Do I prefer to choose charcoal or briquettes?

The choice of gas or coal is a personal consideration. The answer to whether charcoal or briquettes is better has much less to do with preference. In fact, both types have specific properties that make them more or less suitable for certain applications.

Charcoal consists of pure charred wood with no additives. It burns better than wood in part because it is dry. Ignition is rapid and charcoal can reach very high temperatures. This makes it ideally suited for direct grilling (without a lid). Because charcoal burns up quickly, refills are needed more quickly. In addition, charcoal’s temperature quickly decreases (does not retain heat as well).

Briquettes consist of pulverized charcoal that is compressed into lumps when combined with a binder. Because briquettes heat evenly and remain at a constant temperature for a long time, this fuel is ideal for indirect grilling (with the lid closed) and smoking. It takes longer for briquettes to reach temperature and it does not get as high as charcoal, but they maintain their temperature longer.

For both charcoal and briquettes, cheap usually means expensive. There are great differences in quality. You cannot tell from the outside whether a piece of charcoal or a briquette is made of inferior wood. You don’t notice this until you see them literally turn to ashes in rapid succession in front of you. In addition, with briquettes, pay attention to whether the binder used is a natural product (e.g., corn starch). Cheap briquettes use chemicals and you’d rather not have those rising in your food. A similar problem occurs with cheap charcoal. If that is made from used waste wood, there is a risk that it may contain paint residue, remnants of nails and other junk. In short, when buying charcoal or briquettes, don’t let your wallet, but your common sense speak for itself.

What is restaurant charcoal?

Restaurant charcoal, or restaurant grade, is a quality designation. It is usually sold in large 10-kilogram bags, partly because the chunks are a good deal larger than usual charcoal. These burn longer and reach high temperatures. The best charcoal is made from pure South African acacia wood that burns evenly, does not splash and has a pleasant smell and taste. It is slightly more expensive in terms of price, but contains less grit, dust and too-small pieces that fall through your grill.