Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ
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#1 2007-04-15 18:13:10
- Kabato
- Member
- From: New York City
- Registered: 2007-02-26
- Posts: 28
Problem with aburanuki
I just got some fresh bamboo culms and tried to do aburanuki on them the other day with only limited success. I could get the color of the bamboo a couple of shades lighter, but not as light as it's supposed to be (I looked at a lot of pictures on various sites). I've been using a burner on an electric stove at maximum heat (which gets pretty damn hot), but is that just not hot enough? Do you need to have an actual fire under the bamboo to get all the oils to come out?
If you say that you do not need to fan yourself because the nature of wind is permanent and you can have wind without fanning, you will understand neither permanence nor the nature of wind. The nature of wind is permanent; because of that, the wind of the buddha's house brings for the gold of the earth and makes fragrant the cream of the long river.
-Eihei Dogen, Genjokoan
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#2 2007-04-15 18:40:49
Re: Problem with aburanuki
Kabato wrote:
I just got some fresh bamboo culms and tried to do aburanuki on them the other day with only limited success. I could get the color of the bamboo a couple of shades lighter, but not as light as it's supposed to be (I looked at a lot of pictures on various sites). I've been using a burner on an electric stove at maximum heat (which gets pretty damn hot), but is that just not hot enough? Do you need to have an actual fire under the bamboo to get all the oils to come out?
Hi Kabato,
It really helps to have the intense heat of hot coals. I've had the best luck doing this at the beach. Get a fire going, add charcoal, then arrange the charcoal in a dug out sand pit of any size that custom fits your pieces. Then, BBQ the culms a few inches or more over the coals. Turn occasionally and be careful not to burn the skin. If you don't live near a beach or park you can easily set something up in a BBQ pit. Very fun to do with your favorite BBQ goodies and your beer of choice!
Good luck!
KL
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#3 2007-04-15 18:45:12
- costademaria
- Member
- From: spain, denia
- Registered: 2006-12-11
- Posts: 110
- Website
Re: Problem with aburanuki
hi,my humble opinnion on this:
using the stove is not a good idea. the coal makes much more faster higher temperature as the propane torch.my advise is to buy a good propane torch if you are seriously into this. also you will need it posibly /if you like fire and smoke like me/ to burn the nodes,smooth the nodes,smooth the bore instead of or after rough sanding,burn the holes,underburn the holes...and even forge a small knife while waiting for the stock to dry :-)
"how dear sir did you cross the flood?" "by not halting,friend,and by not straining i crossed the flood."
"but how is it,dear sir,that by not halting and by not straining you crossed the flood?"
"when i came to a standstill,friend,then i sank,but when i struggled,then i got swept away.it is in this way by not halting and by not straining i crossed the flood"
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#4 2007-04-15 19:11:05
- Kabato
- Member
- From: New York City
- Registered: 2007-02-26
- Posts: 28
Re: Problem with aburanuki
I figured coals would be the better way to go (I assume just regular barbeque coals?), but I really don't have any place where I can burn coals. I've seen pictures of people with a little bucket full of coals, does this work well enough? What kind of bucket can stand up to coals like that?
If you say that you do not need to fan yourself because the nature of wind is permanent and you can have wind without fanning, you will understand neither permanence nor the nature of wind. The nature of wind is permanent; because of that, the wind of the buddha's house brings for the gold of the earth and makes fragrant the cream of the long river.
-Eihei Dogen, Genjokoan
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#5 2007-04-15 19:19:31
Re: Problem with aburanuki
Kabato wrote:
I figured coals would be the better way to go (I assume just regular barbeque coals?), but I really don't have any place where I can burn coals. I've seen pictures of people with a little bucket full of coals, does this work well enough? What kind of bucket can stand up to coals like that?
Regular BBQ coals will work. Any kind of BBQ grill works. Even a small habachi, but it might take longer. I've seen the bucket photos also, but never used something like that. Anyone else?
KL
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#6 2007-04-16 01:36:21
Re: Problem with aburanuki
Kabato wrote:
I just got some fresh bamboo culms and tried to do aburanuki on them the other day with only limited success.
Just a thought... does the season matter? I've cut and prepped bamboo only once, but it was late November. To my limited understanding, it's normally done at that time for a variety of reasons. Could you be fighting additional moisture or sap or oil in the culm if it was cut during a period of growth, rather than dormancy?
Back to the fire... we built a couple of bonfires and used both the flames as well as the coals that came later. Carefully. With lots of wiping with slightly damp rags.
-Darren.
When it is rainy, I am in the rain. When it is windy, I am in the wind. - Mitsuo Aida
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#7 2007-04-17 02:58:09
- Yungflutes
- Flutemaker/Performer
- From: New York City
- Registered: 2005-10-08
- Posts: 1061
- Website
Re: Problem with aburanuki
Mujitsu wrote:
Kabato wrote:
I figured coals would be the better way to go (I assume just regular barbeque coals?), but I really don't have any place where I can burn coals. I've seen pictures of people with a little bucket full of coals, does this work well enough? What kind of bucket can stand up to coals like that?
Regular BBQ coals will work. Any kind of BBQ grill works. Even a small habachi, but it might take longer. I've seen the bucket photos also, but never used something like that. Anyone else?
KL
Hey Guys, here's a photo of Kinya and I performing aburanuki in January 2002. You can barely make out the clay pot. There's a word for it in Japanese but I can't remember what it is. They also use these in China to burn coals. Kinya made a rack with notches for the bamboo that fits over the pot. 
I used a hibatchi another time but the clay pot worked much better in the way the heat was directed. Both times though, we cooked toraniku after aburanuki. That's toraniku, BBQ meat, not Torachiku!
In New York City, I did some on my fire escape but it was too small. So I figured out how to use radiant heat from my stove top. 
Just make a cone from aluminum foil and put it over a small flame. You'll be surprised at how fast it works. AND, you won't scorch the boo.
I was told harvesting is best in the cold months because there is less water in the bamboo. Also less mosquitos.
Happy BBQ!
Perry
Last edited by Yungflutes (2007-04-17 03:00:00)
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