Whether you're grilling with lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes, understanding your fuel type for charcoal grilling is key to your cooking experience. Learn more about the two fundamental charcoal types and decide which is best for your grilling needs.
Charcoal Briquettes
Charcoal briquettes are what most people think of when it comes to charcoal grilling. These dense, squarish nuggets are composed of packed sawdust and generally offer even, long-burning heat on your grill. Briquettes are great for long cooks, as they generally burn longer than lump charcoal.
Charcoal briquettes aren't the most natural option due to their composition of packed sawdust and binders meant to help hold their shape. But at the end of the day, charcoal briquettes are economical and dependable for your grilling needs.
Lump Charcoal
Lump charcoal is made from 100% real hardwood, usually made from tree limbs or logs that are kiln-fired without oxygen. Irregularly shaped, lump charcoal burns hotter, less evenly, and quicker than briquettes. With lump charcoal, it's all about the flavor, as the natural wood flavors impart on your food due to what you're grilling with.
When it comes to lump charcoal, the bigger the pieces the better. You'll want to purchase lump charcoal that's labelled "hardwood lump charcoal" or "all-natural" to ensure you're getting the best quality wood. Lump charcoal tends to cost more than briquettes, but it offers a completely different and unique charcoal grilling experience.
If you're grilling on a Gravity Series® Grill or want to experience lump charcoal on your charcoal grill of choice, we recommend trying Masterbuilt Lump Charcoal. Masterbuilt Lump Charcoal delivers a delicious 100% premium hardwood flavor for all temperature ranges and food types and produces a clean burn for optimal charcoal flavor and performance. For more inspiration, check out our blog.
