What are the differences between briquettes and lumpwood charcoal and which one is ideal for your BBQ needs? In this article we will discuss the key differences and which charcoal will better suit your cooking style.
Charcoal Briquettes:
Charcoal Briquettes are a unique type of charcoal, popular in the charcoal industry and offer a wide range of different benefits to lump charcoal and other traditional fuels. They offer a convenient and efficient way to achieve consistent heat and prolonged cooking times. Made from a blend of raw materials: compressed charcoal powder and binding agents, these uniform-shaped briquettes provide reliable performance for various cooking needs and are an all-natural fuel.
Shop Our Briquettes here – 4kg Charcoal Briquettes
Binding Agent:
The binder used to create the briquette form is starch as it is natural and will have no impact on the flavour produced from cooking over the pieces of charcoal. The combination of starch with compressed charcoal creates the uniform briquette shape that we know today.
See more information on the forming of barbecue charcoal into a briquette here – Briquette
Characteristics of Charcoal Briquettes:
Uniform Shape and Size:
Briquette charcoal is manufactured into regular shapes (pillow shapes), ensuring consistent shape, size and a consistent temperature control.
Slower Burn Rate:
It is designed for longer burn times and holds a steady temperature compared to what lump charcoal burns at, making it suitable for prolonged cooking sessions on charcoal grates, due to providing a slow burn and provides a longer cooking duration of 1-3 hours
Cost-Effective:
One advantage of the briquette is cost, as they are more affordable than hardwood lump charcoal, making them a budget-friendly option for charcoal grilling and backyard charcoal barbecues.
Reliable Heat Source:
They provide predictable and steady heat, ideal for cooking significant cuts of meat or for recipes that require longer cooking times.
Consistency:
Briquettes offer consistent cooking temperatures due to their uniform shape, size and the raw materials used, reducing the risk of flare-ups or uneven cooking.
Convenience:
Their availability and ease of use make them the perfect charcoal choice for casual beginners who have little to no experience with charcoal grills due to their uniform and predictable nature.
Shop our whole range of BBQ Charcoal Here – BBQ Charcoal
Lumpwood Charcoal:
Lumpwood charcoal is a natural wood form of hardwood charcoal, typically produced by carbonizing wood in a low-oxygen environment. Unlike briquettes, lump charcoal consists of irregularly shaped pieces, allowing more excellent airflow during burning. Its quick ignition and high temperatures make it a favourite among grilling enthusiasts seeking to achieve that authentic smoky flavour in their barbecue.
Why is our natural lump charcoal so consistent?
Our lump hardwood charcoal is graded to provide consistent heat distribution and is effective at providing a predictable and steady heat for charcoal grills and charcoal kilns. Good quality charcoal such as ours also has moisture content analysed to ensure we have a fantastic product with consistent temperatures and a premium flavour. A good cooking time is another benefit of well screened and dry natural wood charcoal, with optimal moisture levels of less than 8% being something we guarantee within our product.
Shop our Lumpwood Charcoal Here – 5kg Lumpwood BBQ Charcoal
Characteristics of Lumpwood Charcoal
Distinctive Flavour:
Lumpwood charcoal imparts a rich, wood-fired smokey flavour to food, which enhances the overall taste of grilled dishes, especially when using specific types of wood like oak, hickory, or cherry providing maximum flavour.
Versatility:
Lumpwood charcoal suits various grilling techniques, including direct grilling, indirect cooking, and even smoking.
Quick Ignition:
It lights up rapidly, usually without requiring lighter fluid, making it a convenient option for spontaneous grilling events and those who have limited grilling time.
Charcoal size variety:
Unlike briquettes, lump hardwood charcoal comes in various shapes and different sized lumps due to it being a natural product, which can affect the burn time and heat output of the charcoal during cooking, therefore any substandard product with the incorrect grading of charcoal sizes will have issues with inconsistent cooking temperatures and find heat control challenging.
Conclusion:
In the debate of lumpwood charcoal vs. briquettes there is a case to be made for either being the ideal charcoal fuel source. Consistency and cost are the main benefits of charcoal briquettes with the shape and size of briquettes providing a more even burn than lumpwood charcoal. Therefore briquettes would be an ideal choice for a charcoal beginner who has little to no experience.
Lumpwood charcoal on the other hand provides the authentic taste of a BBQ with a quicker ignition time another of the key benefits of lump charcoal. Due to the different sized pieces, there is more of a challenge with lumpwood charcoal over briquettes so it would be recommended to use lumpwood charcoal if you are happy with your basic grilling skills and you are ready to take your grilling experience to the next level.
