{"id":11347,"date":"2023-02-03T13:17:38","date_gmt":"2023-02-03T13:17:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/?p=11347"},"modified":"2023-09-10T12:04:59","modified_gmt":"2023-09-10T12:04:59","slug":"lump-charcoal-vs-briquettes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/lump-charcoal-vs-briquettes\/","title":{"rendered":"Lump Charcoal Vs Briquettes: Ignite the Fight"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Lump charcoal vs briquettes has been a rousing debate in the grilling world. Opponents often agree to disagree and both sides make good points worth considering. I prefer using briquettes simply because I often smoke big, tough meat cuts that demand a long time on the grill<\/a> to absorb that glorious smoke flavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a seasoned BBQ warrior, I have had the chance to use all types of fuel including different brands of both lump charcoal and briquettes on my grill. Over the years I have taken note of a bunch of similarities as well as differences that I think you should know about before settling on either one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on to learn a little about both fuels as well as their differences and similarities. Know which one is best for grilling, smoking, and baking and what could be choking your fire. Diving in:<\/p>\n\n\n

\"lump<\/figure>\n\n\n

Lump Charcoal Vs Briquettes: Side by Side Comparison<\/h2>\n\n\n

Characteristics<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

Lump Charcoal<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

Briquettes<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

Raw Material<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

Wood only<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

Has additives<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

Shape<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

Irregular<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

Regular<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

Temperature<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

Very high<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

Lower than lump charcoal<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

Ignition<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

Easy<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

Hard<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

Ash Output<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

Low<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

High<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

What Are the Differences Between Lump Charcoal and Briquettes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Both lump charcoal and briquettes are types of wood charcoal. This simply means that they have gone through carbonization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carbonization<\/a> is the process by which wood is heated in a low-oxygen chamber at high temperatures. This serves to get rid of volatile compounds like water and natural compounds such as methane which are vaporized into the air. The wood is freed of all impurities leaving behind carbon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The byproduct is lighter and cleaner. It also burns longer, and more evenly. The wood is then made into two distinct forms: lump charcoal or briquettes. They differ in the following ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Material<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lump charcoal is considered a more traditional cooking fuel compared to briquettes because they are made of pure wood. The wood is comprised of scraps from the timber yard, twigs, branches, and by-products from sawmills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Briquettes, unlike lump charcoal, are made of several materials, including sawdust, wood particles, unburnt material from a heat source, sawdust, paper, and dry straw. These materials are pressed together into a mold to form a briquette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Better Product: Lump Charcoal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shape<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lump charcoal and briquettes also differ in shape and size. Lump coal comes in irregular shapes and sizes. One bag contains large, small, and medium pieces of charcoal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Briquettes on the other hand have a uniform shape since they are fitted into a mold during the manufacturing process. Shapes and sizes may vary across different brands but all the briquettes in a packet will be similar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Better Product: Briquettes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additives <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lump charcoal is only comprised of wood, unlike briquettes which are made up of several materials inclusive of additives that serve to enhance their characteristics. Some of these additives are starch, borax, paraffin, and limestone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Better Product: Lump Charcoal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Temperature Control and Burn Rate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lump coals burn hotter and faster than briquettes. With uneven charcoal bits, you can expect an uneven distribution of heat within the cooking chamber. This can be countered by working the air vents to your liking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Briquettes on the hand are designed to burn slower over longer periods, making it an easier fire to control and regulate. This is further enhanced by their even shape which allows them to burn more evenly. With briquettes, you won’t be caught unprepared or rushed as you cook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Better Product: Briquettes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amount of Ash<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another major difference is the amount of ash they produce. Since lump coal is made of just wood, it produces very little ash compared to briquettes which feature many other components that add to the amount of ash you’re left with after grilling or smoking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Better Product: Lump Charcoal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cost<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lump coal is a lot pricier than briquettes because the raw materials are harder to source in comparison to briquettes whose raw materials are readily available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Better Product: Briquettes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Outdoor<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

What Are the Similarities Between Lump Charcoal and Briquettes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Despite the many differences between the two, they still have a few similarities. They are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carbonization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both lump charcoal and briquettes come from wood that’s been carbonized during the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ignition<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both types of wood charcoal are ignited the same way. I use a charcoal chimney<\/a> to start my fire regardless of the fuel. I steer clear of self-igniting fuel ever since I tasted the chemical solvent on my brisket. I won’t make that mistake again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n \n \n
\n\n \n \n \n \"WISAUTO\n <\/a>\n \n WISAUTO Charcoal Chimney Starter Quick Rapid...<\/a>\n \n <\/span><\/a> \n <\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/span>\n\n<\/div>\n\n \n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

Similarly, both types of fuel are available as self-lighting charcoal. Many varieties of lump charcoal and briquettes are mixed with chemical solvents during manufacturing to make ignition simpler and less time-consuming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also use lighter fluid if you prefer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wood fuels that contain these solvents will be clearly labeled on the package for you to make an informed purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Purity and Charcoal Quality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both hardwood charcoal fuels are cleaner options than wood. This is because they are separated from impurities in the manufacturing plant during carbonization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, it won’t engulf your house with smoke that assaults the eyes, nose, and lungs with either fuel when you decide to smoke your meat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Lump Charcoal?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lump charcoal is a type of fuel made by burning wood using high temperatures in the absence of oxygen through a process called carbonization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carbonization serves to rid the wood of moisture and other natural chemicals like hydrogen and methane, leaving the wood clean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since this fuel is wood in its most natural form it’s not a wonder that most grilling purists will prefer it over briquettes. This high-quality fuel comes from either scrap timber or virgin timber which has fewer impurities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main concern with hardwood charcoal is the wood used to make it. Unprocessed wood, twigs and branches or scraps from a sawmill are not tainted by anything. However, scraps sourced from flooring or wood that’s been stained or finished could contain chemicals that you don’t want anywhere near your food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pros<\/h3>\n\n\n\n