Best charcoal for smokers

Of all the types of charcoal, lump charcoal has its share of fans.

Apart from your smoker itself, the fire is the base of your barbecue. But, with a huge number of different types and brands of charcoals out there, choosing a fuel for smoking can get confusing really fast! Forget trial and error. This list of the best charcoal for smoking is designed to make your life easy. You can literally choose any of these options and be confident that they will perform just as they should, every time you light up.

Best charcoal for smokers

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. When the smoke cleared, we found the best briquettes and lump charcoal. Jump to a Section. Wood burned in a low-oxygen environment yields charcoal, which burns hotter and longer than its original component. Without it, the smelting of metals that brought us into the Bronze and Iron Ages probably would have taken much longer to achieve. Today, we view charcoal as a cooking medium , whether compressed into briquettes or in lump form. Each has its merits, with briquettes being easy to light and use in a single-use format. Smother the fire by cutting off the oxygen, and the remaining charcoal is ready to use the next time, which significantly improves the economy of the lump form. So, we reviewed both formats and included our insights from testing 12 top brands. Pros: It burns clean in both high-heat and low-and-slow cooking scenarios with almost no ash and no sparking. Cons: The string closure for the bag could present challenges for people with strength issues.

Rochelle Bilow. Quality smoke. Clean burning Great taste Inconsistent sizes.

Good charcoal for smoking lasts a long time and produces a steady high heat. Purists use hardwood logs, but most people use charcoal to give food its smoky flavor. Of course, not all charcoals are created equal. Learn the difference between briquettes and lump charcoal and which kinds are best. Charcoal should be as basic and as clean as possible. If you are buying inexpensive charcoal, look for one with no additives. Avoid self-starting charcoals that have lighter fluid additives to get them burning.

SmokedBBQSource is supported by its readers. We may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you i f you buy through a link on this page. Learn more. A well-built charcoal smoker can hold a steady temperature for hours without much attention. After testing a range of charcoal smokers, we recommend the Weber Smokey Mountain. If you want to try something a little different, the Pit Barrel Cooker is worth checking out. Depending on what your needs are, there are a few other good options so be sure to read through our full list of the best charcoal smokers across a variety of price points. Read our full Weber Smokey Mountain review.

Best charcoal for smokers

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We found this bag harder to open than those will pull strings. Pros: It provides intense far infrared heat and is meant to be used multiple times. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Best Hardwood. Popping, smoking, and dust in the bag lowered the score for Mr. What We Learned. You can literally choose any of these options and be confident that they will perform just as they should, every time you light up. Damp charcoal not only doesn't burn well, but can grow mold that will produce a harsh flavor in the smoker. Our Favorite. Measure content performance. Pros: It ignites and is ready to cook quickly and has a campfire-like smell when cooking. But, with a huge number of different types and brands of charcoals out there, choosing a fuel for smoking can get confusing really fast! Electric smokers are more portable than charcoal, but they depend on a power source wherever you take them.

Not all lump charcoal for smoking is created equal, and some of it even has the potential to harm your health with dangerous chemical additives. We like how it doesn't give out sparks, pops, or snaps when lighting. This may be the most interesting type of premium-quality lump charcoal for smoking that we came across when doing our research, as these are more on the denser side.

The XL piece sizes really are very big, giving you a good long burn time without needing to add more fuel. Cons: Sparking and popping posed some safety issues when lighting it. Create profiles to personalise content. Ultimately, all lump charcoal is a natural product that contains no fillers. Read our affiliate policy to learn more. If you want to read more on the lump charcoal vs briquettes debate, click here. Cons: The string closure for the bag could present challenges for people with strength issues. That airflow also makes these briquettes easier to start than many. Coal is not a good fuel source to cook over but it doesn't affect the flavor much, and it is used in very small amounts. Some suffered from a problematic assembly process and heat-management issues, like the Cuisinart Vertical Inch Charcoal Smoker Amazon. So, we reviewed both formats and included our insights from testing 12 top brands. Greg Baker is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, and food writer with four decades of experience in the food industry. By Derrick Riches. This is a good, multi-purpose charcoal, suitable for high heat, slow cooking, and smoking, with a strong value proposition when compared to its quality.