Which Type Of Charcoal Is Best For BBQ?

Boy, this is a controversial question among BBQ aficionados. But looking at what the experts and pitmasters say, it doesn’t seem to matter that much. Both lump charcoal and briquettes have their pros and cons as you can see below. After which we will discuss if a specific ‘brand’ makes a difference.

Lump Pros

  • Less processed – more ‘natural.’
  • No binders mean fewer ashes than briquette
  • Puts out more smoke than briquette
  • Has an unlimited shelf-life

Briquette Pros

  • Consistent – From bag to bag, the same amount of BTU
  • Longer and steadier burn
  • Environmentally friendly – made from recycled material

Lump Cons

  • The manufacturer may not list the species or provenance of their raw material
  • Foreign material could have crept in (Rocks, plastic, etc.)
  • Maybe more expensive than briquettes
  • It Burns faster than briquettes

Briquette Cons

  • If not a 100% Natural brand, will contain fillers
  • Produce more ash than Lump charcoal
  • Takes longer to light
  • Most manufacturers do not list what fillers are added
  • Self-igniting match-light charcoal contains mineral spirit which can taint the food
  • Need to be fully ignited to reduce off-taste
  • Has a limited shelf-life

Briquette VS Lumps

While you might reasonably conclude the purest and most professional pitmasters would always gravitate to lump charcoal, that is not always the case. Many pitmasters prefer briquettes for its consistency and long and steady burn. Since it has a more significant impact on the overall flavor than the ‘type’ of charcoal; Pitmasters would rather spend their cooking efforts on food quality, ingredients, and others instead.

The original question was, “What type of charcoal is best for BBQ’ing?”. This could imply, “Which brand is best?”. I am aware of only 2 sites that have done a comparative study on this, and their links are below.

This one by WireCutter The Best Charcoal for Grilling | Reviews by Wirecutter (nytimes.com) should be taken with a grain of salt. The title explains why. If you are ‘grilling’ (cooking at high temperature) versus BBQ’ing (cooking ‘Low n Slow’), this article may be helpful. Charcoal is rated on how hot it gets, how long it lasts, and how little ash it produces.

However, one of the worst charcoal I used was also one of the best for ‘Low n Slow’ cooking. It was darn near impossible to light and left an excessive amount of ashes. But, it burned slow and steady without runaway heat or having to refill multiple times for BBQ ribs. So, it depends on what you are trying to achieve.

The following link, The Lump Charcoal Database -- Naked Whiz Charcoal Ceramic Cooking, actually goes through testing and rating various brands of charcoal. Which I find amazing. The only problem with this approach is, can a charcoal manufacturer really control its raw material from one batch to another or year to year? So again, test yourself and go with what works for you.

Below is a list of fireplace and grill stores that service Virginia (VA)

Manassas, VA

Winston's Chimney Service
11301 Industrial Road
Manassas, VA 20109

Winston's Chimney Service LogoVisit Store Page

Mechanicsville, VA

Hearth & Home Shoppe
8151 Mechanicsville Tpk
Mechanicsville, VA 23111

Hearth & Home Shoppe LogoVisit Store Page

Roanoke, VA

Dixie Building Products Inc.
3342 Melrose Ave NW
Roanoke, VA 24017

Warrenton, VA

Costello's Warrenton Fireplace & Hot Tub
251 West Lee Hwy
Warrenton, VA 20186


For more information, contact your local fireplace and grill store..

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