How to Choose the Right Charcoal for Your Barbecue

So that the dishes are baked thoroughly and do not taste bitter.

When going to a barbecue, it is important not to forget to take proven charcoal with you as fuel for the grill. Whether you can cook shashlik and other dishes in the open air depends on this. Flavoriso will tell you which charcoal is best to choose and how else to determine the quality of the product in the store.

Step 1: Decide on the type of wood

The main difference between types of coal is the wood in the composition. This determines the temperature, duration of combustion and even the aroma that the food will be imbued with.

Here are the main types:

• Pine. The cheapest charcoal, usually sold in packages under the trade name “wood”. The combustion temperature is low, it also smolders for a short time – a maximum of 20-30 minutes: this is not enough time for meat. Food cooked on it can be bitter. Aspen charcoal has similar properties.
• Birch. The most popular and the best option. The coal has a rich anthracite color. The price is moderate, the heat is excellent. It burns from one to five hours depending on the size and shape.
• Oak. It takes a long time to light, but it smolders for a long time – an excellent choice for summer trips to the countryside, if you plan to cook a lot of dishes on the grill that require constant, even heat. The coal does not emit carcinogens and does not affect the taste of food. It has a less saturated color than birch coal.

Step 2: Choose the right format

The duration and temperature of combustion depend not only on the raw material, but also on the form of coal . The most common type of coal on sale is classic lump coal: in fact, these are ordinary pieces of wood that have undergone pyrolysis. Due to the fragile texture, when opening the package, you can often see coal chips and dust – their appearance is inevitable. However, if the pieces are generally large – from five centimeters on each side – and identical, they will burn well, on average for up to one hour.

Briquettes are made from fine coal chips: they are mixed with paste and starch, and the resulting mass is pressed. The result is identical pieces with a dense texture: they do not flare up immediately, but they smolder for a long time and give a strong, stable heat. Briquettes are an excellent choice for the cold season, as well as for dishes that need to be cooked at a constant high temperature.

Step 3: Read the information on the packaging

In stores you can find types of coal made from one wood and format. How to determine the best one? The easiest way is to carefully study the data provided by the manufacturer:

• Expiry date . Yes, this product has one too, and it is necessary to check it: expired charcoal will burn worse than fresh one.
• Composition . It is important to pay attention to this parameter. The shorter it is, the better. Impurities often mask poor quality or increase volume.

Look for a pack that specifies the specific type of wood, such as birch charcoal rather than just wood charcoal, and also says “calibrated,” meaning the pieces inside are all the same size.

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Step 4: Check the quality yourself

To avoid having to ask yourself the question of choosing quality charcoal every time you plan to have a barbecue, we recommend conducting a comparative experiment once. Buy several options to try in trusted stores and try them out. 

Choose according to these parameters:

• Pay attention to the appearance: the larger and more uniform the pieces and the less dust, the better.
• Make sure the charcoal is easy to light: No one wants to spend a lot of time and effort preparing the grill.
• Assess the ash content: the more residues are formed after combustion, the worse. This indicates the presence of foreign impurities.

And most importantly, record the duration of burning and the taste of the products. Fried meat, fish or vegetables should not be bitter.

Take precautions

However, it is not enough to just buy the right coal. Do not forget that coal should be handled with care. First of all, this concerns the process of lighting the coal: it is at this stage that various unforeseen situations usually occur. 

To prevent this, choose slower, but safer and more environmentally friendly methods for lighting: use paper, birch bark, wood chips, placing them underneath and lighting with a burner or a long match. 

Another option for lighting coal is a special starter, but it is important to carefully pour the burning contents out of it.

Lighter fluids provide a strong flame and make the task easier, but they must be used at a distance to avoid burns. In addition, lighter fluid should be used in small quantities and in measured doses, otherwise the food will acquire an unpleasant odor during cooking.