Organization, Nature of Business, Basis of Presentation, Liquidity, and Going Concern Considerations (Details Textual) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Debt Facility [Member]	Sep. 28, 2012 Senior Debt Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Common Class B [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Common Class B [Member]	Jun. 30, 2007 Common Class B [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Subsidiaries [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Subsidiaries [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Cargill [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Cargill [Member]
Reverse Stock Split Outstanding Common Stock Ratio									one-for-twenty
Reverse Stock Split Authorized Common Stock Ratio									one-for-fourteen
Common Stock, Shares Authorized	10,000,000				10,000,000				10,000,000	10,000,000				3,750,000	3,750,000
Stockholders' Equity, Reverse Stock Split									On June 15, 2012, the Company effected a reverse stock split with respect to all outstanding shares of common stock and Class B common stock at a ratio of one-for-twenty. The Company also split the number of authorized shares of common stock at a ratio of one-for-fourteen, thereby reducing the aggregate number of authorized common stock shares to 10,000,000, and also split the number of authorized shares of Class B common stock at a ratio of one-for-twenty, thereby reducing the aggregate number of authorized Class B common stock shares to 3,750,000. All share and per share information in these financial statements has been retroactively restated to reflect the effect of this reverse stock split.
Debt of Subsidiary, Not Assumed	$ 8,600,000								$ 8,600,000			$ 700,000
Percentage Of Owned Of Subsidiaries Membership Units									87.30%
Long-Term Debt, Gross												170,500,000
Remaining Percentage Of Owned By Investment Funds Affiliates									12.70%
Common stock, shares outstanding	5,483,773				5,270,848				5,483,773	5,270,848				795,479	931,154	897,903
Total assets	250,423,000				299,586,000				250,423,000	299,586,000							259,700,000	309,200,000
Cash and cash equivalents	9,323,000				15,139,000				9,323,000	15,139,000	7,428,000
Accounts payable	11,638,000				9,380,000				11,638,000	9,380,000									9,000,000	5,600,000
Net loss attributable to BioFuel Energy Corp.	(10,023,000)	(9,830,000)	(10,582,000)	(9,408,000)	3,793,000	2,194,000	(7,042,000)	(7,662,000)	(39,843,000)	(8,717,000)
Production, Barrels of Oil Equivalents									110,000,000
Long-Term Debt	$ 173,429,000				$ 179,647,000				$ 173,429,000	$ 179,647,000		$ 8,200,000	$ 3,600,000