Lump Charcoal or Briquettes?
Lump Charcoal
The type and quality of charcoal that you use will play a role in not only the price you pay, but other factors like rate of burn, ash production, and even the food you cook.
However, not everything you hear in regards to lump and briquette is true. Some people swear by one fuel source and have a bias. While others will buy whatever is natural and on-sale.
Let's look closer at some of some of these concepts.
Charcoal is Fueled by Air
Regardless of shape, oxygen is what feeds fire. This is how Pitmasters regulate temperature, by opening and closing their vents.
Open vents allow more airflow and result in a hotter pit. Closed vents allow less air and result in a cooler fire.
This concept is completely independent of fuel type.
Fire Arrangement
The way you arrange your coals also matters and will affect how hot the pit can be. As we mentioned, pit temp can be regulated by airflow. This airflow can also be stifled by charcoal byproduct like ash, powder, and other residue. These can block airflow and make your fire colder.
There are also various fire configurations that can provide direct and indirect heat via zones on your grill. This affects the heat that is delivered to the food.
Direct works by providing the food radiant and conductive heat. Indirect works by providing the food convection heat, similar to an oven.
Again, this concept is independent of fuel type.
The Grill Type
The type of grill that you use typically doesn't matter and won't affect your fuel options.
However, kamado grills are smaller and don't feature a lot of space for charcoal ash. If there is excess ash it can block airflow and choke the fire.
Ceramic grill manufacturers typically recommend using lump charcoal because it produces less ash. However briquettes can work as well provided that they're all-natural. Briquettes with additives can increase ash production.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are some distinct differences between lump charcoal and briquettes. However, your choice between the two really comes down to what you're cooking. Traditionally, lump-charcoal burns hotter and faster. Briquettes are best suited for longer cooks and burn more uniformly.
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