Not totally all charcoal is created equal, and a number of it might even be harmful to your quality of life as a result of presence of toxic chemical additions. We'll discuss what to look for in the most effective charcoal for a smoker and then list the most truly effective 10 alternatives we've tested firsthand.
If you decide on the most effective charcoal briquettes, they need to absorb lighter fluid readily. You can use lighter fluid in conjunction with briquettes to boost the efficiency of combustion. Because we don't want to alter the taste, we suggest utilizing a lighter fluid alternative with lump type charcoal.
Which varieties of charcoal are ideal for use in a smoker?
Briquettes
Briquettes are compressed coal or a variety of other materials. The design promotes even burning, and the size makes it easy to put into your smoker. Briquettes can include a number of substances, including sulfur and other contaminants. Because a number of the additives might be dangerous, you wish to make certain that you're purchasing briquettes which have the best possible amount of the substances.
Charcoal in Lump Form
For the most part, you wish to utilize lump charcoal. It's pure charcoal that has been pressed and dried to remove any moisture. Lump charcoal burns cleanly and has no harmful compounds. When used in conjunction with a smoker, it might burn for a long time period, that is good for decreasing the necessity to purchase briquettes. However, lump charcoal doesn't burn as quickly, so you'll need to help keep using lighter fluid to help it start and burn.
Alternatives to CharcoalBag charcoal will come in a variety of forms and sizes. It's more adaptable than briquettes but is harder to put into your smoker than briquettes. While it generally does not burn provided that lumps or briquettes, it is fantastic for smoking over an open fire or in a barbecue pit. Box charcoal is packaged in a square container and is intended to be always a medium-sized product that fits well in your smoker. Although it resembles briquettes and bags of charcoal, its shape and size ensure it is suitable for use with a campfire or pit smoker.
Charcoal in lump form
The phrase "lump" charcoal describes Coconut charcoal from Indonesia that has been hand-shaped. This charcoal has been shaped differently to produce it easier to use within a smoker. Because lumps don't require pre-lighting, they burn more than lump charcoal briquettes. Lumps are somewhat harder to light and have a leaner outer shell than briquettes, which is why some smokers refuse to just accept them.