Are briquettes better than lump?

Grilling season is upon us, and for many backyard cooks, that means it’s time to stock up on charcoal. But when you head to the store, you’re faced with a choice – standard charcoal briquettes, or natural lump charcoal. Both have their passionate defenders, but which is really the best fuel for flavorful grilling?

What’s The Difference Between Briquettes And Lump Charcoal?

Charcoal briquettes and lump charcoal may look similar, but they have some important differences:

Composition

Briquettes are made by compressing ground charcoal along with starch and filler as a binder. The most common brand of briquettes, Kingsford, uses wood char along with mineral char, starch, borax, sawdust and sodium nitrate. Lump charcoal is pure wood charcoal made by burning wood in a low oxygen environment. It retains the shape of the original wood.

Lighting

Because of the fillers, briquettes are easy to light using starter fluid and they light evenly across the entire briquette. Lump charcoal can be more difficult to ignite and may light unevenly. However, high-quality lump lights easily without starter fluid.

Burn Time

Thanks to the compressed shape and fillers, briquettes tend to burn slowly and evenly for a consistent amount of time. Lump charcoal burns faster, hotter and less consistently. A pile of lump may burn out faster than briquettes, but it also provides intense heat for searing.

Ash

Lump charcoal produces very little ash, since it is pure wood. Briquettes produce more ash because of the fillers and binders used in production. More ash means you’ll have to clean out your grill more often when using briquettes.

Flavor

Many backyard cooks maintain that natural lump charcoal imparts a better smokey flavor compared to briquettes. Briquettes infuse less flavor since they contain fillers. However, the flavor difference is a point of debate.

Cost

Lump charcoal typically costs more per pound compared to standard briquettes. Lump can be two or three times more expensive than briquettes.

Consistency

Briquettes burn very consistently, making them easier to control for low and slow cooking. The irregular shape of lump can lead to inconsistent burns, temperature spikes and shorter cook times.

How Are Briquettes Made?

Standard charcoal briquettes were invented by Henry Ford in the 1920s. Ford was looking for a way to recycle the wood scraps and sawdust from his Model T production, so he came up with a process for turning them into charcoal and compressing the charcoal into uniform bricks.

Here is the basic process used today for making Kingsford charcoal briquettes and other leading brands:

1. Scraps of wood, sawdust and other biomass are heated to very high temperatures in a low oxygen environment. This pyrolysis process drives off water and volatile organic compounds, leaving behind charcoal.
2. The charcoal is ground into a powder and mixed with a starch binder as well as borax, sawdust and sodium nitrate.
3. The mixture is compressed into pillow shaped briquettes using high pressure rollers.
4. The briquettes cure for 2-3 days and excess moisture evaporates.
5. The briquettes are packaged and shipped to retailers.

This is a highly efficient process that allows manufacturers to use waste wood and sawdust to produce a high performance grilling fuel.

How Is Lump Charcoal Made?

Lump charcoal is made using a process that is similar to the one originally developed for making charcoal centuries ago. Here are the basic steps:

1. Whole logs or limbs are arranged into a conical pile.
2. The wood pile is covered with turf, dirt, or other insulation.
3. Vents holes are added at the bottom and the top is ignited.
4. The limited oxygen environment restricts combustion to pyrolysis, driving off everything but the charcoal.
5. The process takes 1-2 weeks after which the charcoal pieces are sorted by size and packaged.

This traditional charcoal making or carbonization process dates all the way back to ancient Greece and is still used around the world. It results in pure, all-natural charcoal with each piece retaining the shape of the original wood.

Briquettes Vs. Lump – Which Is Better for Grilling?

The debate over briquettes vs lump comes down to the different advantages of each type of charcoal:

Heat Control

Briquettes burn longer and more consistently, making them the better choice for “low and slow” cooking methods like smoking brisket or ribs where you need steady low heat for many hours. The inconsistencies of lump charcoal can make it difficult to maintain low temps.

High Heat Searing

Lump charcoal can burn extremely hot, making it the fuel of choice when you need intense heat for fast searing of steaks or burgers. Briquettes don’t burn hot enough for the best sear.

Flavor

Many people insist that lump imparts a stronger smoky flavor thanks to its all-natural makeup. But blind taste tests have often shown little flavor difference between meats grilled over lump and briquettes.

Ash Production

Lump charcoal produces very little ash, making cleanup much easier. The filler in briquettes leads to a lot more ash at the end of a grilling session.

Cost

Lump charcoal is more expensive per pound, so your fuel costs will be higher if you use strictly lump. Briquettes provide more cooking time per dollar.

Convenience

Briquettes light easily and consistently without the need for special equipment. Lump can be more difficult to light evenly, especially without a charcoal chimney.

How Long Does Charcoal Last When Lit?

Here is a comparison of burn times for briquettes vs lump:

Charcoal Type	Average Burn Time
Briquettes	45-60 minutes
Lump	30-45 minutes

Of course, the exact burn time will depend on factors like wind conditions, grill design and desired heat. But in general, briquettes provide longer cooking times.

Does Charcoal Go Bad?

Properly stored, charcoal has a very long shelf life. Here are some guidelines on expiration:

• Unopened bags can last up to 3 years from the packaging date before quality deteriorates.
• Once opened and stored in a sealed container, charcoal can last over a year.
• Store charcoal in a cool, dry place for maximum freshness.
• Watch for crumbling, excess powder and loss of black color as signs that charcoal is expired.

Charcoal does not actually expire or go rancid, but it can degrade and become difficult to light if stored improperly for an extended time. Date codes on bags will indicate maximum recommended freshness.

Does Charcoal Have Carcinogens?

There has been some concern about carcinogens in charcoal, particularly briquettes. Here are the facts:

• Untreated charcoal can contain polyaromatic hydrocarbons that may be carcinogenic.
• U.S. briquettes use a process that converts potential carcinogens into carbon dioxide and water.
• Test show no measurable amounts of carcinogens on completed U.S. briquettes.
• The small amounts of emission during heating pose little risk per health organizations.
• However, lump charcoal made in other countries may not undergo this treatment process.

While any smoke inhalation should be minimized, research indicates that using standard charcoal briquettes in a typical outdoor grilling application is not a significant cancer risk.

What Is Activated Charcoal?

Activated charcoal is made by further heating charcoal with steam or air to increase its surface porosity. This creates an adsorbent material with a high capacity to capture chemicals.

Uses of activated charcoal include:

• Water filtration
• Air purification
• Medicine for poison control or overdoses
• Teeth whitening
• Skin care products

Activated charcoal should not be confused with standard charcoal briquettes or lump which do not have high adsorbent properties. Attempting to use activated charcoal for grilling would produce terrible results!

Should You Soak Charcoal Before Use?

There are a few myths about soaking or wetting charcoal:

• Soaking does not make lighting easier or improve burn time.
• Wet charcoal will dry out during lighting and heating.
• Soaking can promote mold growth in storage.
• Proper storage keeps charcoal ready for use without soaking.

The bottom line is soaking or wetting provides no benefits to charcoal for grilling. Use it dry right from the bag for best performance.

Can Charcoal Be Reused?

While it’s possible to reuse lump charcoal, here are some factors to consider:

• Ash coating reduces effectiveness and flavor for reuse.
• Moisture absorption makes reusing briquettes difficult.
• Special designs like Big Green Egg can reuse lump with ash removal.
• For best results, starting with fresh charcoal is recommended.

Many backyard cooks don’t find it worth the effort to reuse charcoal. Fresh charcoal provides consistency and maximum flavor.

Conclusion

So should you stock up on charcoal briquettes or natural lump charcoal for this grilling season? The answer depends on your specific needs and preferences:

• Briquettes provide long, even heat for low and slow smoking.
• Lump offers intense heat for fast searing.
• Lump burns faster with less ash to clean up.
• Briquettes cost less per cooking session.

Your ideal grilling fuel is determined by what type of cooking you do most. For dedicated grill masters, keeping both briquettes and lump charcoal on hand can allow you to use the best fuel for each cooking task.

With proper storage and care, charcoal provides outstanding performance and flavor for most backyard grilling applications. Now it’s time to fire up the grill and enjoy the season!