When It Comes To BBQ, This Type Of Charcoal Has One Frustrating Downside

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If you've decided to use a charcoal grill instead of a gas grill for your outdoor cooking this year, you should know there are a few types of charcoal to choose from. Lump charcoal is a popular choice; however, it has a downside. 

It's great for hot, fast cooking, but it can be frustrating for the low-and-slow barbecue cooking style because it burns too quickly and is more difficult to manage. Lump charcoal can rapidly reach 575 degrees Fahrenheit and remain at this temperature for about 15 minutes, but then, it cools down to low in about 30 minutes. It's best used for grilling with high, direct heat rather than barbecuing, which requires slow-burning, indirect heat. 

Lump charcoal is made of carbonized wood, which is produced when the wood pieces are heated at intensely high heat with minimal oxygen present, removing the natural chemicals, moisture, and sap to create very pure charcoal. It's generally considered a very clean-burning coal, with less ash and smoke. However, the natural lump sizes are inconsistent, so it's difficult to maintain consistent heat over time. If that's all you have, there are a couple of ways to use lump charcoal for longer cook times, though it may be more helpful to consider another charcoal variety long-term. 

Many people prefer lump charcoal because of the wood flavor it infuses food with. Yes, cooking with wood alone would create a similar taste, but barbecuing with lump charcoal is easier than cooking with natural wood. And cooking for longer periods with lump charcoal is not impossible. To cook low and slow with lump charcoal, you need to start with less coal to create a lower temperature, then add more lump charcoal as necessary to keep the heat level while maintaining proper airflow through the grill's vents.   

Another option is to skip lump charcoal and use charcoal briquettes, which are well-suited for longer cooking straight from the bag. These conventional briquettes are made from compressed wood byproducts and contain chemical additives that make them burn evenly, but they can affect the flavor of your food and create more ash. Because briquettes are consistently sized, though, they can maintain their temperature for longer periods, up to 45 minutes on an open grill and longer in a closed smoker. 

If you'd like a cleaner variety of briquettes, one of the best types of charcoal for grilling is all-natural hardwood briquettes, made without binders and chemical additives. Similar to briquettes, they offer uniform sizing for consistent, predictable heat control. One variety is Olivette Organic Charcoal Briquettes, which are all-natural, additive-free briquettes made from recycled olive trees. You can find them in a 6-pound bag on Amazon for about $20.