FAQs
What’s the difference between charcoal briquettes and charcoal lumpwood?
Charcoal Briquettes: Charcoal briquettes are manufactured from a mixture of charcoal dust, coal dust, and other additives such as binders and fillers. The ingredients are compressed into uniform shapes, typically in the form of small pillows or bricks. The briquettes are then dried, creating a consistent and dense fuel source for grilling.
Advantages of Charcoal Briquettes:
Long-lasting and consistent heat: Briquettes burn for an extended period and maintain a steady heat output, which is ideal for longer cooking sessions or when precise temperature control is required.
Even heat distribution: Due to their uniform shape and density, briquettes provide a more even distribution of heat across the grill surface, resulting in balanced cooking.
Easy ignition: Briquettes are designed to ignite easily and usually come pre-soaked with lighter fluid, making them convenient to start.
Disadvantages of Charcoal Briquettes:
Chemical additives: Some briquettes contain additives like borax, sawdust, or coal dust, which can impart a slightly chemical taste to the food. However, this is generally minimal and not noticeable with proper use.
Ash production: Briquettes tend to produce more ash compared to lumpwood charcoal, requiring more frequent cleaning of the grill.
Charcoal Lumpwood: Charcoal lumpwood, also known as natural lump charcoal, is made by burning wood in the absence of oxygen, a process called pyrolysis. It is essentially charred wood in its purest form, without any additives or fillers. Lumpwood charcoal comes in irregular shapes and sizes, ranging from small chunks to larger pieces.
Advantages of Charcoal Lumpwood:
Authentic flavour: Lumpwood charcoal is favoured by many BBQ enthusiasts because it provides a distinct smoky flavour that enhances the taste of grilled food. It is often considered the purest form of charcoal.
Less ash production: Lumpwood charcoal produces less ash compared to briquettes, reducing the need for frequent cleaning during a grilling session.
Quick and intense heat: Lumpwood charcoal ignites faster and reaches higher temperatures more quickly than briquettes. This makes it suitable for searing and achieving a charred crust on meats.
Disadvantages of Charcoal Lumpwood:
Variable heat and burn time: Due to the irregular shapes and sizes of lumpwood charcoal, it may burn hotter in some areas and cooler in others. This can make temperature control a bit more challenging compared to briquettes.
Shorter burn time: Lumpwood charcoal tends to burn faster than briquettes, so it may require replenishing during long cooking sessions.
Both charcoal briquettes and charcoal lumpwood have their merits, and the choice often comes down to personal preference and the specific grilling application. Some grillers even prefer using a combination of both, to harness the advantages of each type.
Remember to consider factors such as flavour, heat consistency, burn time, and ash production when selecting between charcoal briquettes and lumpwood charcoal for your BBQ sessions. Happy grilling!
When I light my charcoal bbq, how long do I have to wait before cooking?
When lighting your charcoal BBQ, the amount of time you need to wait before cooking depends on several factors. Here are some key considerations:
1. Charcoal type: The type of charcoal you use can affect the ignition time. Charcoal briquettes typically require around 15-30 minutes to reach the desired cooking temperature. Lumpwood charcoal, on the other hand, ignites faster and can be ready for cooking within 10-15 minutes. Pay particular attention to the quality. if you light it naturally and use a top quality natural lumpwood the sooner you can start cooking usually.
2. Ignition method: The method you use to light your charcoal also influences the waiting time. If you use lighter fluid, it may take a bit longer for the coals to be ready compared to using a chimney starter or an electric charcoal starter. Lighter fluid needs time to burn off completely, as residual chemicals can affect the flavour of the food, in fact we suggest avoiding any chemicals like this, and stick to using natural firelighters, or an electric starter, AND, we find using a chimney starter is a game changer.
3. Preheating the grill: After the coals have been lit, it’s important to allow time for the grill grates to heat up. This ensures even heat distribution and reduces the chance of food sticking to the grates. Preheating generally takes an additional 5-10 minutes. Again, this might depend on the BBQ style, larger ceramic grills for example take longer for the whole material mass of the BBQ to warm up, yet smaller camping style Grills will be ready in just 10 minutes, always bear this in mind. In the typical relaxed BBQ style, its always best to allow plenty of time.
4. Cooking temperature: The desired cooking temperature plays a role in determining the waiting time. If you’re aiming for high heat, you might need to wait a bit longer to achieve the desired temperature. For lower and slower cooking, you can start cooking once the coals have developed a layer of white ash, indicating they are fully ignited and ready to go. In addition to this lumpwood size plays a big role.. large pieces take longer to ignite, burn slower and longer and with a little less heat, smaller pieces will heat up faster, burn hotter usually. You can break up a large lumpwood to your desired size. You can also smash it a little to move it along temperature wise ‘mid cook’ if you need to. Briquettes are always ,much more even in this regard as they all a uniform shape and size.
In summary, the waiting time before cooking on your charcoal BBQ can range from approximately 10 minutes for lumpwood charcoal with a quick ignition method to around 30 minutes for briquettes or slower ignition methods. Keep an eye on the appearance of the coals, ensuring they are fully lit and covered in ash before you begin cooking as a general rule, unless you know you’re lumpwood quality well. Patience during the preheating process will lead to better results and a more enjoyable grilling experience, remember its always the chilled and relaxed approach 😊
Smoking chips or chunks. What’s the difference?
1. Smoking Chips:
Smoking chips are small pieces of wood, typically about the size of a coin or smaller. They are commonly used for shorter smoking sessions or when you want a quicker infusion of smoke flavour. Smoking chips ignite and produce smoke faster than smoking chunks due to their smaller size.
Advantages of Smoking Chips:
– Quick smoke production: Smoking chips ignite and start producing smoke more rapidly, allowing you to begin smoking your food sooner.
– Ideal for gas and charcoal grills: Since they ignite quickly, smoking chips are suitable for gas grills or charcoal grills where you want to add smoke flavour without waiting for a large chunk of wood to ignite.
– Variety of flavours: Smoking chips are available in various wood types, such as mesquite, hickory, apple, cherry, and more. This variety allows you to experiment with different flavours to enhance your food.
Disadvantages of Smoking Chips:
– Shorter smoke duration: Due to their small size, smoking chips burn relatively quickly. They may need to be replenished multiple times during longer smoking sessions.
– Less intense smoke flavour: Compared to smoking chunks, smoking chips provide a milder smoke flavour due to their smaller surface area and quicker burn time.
2. Smoking Chunks:
Smoking chunks are larger pieces of wood, typically around the size of a fist or bigger. They are designed for longer smoking sessions and are well-suited for offset smokers, charcoal smokers, and other types of smokers that can accommodate larger wood pieces.
Advantages of Smoking Chunks:
– Prolonged smoke duration: Smoking chunks burn slowly and produce smoke over an extended period, making them ideal for longer smoking sessions. They provide a consistent smoke flavour without frequent replenishing.
– Intense smoke flavour: The larger size of smoking chunks allows for a slower and more controlled burn, resulting in a stronger smoke flavour that can deeply penetrate the food.
– Suitable for low and slow cooking: Smoking chunks are excellent for low and slow cooking methods, such as smoking large cuts of meat for hours at a time.
Disadvantages of Smoking Chunks:
– Slower ignition: Smoking chunks take longer to ignite compared to smoking chips. They require more time to reach their optimal smoking temperature.
– Not ideal for quick smoking: If you’re looking for a quick smoke infusion or using a gas grill, smoking chunks may not be the most efficient option due to their slower ignition and longer burn time.
In summary, smoking chips are convenient for quick smoking sessions, provide a variety of flavours, and work well with gas or charcoal grills. Smoking chunks, on the other hand, offer a prolonged and intense smoke flavour, making them suitable for longer smoking sessions and low and slow cooking methods. Consider your specific smoking needs, cooking time, and desired smoke intensity when choosing between smoking chips and smoking chunks.
Recent News & Updates
Are you ready for the best grilling experience you’ve ever had?
Here at the BBQ experts we only sell the best brands on the market. Our main brands are; Napoleon Big K THUROS Globaltic Oxford Charcoal...
Our Story, Values and Beliefs
Here at the BBQ experts we have a passion for BBQ food, outdoor living and spending time with family and friends. We offer you; A...