Choosing the Right Charcoal for Your Grill
Selecting the best suited charcoal for your grill can feel overwhelming with so many choices. What's the best option to give you the most balanced smoke and grilling experience?
What is Lump Charcoal?
Sometimes referred to as "charwood" or "natural lump charcoal," this is the original form of charcoal, made by burning wood in a sealed environment without air, such as a cave or underground. Unlike briquettes, lump charcoal is pure wood—free from binders or petroleum-based accelerants. Lump charcoal burns hot, cleanly, and naturally. It also allows you to add more unlit charcoal during cooking without producing the unpleasant smoke that comes with freshly lit briquettes.
What are Briquettes?
Charcoal briquettes are specifically designed to burn evenly and maintain a steady grilling temperature of around 600°F (315°C) for at least an hour. However, traditional briquettes contain materials like wood scraps, sawdust, coal dust, borax, and petroleum-based binders. As a result, they emit an acrid smoke when first lit.
Instant-light charcoal briquettes are pre-saturated with lighter fluid. While the acrid smoke dissipates once the charcoal begins to glow and ash over, you're still grilling over chemicals like borax and petroleum binders. Although these accelerants should burn off, they can leave a lingering oily taste if not fully lit.
Why Lump Charcoal is Preferred
Lump charcoal is often recommended for grilling enthusiasts due to its natural composition and cleaner burn. While some people find the inconsistent sizes of lump charcoal frustrating, certain brands now offer graded lump charcoal to provide a more even cooking experience. You can find these types of charcoal typically available in 22 lb and 44 lb bags.
How Much Charcoal to Use
The Fast Flame Ignition System™ has been developed for use with natural lump charcoal. Briquettes can be used but may take slightly longer to ignite as this coal contains non-combustible ingredients such as starch, limestone, or even clay.
How much charcoal you use depends on the type of food you're grilling and how much of it you're cooking. For initial ignition, it's recommended to use no more than 2.6 lb (1.2 kg) of natural lump charcoal for smaller grills like the FUSION™ and up to 4 lb (1.8 kg) for larger grills like the HUB™ and HUB™ II. Afterward, you can add more charcoal as needed based on the quantity and weight of the food.
If you enjoy cooking with the added flavor of wood chips, soak them overnight before using them with your lump charcoal. This prevents the wood chips from burning too quickly and helps them release their flavors more gradually.
Important Safety Tip
Avoid using charcoal that contains accelerants such as gasoline, turpentine, or butane. These chemicals can affect the taste of your food and may be unsafe. Charcoal grills designed for natural lump charcoal should not be used with charcoal infused with accelerants.
Happy grilling!
