The Best Charcoal To Use

[caption id="attachment_1599" align="alignleft" width="350" caption="Using the right charcoal makes all the difference."][/caption]

Summer is here and that means one thing in the food department...grilling. Now, you have your steaks, chickens, vegetables and grill, but what about charcoal? Using the right charcoal makes all the difference. Check out this article from Serious Eats that compares different types of charcoal.

In the world of charcoal grilling, there's no more fundamental and fiercely debated topic than lump charcoal vs. briquettes. Being the building block for everything you grill, it's no wonder that grill masters around the world will defend their choice with extreme passion. So, you might ask, "Which is the reigning champ?" Well, there really is no easy answer, but there are some charcoal essentials you should know that will help you make the right choice.

Lump Charcoal

Charcoal is made by burning wood in the absence of oxygen, and lump charcoal is the product of that. Since lump is charcoal in its most natural form, it's no wonder purists will almost always prefer it. Beyond that, lump charcoal has a lot of attractive qualities; it lights faster, burns hotter, and leaves very little ash compared to briquettes. Lump charcoal is also more responsive to oxygen, making it easier to control the fire's temperature if your grill has adjustable air vents.

Pros: Lights quickly, burns hotter, little ash production, easier temperature adjustment, all natural
Cons: Burns faster, more expensive, less consistent (bags can contain unusably small pieces of charcoal)

Read more at Serious Eats