. They want to smoke meat using electricity, buttons and timers. Like an oven.

Give me an offset stick burner, that I have to fiddle with constantly. That is the proper art of smoking.

[apcragg]

Both of those lines have no citation so while I wouldn't doubt it, that page seems unreliable.