Believe it or not, charcoal comes in a few types of varieties. Whether you are using a traditional charcoal barbecue or a kamado style grill like a Big Green Egg or Kamado Joe, there are different types of charcoal that you should be using. Let’s take a look at the differences between lump charcoal and charcoal briquettes. We will also take a look at some of the most common charcoal starters.
Lump Charcoal
The best lump charcoal burns long and clean and is reliable for long, overnight smokes. Lump charcoal is the only fuel source that can be used for smokers like The Big Green Egg and Kamado Joe. Lump charcoal is made from natural wood. They can be made from oak, hickory, mesquite, and maple. Lump charcoal is typically large chunks of wood that allow your firebox to last for up to eighteen hours. If you’re going for a long cook, this is a must have product.
The Best Lump Charcoal Brands
Some of the more popular brands are FOGO, Big Green Egg and Royal Oak. In the case of Fogo lump charcoal, these use a South American hardwood called Inga. Grillers and smokers prefer lump charcoal due to the clean burn and longer cooking times.
A solid lump charcoal brand will contain no fillers in the bag. Once you open up, you’ll noticed charred solid pieces of hardwood. When working with lump charcoal it’s often best to place each piece within the grill to ensure you have the right ratio of small and large pieces, and avoid dumping on any lump charcoal dust that may burn quickly or flare up onto your meal.
Quick reminder, make sure you use enough lump charcoal! While the lump is designed to last for long periods of time, if you don’t fill the smoker with enough, it can run out and ruin a cook! Always double check the cook time and be generous when filling up your firebox before a long cook.
There are many different lump charcoal brands, ranging from Kamado Joe to The Big Green Egg. We happen to be fans of FOGO, and they have never disappointed.
Reliable Charcoal Briquettes
This is the normal charcoal that you can find in your neighborhood supermarket. Almost everyone is familiar with the Kingsford brand, and those black briquettes. I can smell them from here just thinking about it! Kingsford and other brands typically come in a range of sizes, normally around 16 pounds per bag. When lighting charcoal briquettes some grillers will use lighter fluid, or the more advanced will use a charcoal chimney starter. Charcoal briquettes often come with a “match light” version that already contains an accelerate, removing the need to use lighter fluid. Match light charcoal does exactly what it describes, simply ignite using matches. Using briquettes in your grill typically takes about 15 minutes to get your barbecue up to temperature with the optimal setup.
All Natural Fire Starters
Some people will complain about the lighter fluid taste when grilling on a standard charcoal grill, and we don’t blame them! Who wants the taste and smell of lighter fluid when biting into a juicy burger? Natural fire starters are a great alternative to get your barbeque started. Fire starters can come in a few different variants from tumbleweeds to little briquettes that stay lit and will ignite your charcoal. It may take a little longer to light, but the taste is well worth it!
Charcoal Chimney Starters
Another great alternative to lighter fluid and fire starters is to use a charcoal chimney starter. This is a great quick, and affordable method to light your charcoal grill. Chimney starters are made by a variety of different brands and are relatively inexpensive. When evaluating your options – outside price – look for model with a durable build that is made out of steel. The other key feature to look for is a chimney starter that has a heat resistant shield. Once the coals are lit, they can get super hot and you want to ensure that you are protected when using your new charcoal starter. One product that we are partial to is the Kingsford charcoal chimney starter. Priced at $14.99 at the time of this writing, this is a reliable option.
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