Best Lump Charcoal – Buyer’s Guide

Lump charcoal delivers a distinct, smoky flavor that propane gas can never match. And the taste is apparent in everything you grill with it.

Finding the best lump charcoal can be a difficult task. You need to know that the fuel you use for cooking heavily impacts the taste of the food.

When it comes to cooking, I am always inclined to the old-school methods. I am writing this review to help you buy the best lump charcoal within your budget. I will also talk about things to look forward to while selecting the charcoal and more.

Find here the right lump charcoal that suits your grilling needs:

Best Lump Charcoal

1. Fogo Premium Best All-purpose Charcoal

Fogo Premium Hardwood Lump Charcoal

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Natural hardwood charcoal, otherwise known as charwood has always been the chef’s favorite (actually my favorite). These charcoals are usually made from oak and sometimes hickory as well.

You must have heard the name of Fogo if you’re into barbecuing at all. If you’re a seasoned cook, a mere look at the charcoal pieces inside the bag will give you a hint of its quality. They use Central American Hardwood for the manufacturing. It has all the ideal characteristics of good quality charcoal.

As I already said before, the quality of the charcoal will heavily influence the taste of the dishes. Being made from selected hardwood trimmings and no other ingredient, it leaves a fine smoky flavor in the grilled edibles.

I have been using Big Green Egg for years. I have tried slow cooking for halibut, Salmon, and Tilapia fillet directly on the hot charcoal and they turned out to be perfectly seared. I was afraid of overcooking them since the charcoal burns super hot.

Starting the fire is also incredibly easy. As per the manufacturer’s recommendation, I used vegetable oil instead of Lighter Fluid to light the charcoals. Only 100% natural hardwood lump charcoal can retain its signature mild smoky flavor for hours and Fogo is, fortunately, not an exception. It is great for both slow and fast cooking which is not the case with most other charcoals.

Last but not the least, the makers have kept the prices really modest provided the efficiency of the charcoal. Given the large size of the coals, they burn significantly longer than most other branded charcoal.

2. A Kamado Joe Hardwood Lump Charcoal Best Lump Charcoal for Kamado

A Kamado Joe Hardwood Extra Large Lump Charcoal

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This lump charcoal it’s a new upgrade on the market today, at least if you’re much concerned about the packaging.

Compared to other most known lump charcoal, Kamado Joe’s charcoal comes packed in an enclosed bin which helps protect it during transportation; therefore, it’s much easier to transport and store.

Since it’s 100% natural, Kamado Joe burns for a more extended period of up to 18 hours producing a consistent heat temperature, allowing your steak to grill over 750 degrees Fahrenheit.

At this temperature, you’ll achieve a perfect steakhouse style burning experience with a signature of smoked flavor. Concerning longer burn, the charcoal slow cooks at hotter temperatures producing moisture meat.

The lump charcoal lit up easily and fast with minimal efforts ideal for a ceramic grill that insulates and contains much heat. For a better start, I recommend using the original Komodo Joe lighter.

Kamado Joe Fire Starters

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Within the first 15 minutes, you are guaranteed to achieve the desired cooking temperature. Since it lights pretty fast, it gives you ample time to concentrate on grilling and less time on keeping the charcoal burning.

If you’re worried about consumption, this lump charcoal is reusable up to three times by just adding a few new champs of charcoal to the old ones and light it up.

Consequently, this charcoal comes at an affordable price, plus you can reuse making it very effective for your grill.

One more advantage is that it burns clean which leaves little ash after grilling, thereby ensuring you sear your steak like a professional chef, clean and tidy.

However, the lump charcoal sizes may be inconsistent with larger, medium, and smaller pieces. You can decide to use the smaller pieces to start and light up your grill, then gradually add the larger pieces that give you even slow cook for a longer time.

The Kamado Joe brand of lump charcoal has a more distinct smoky scent that is ideal for grilling a variety of ingredients including, chicken, lamb, beef, shrimp, and fish of the most precise cuts. The Kamado Joe charcoal also adds a sweet aroma pure from unhealthy additives.

If you are looking for slow cooking charcoal, the Kamado Joe is the one for you. Great for outdoor grilling and gives your meat a perfect moister and smoky flavor. Will recommend this especially for BBQ at high temperature.

3. Big Green Egg Charcoal Best Charcoal for Big Green Egg

Big Green Egg Charcoal 20 lb

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With summer comes the season of barbeque parties! The grill and quality of coal used really adds to the flavor and texture of the meat.

However, charcoal smoke has an adverse effect on the environment. Not anymore, the BIG Green Egg is committed to manufacturing eco-friendly products.

The BIG CP 20-pound bag of lump charcoal contains only 100% natural American oak and hickory and none of the artificial chemicals.

The BIG CP charcoal also enhances the taste of the meat without using any adulterations such as nitrates, artificial filters, limestone, or petroleum products.

Thanks to this product, I could finally enjoy the smoky succulent flavor of the steaks without the bitter aftertaste of chemicals and filters.

If you’re keen on making restaurant quality steaks right at your home, I’d definitely recommend this.

4. Jealous Devil Lump Charcoal Review Best Lump Charcoal for Grilling

Jealous Devil Quebrancho Charcoal

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On a very irrelevant note, anything that comes in black and red packaging grabs my attention immediately. Moving on to the more serious things, the Jealous Devil is known by many for its one-of-a-kind burnt aroma.

There’s a local and extremely popular food joint near my apartment that uses this brand of charcoal for grilling.

The charcoals are procured from the Quebrancho Blanco tree and have an amazing density.

Upon opening the bag, I hardly found any junk or scrape. However, the amount of dust was a bit bothersome. The charcoals are otherwise well-filtered to ensure optimal efficiency. Coming to the size of pieces, the majority of them are medium-sized.

There are a number of large pieces as well but they make up only 10% of the mass. Lighting up the fire is also fairly simple and the fire spreads quickly if lit up properly. You need to crumble 3-4 3.5 sheets of paper to ignite the charcoal.

But as far as the quality of the charcoals is concerned, it is a good bang for the buck. Not as great as Fogo but decent enough.

5. Fogo! Best Hardwood Lump Charcoal

Fogo! All Natural Hardwood Charcoal

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Many Fogo loyalists swear by this charcoal. And this fan base includes many renowned chefs of top restaurants as well. They call it the ‘award-winning charcoal’. I was naturally very curious to know what all this fuss is about. I was lucky enough to give it a try a few weeks back at a friend’s pool party.

Hardwood charcoal has always been my favorite as the mild yet distinct aroma it infuses with the food is simply unmatchable. As expected from Fogo, all the pieces in the bag are carefully selected and there is a very little amount of chips and dirt in the bag. It burns nice and slow and the fire lasts way longer than conventional charcoals.

The steaks and prawns came out juicy and full of flavors, just the way everyone likes it. I could rake the temp up to 700 degrees without much issue. The bag contained a good number of large pieces.

They burn real hot real quick and seal the moisture and smoky essence in the meat. As a result, they turn out tender and properly cooked. And one thing I can tell for sure is that this charcoal beats many of its expensive counterparts hands down.

I used it with my friend’s Kamado and regulating the temperature was an absolute breeze. If you are into low and slow cooking, you’d have a good time cooking with it. It also doesn’t create much sparkle, although it pops a little. The burning duration is really praiseworthy. After preparing a feast for dozens of guests, I still had enough coal left for another cooking session.

6. Rockwood Lump Charcoal Best Natural Lump Charcoal

Rockwood All-Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal

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Rockwood premium all natural lump charcoal is a quite new offer and you have to know about it. It works in smokers, a Weber traditional charcoal grill, usual smoke charcoal grills, and also capable of a Green Egg.

Anyway, this is real charcoal made of pure lump charcoal from premium Missouri oak, hickory, and maple. It’s free from chemicals, fillers, binders, and other impurities. It lights quick, it burns hot, it’s beautifully imperfect so that means it has unique shapes which means it’s unmatched.

It’s not pressed together so you’ll see when you open this up it’s not like a synthetic briquette. And it’s 100 percent Missouri.

Rockwood lump charcoal is light, I think it’s because it’s a pure state of carbon. As a result, you can hear that really high pitched glass sound when it is burning.

It produces very low ash and does not affect the taste of food, so if you are looking for the best lump charcoal, it is a great option.

7. Grill Dome Best Charcoal for Kamado

Grill Dome Choice Lump Charcoal

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Kamado style grills are a hot favorite among many Americans. These traditional Japanese grills require the best quality charcoal to perform to its optimal potential. The product under scanner this time is specially created for such grills.

Recently, I have come across the news that the lump supply for Grill Dome’comes from the supplier of Wicked Good. In the packet I bought last month, the size of the pieces was significantly larger than how they used to be a year ago. So, that’s definitely a great improvement. There were almost no flying sparks and it didn’t leave much ash after I put it off.

Those who are into slow cooking would make the most of this product. My family loves smoked lamb rack and Grill Dome charcoal keeps the flavor of it intact for more than half a day.

The fact that it uses a mix of a variety of woods to procure the charcoal makes it ideal for almost all type of smoked and grilled dishes. Unless you want a specific wood flavor dominating your food, you will be satisfied with the taste it imparts in the dishes.

8. Char-Broil Lump Charcoal Best Center Cut Lump Charcoal

Char-Broil Center Cut Lump Charcoal

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Good charcoal is not just any ordinary charcoal! The Char-Broil Center Cut Lump Charcoal is produced from 100% natural hardwood. Unlike other brands, the hardwood which is to be processed into this charcoal is carefully selected to ensure a clean burning on the grill.

When looking for the best charcoal lumps in the market, it is essential for you to remember that your charcoal selection will affect your stove or grilling results. It is thus recommended that you go for charcoal that is made using only the center-cut hardwood.

This means that all the barks, binders, limbs, dust, and excessive charcoal fines are filtered away. As for this product, only the center-cut wood is used for efficient burning and long-lasting heating.

Also, its lumps come with inconsistent quality and size of three inches per briquette that allows for more natural utilization and offers a positive outcome.

This charcoal is fired longer during its production to make it a premium light-weight charcoal that offers clean-burning while reducing unwanted wood sparks, ash, and dirty smoke.

Lighting this charcoal is simpler compared to other brands. Once lit, it quickly delivers high warmth and temperature.
Besides, it gets consumed by fire slowly thus giving you more grilling time. This also limits the emission of wastes, therefore, guarantee that you use the insignificant sum available.

Apart from quick heating, the Char-broil charcoal continues heating uniformly thus ensuring the food cooks nicely. Therefore, when you buy this charcoal, you will be assured of quality.

This means that you will be able to cook your red meat, shrimp, chicken, and vegetables thoroughly for a refined taste. Your food will be amazing as there will be no dirt smoke or grime present to leave a bad taste in your mouth.

In terms of packaging, this product is very convenient. It comes in a neat package that is easy to open, close, and store.

It is advised that you store this product in a dry area that is away from moisture. If you leave the packaging open or not tightly closed, it could be hard the next time you want to burn it.

9. Royal Oak Best Lump Charcoal for Smoking

Royal Oak 100% All Natural Charcoal

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The product package says ‘100% All Natural’ which I refused to believe completely before I had actually used the charcoal.

Upon opening the packet, I did notice a few lumber mill scraps but that’s all, no other fillers. With the minimum amount of chips and junks in a bag full of charcoal, Royal Oak nailed the first test.

Like the previous product, it also injects a mild, smoky taste in the meat, fishes, and veggies. The charcoals are procured from American hardwood that comes from Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. It takes minimal effort to lit up the charcoal, you can easily achieve an ideal cooking temperature within 15 minutes.

If you have used only charcoal briquettes so far, you will instantly notice the difference. The heat lasts longer and keeps the flavor locked into the smoked meat for a pretty long time too. I used Royal Oak Lighter Fluid to burn the charcoal as recommended by one of my colleagues. You can also use newspaper sheets and place them right at the bottom of the grill.

10. Cowboy Charcoal Review Best Lumpwood

Cowboy Lump Hardwood Charcoal

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Cowboy charcoals are made from tree limbs. The main purpose of using the traditional method of cooking over an open fire is to impart gentle smoky flavors in the meat and vegetables.

Cowboy charcoals might not get the best charcoal available, but it injects a unique taste in the food, and that’s what really counts. ‘It is essentially a lump wood barbecue charcoal and produces very little ash. It also leaves no chemical odor in the dishes and all these make it a good choice for in-house grilling purposes.

Thanks to its supreme heat production, it is one of the best lump charcoals for searing chicken and pork and many other types of meat. I haven’t myself tried it for low and slow cooking but many of my acquaintances have. Their reactions were quite positive.

For the same reason, you will only need a handful of pieces to get started with the BBQ. It also burns clean and doesn’t add a strong smoky flavor to the food which I really liked.

11. Eco Charcoal Best Green Egg Charcoal

ECO Hardwood Lump Charcoal

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I am a proud owner of a BGE and it has been in my family for generations. Almost any kind of charcoal can be used for Green Egg. Eco charcoal stands out in the crowd for the lip-smacking hardwood flavor it adds to the grilled items.

As the name hints, Eco charcoal is manufactured in an environment-friendly way. Only those trees which are already cut or supposed to be cut are used for the manufacturing of the charcoals. The bag I received had almost equal numbers of big and medium-sized chunks.

It burns long enough to keep the meat pieces tender, juicy, and flavorful for hours. However, it does create sparks (not a lot) so, I would suggest you not to use it indoors. But the ash production is minimal and gives a clean burn to make grilling easier.

Since no additives have been used in the process, there will be no odd smell or taste in the food. I know many top-notch steakhouses and pizzeria in my city which use this particular brand of charcoal. The burning duration makes it a perfect choice for those who love cooking steak on an open fire. The smoky flavor it releases is at par with high-end restaurants.

12. Mangrove Lump Charcoal Reviews

Mangrove Wood Charcoal

Last but definitely not least, I’ll end this segment by throwing light upon Mangrove lump charcoal. Those who don’t like the strong smoky flavor in the meat will appreciate the subtle grilled-charcoal aroma it brings to the dishes.

Lighting up the coals and controlling the temp won’t require a lot of expertise over grilling. Do not use lighter fluid to ignite as it may negatively impact the taste of the food.

However, a major drawback is that there are plenty of small pieces in the bag along with a lot of dust and chips. But nevertheless, the usable pieces provide a nice and clean burn. If you want to try out low and slow smoking, that won’t be an issue as you can bring the temp down to 250 degrees F.

13. Original Natural Best Charcoal for Smoking

Original Natural Lump Charcoal

Original Natural Lump charcoal has gained quite a massive popularity among home cooks as well as in steakhouses and pizzerias in the last few months. It takes the coals roughly 30 seconds to get ignited. It gets to the perfect temp for smoking and searing within 15 minutes. If you wish to let the charcoals burn hotter for a longer time, simply increase the airflow by opening the vent.

The lump charcoal pieces are mostly scrapped wood used for milling operations. The majority of the pieces were small. Yes, the sizes of the charcoals do disappoint a bit. On the brighter side, they come in plastic bags which help to control the mess of the charcoal dust to a great extent.

Although the price of this product is a bit on the higher side of the cost spectrum, it provides a good value for money. I have to give that to it. A 20 lb. pack can be used for a number of BBQ parties and camping trips. Indeed it was a disappointment to find so many junks, dust, and chips in the bag but the dishes came out really well. I couldn’t have asked for more.

15. Quebracho Carbon – Best Natural Charcoal

Quebracho Carbon Professional Charcoal

No briquette, gas, or propane can bring the explosion of flavors that natural lump charcoal can. Quebracho is one of the strongest woods in the world. The barbecue charcoal derived from it burn for a long time and turn piping hot within or less than 15 minutes.
Quebracho charcoals are mostly imported from South America.

To my knowledge, South American charcoals do produce a great number of sparks and popping. This one, however, is an exception. The fire burns clean and leaves minimal ash after it is put off.

The fire burns low and slow, keeping the subtle flavors and moisture of the meat intact for a long time. After the cooking was over, I had a good number of leftover charcoal which could burn for 3-4 hours.

Best Lump Charcoal – Buyer’s Guide

Contents:

With summer comes the season of Barbecue. Who doesn’t love the soul-steering smell of meat seared and grilled over the open fire in the lawn?

Americans love grilling with charcoals, mainly because of the beautiful smell and flavor it infuses in the meat and veggies.

Moreover, charcoal-powered grills are cheaper than electric or gas-powered models.

Grilling is one of the smartest methods of cooking meat. Not only it makes the meat tender and delicious, it also drips the excess fat away. Cooking on a gas stove doesn’t have that benefit.

The next benefit is the high temperature. Best’lump charcoals can reach more 1000 degrees or even higher in less than 20 minutes. Therefore, charcoal is the best fuel you can use for searing steaks. By the way here is our review on grill thermometer iGrill 2 vs 3.

Moreover, charcoal grills are portable. You can carry them with you for campfire trips, picnics, or outdoor gatherings without breaking a bone.

Charcoal Burning Temperature or BTU

The right way to talk about this question is to operate only with BTU numbers. But what is BTU? In general, it is the amount of energy needed to increase the temperature of one pound of water by one degree.

In our case, it means that the more BTU is, the quicker you will get grilled food.

The only point, that in general, all lump charcoal has approximately the same BTU amount. All brands produce their charcoal from wood, different wood which have various BTU features. But it is charcoal, which has almost 100% carbon content and the same BTU features. So please, don’t use commercial messages with BTU numbers as a decision making info.

Then you are using the charcoal grill you can influence temperature by airflow (next question), and if you need more heat than you have – you need to move to a gas grill.

How to Control Temperature On Charcoal Grill?

The only answer – by airflow. One of the easiest rules is next:

• Need High Heat – All vents are open = Max Air Flow
• Need Medium Heat – All vents are half-opened = Medium Air Flow
• Need Low Heat – All vents a quarter-opened = Low Air Flow

So, the higher temperature you need, the more air you are letting in.

How to Light a Lump Charcoal?

You can go in different ways. My loveliest is to use the Weber starter like this. For such grills as Komado and Green Egg a recommend to use next charcoal starter – it simple and easy way to start a fire.

You can also use different liquids or bricks, the only thing, the essential one – to be sure that it doesn’t have any fillers, etc., which could add a bad taste to your food or even more worth – be dangerous for your health.

By the way, another great thing is ash basket.

What’s Better Lump Charcoal or Briquettes?

I have seen gastronomy-geeks engaging in heated debates over this one topic. To be honest, there’s no definitive answer to this question.

It all depends on your personal preference. But there are several in ways in which lump charcoal proves to be abetter alternative to briquettes.

Since natural lump charcoals are not mixed with any additives, the flavor it imparts is pure and soothing to the taste buds.

Among the other benefits, charcoal burns hotter and for longer, giving you full control over the cooking process. If you get your hands laid on a pack of quality charcoals, you will be greeted with minimal sparks and ashes.

Briquettes are technically a more reliable option than charcoals. They may not burn as hot as charcoals but they do maintain a consistent temp.

You least likely to experience any temp fluctuations with briquettes.

Also, it is easy to control the flame with them. But, one of its major drawbacks is the addition of additives in their making process.

No matter what precaution you take, you are sure to notice a weird smell and a slight hint of chemical taste in the food. So, unless you are in a hurry, I would always recommend you to go for the traditional style of charcoal grilling.

Is Charcoal Grilling Safe for the Environment?

Charcoal combustion is not 100% eco-friendly. Charcoal emits a higher amount of carbon dioxide than propane. However, the former is sourced from sustainable sources like the branches, twigs, and prunes of trees. Charcoals are of several types.

But natural lump charcoals have a much lower rate of carbon emission. You can always go for electric grills but they are nowhere near to the efficiency of charcoal-powered grills.

What Are the Disadvantages of Charcoal?

I have already discussed this topic to some extent in the previous sections. But there are a few more cons of grilling food at such a high temperature.

Some studies have shown that grilling and roasting increase the level of a substance called HCA in the food. Apparently, HCA creates the risk of cancer. But hey! This is no gospel truth as well.

I don’t think anybody has ever got cancer for attending multiple BBQ parties.

Among the other minor demerits, charcoal dust can be a bit of a fuss to handle. Some of the variations also produce a lot of ash and sparks. They do increase the humidity of the house if used indoors.

Plus, unless you have the experience, you might have a hard time learning to control the temperature of the chimney.

How to Choose the Best?

Know the Materials

The raw materials used for deriving the charcoals are the highest determinant of its quality and performance. Klin-dry hardwood, charred hardwood, oak, maple make the dense charcoals that burn hot quickly and last long.

Size of the Charcoal Pieces

The best lump charcoal bags come with plenty of big chunks to aid maximum fuel efficiency. They also help in controlling the temperature quickly. Small pieces tend to block the air passages which is why they take longer to burn properly.

Know Your Cooking Goals

While some charcoals are specially made for searing, some are excellent for low and slow cooking. ‘What would give you the best bang for the buck depends on your preferred cooking method.

To Sum it Up

After giving a lot of thought, Fogo Premium’emerged as the clear winner. All the products I have included in this article have a specialty of their own.

But Fogo charcoals score high in every department, be it the burning time, temperature control, fuel efficiency, or flavor imparting. To top it all off, you won’t even have to burn a hole in your pocket to afford it.

Through this article, I made an attempt to pen down my years of experience as a grillmaster. I run a food truck and grilled meat dishes are my specialty.

Charcoal has always been my go-to fuel when it comes to barbecuing. Hope my experience and knowledge will help you find the best lump charcoal for your own cooking expeditions.