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You are here: Home / How to / How to Choose the Right Charcoal for Your Grill

How to Choose the Right Charcoal for Your Grill

Embers are a fundamental element during the preparation of the roast. For this, we must have good coals that help us to generate and maintain a good fire throughout the time when our meat is on the grill.
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Table of Contents

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  • Factors You shouldn’t ignore while Choose the Right Charcoal for Your Grill
  • Analyze the Origin of the Charcoal
  • Size and Spark
  • Humidity
  • Level of Efficiency
  • Environment Friendliness
  • High Levels of Safety
  • Products to Light the Fire
  •  Other Factors
  • To sum up

Factors You shouldn’t ignore while Choose the Right Charcoal for Your Grill

The importance of selecting good charcoal for your grill is essential. Because choosing low-quality charcoal can lead to problems such as a lack of heat or a weakening of the fire during the cooking process. That is why today we want to talk to you about the technique of choosing the best charcoal for cooking on the grill.

So, let’s find out the elements that need to be taken into account to differentiate and choose suitable charcoal.

Analyze the Origin of the Charcoal

The chemical composition of coal is essential. And today, on the market, there are different varieties of charcoal. Among the most common are made with the following trees: hawthorn, quebracho, pine, marabu or holm oak. Also, they can be used in combination.

Regarding the Marabu charcoal, it is perfect for all kinds of foods, it has a calorific value greater than the average. This is the reason why the food is braised to perfection.

On the other hand, it differs by its metallic sound or metallic glass, since it has a high carbon content. It does not generate a spark and produces little ash. A subtle flavor is achieved in the preparations, it is 100% natural and it is not mixed with other hardwoods. It is cylindrical in shape and its grain size is limited to between 40 and 180 mm.

Size and Spark

Consider selecting the large ones. Because they do not release too much dust. Also, look at the amount of spark it generates. If when lighting it there is too much spark, the selected carbon is not of large quantity and will produce a lower yield.

Humidity

Another element to take into account when choosing good charcoal is humidity. In the event that the charcoal has become wet, it is likely to crack and become a brittle component. As a result, considerable amounts of char would be generated, and it would be reflected in a decrease in the available fire.

Level of Efficiency

At the same time, check the level of efficiency. To do this, check how the embers are, the ignition time and their corresponding duration. In the event that poor-quality charcoal is chosen, various problems can arise. For example, the fire could be insufficient or it would weaken during cooking.

If you choose a good charcoal like Marabu’s, it lasts for approximately 4 hours in an open charcoal grill and 8 hours in a charcoal oven. This is beneficial from an economic perspective because the consumption of coal is much lower.

Environment Friendliness

Not all charcoal protects the environment. For this reason, we recommend that you cook with Marabu charcoal. It is a natural component to which no chemical elements, additives or paraffin are incorporated throughout the production process. Likewise, getting it doesn’t need to be through the indiscriminate felling of trees.

The Marabu is originally from Cuba. And despite the fact that it is not clear what their migration route to the American continent has been, it seems to have come from Africa.

Since its appearance in the 19th century, it has spread like a highly damaging plague for the balance of ecosystems. For this reason, the generation of charcoal through the wood from this bush is essential.

High Levels of Safety

When cooking, it is essential to do it with maximum safety. Choose charcoal that does not generate extreme amounts of smoke or sparks. In this way, these factors will not affect the taste of the preparation. And it will also reduce dirt in work environments.

At the same time, choose safe charcoal to prevent eventualities or accidents from happening during the cooking process. On the other hand, remember not to cook with charcoal indoors or in places with little air circulation. Thus, you will be avoiding possible respiratory complications and poisoning in the kitchen. Always, the personal health of the kitchen must be protected, as is the case of the barbecue.

Finally, although charcoal differs from having a high degree of safety, keep it away from chemicals, children and pets.

Charcoal for Your Grill

Products to Light the Fire

A grill man with inflated pride would refuse to cook a barbecue with any type of charcoal or chemical derivatives. This is because these products have the facility to alter the flavor of the meat. Even so, we can find many options that facilitate this task:

  • Tablets

These products, which are often underestimated by the most austere grills, are squares of compact sawdust that are covered by a combustible liquid. It is used particularly to light fires.

  • Charcoal

Charcoal consists of solid residues that are obtained in the process of charring the wood. They are generally used for domestic cooking, they have a high energy value and they light up very quickly.

  • Briquettes

Briquettes are small residues that are obtained from any type of coal, sawdust and sand, all these is mixed into solid nougats that are pressed to obtain a compact product that is characterized by its rapid combustion and being cleaner than coal.

  • Pinewood

This is one of the woods most requested by connoisseurs of the grill since they stand out for being light and having a great combustion capacity. It is recommended that this wood is completely dry before use.

  • Firewood

The firewood is the source of the combustion element most required by those rustic and demanding barbecues. This element has great qualities, from burning better than coal and making the embers last a long time burning. In addition, the firewood is responsible for offering a different and very special flavor to our meats.

When choosing firewood, it must be taken into account that the best qualities are those that are harder, since the soft ones burn quickly and do not produce embers.

 Other Factors

  • Calorific value: Generally, this ranges between 28,000 and 34,000 kJ / kg. The performance of your charcoal will depend on this factor.
  • The level of hardness should be mentioned. Good quality charcoal is made from hard and firm wood such as quebracho, holm oak or Marabu.
  • It is advisable to use new coals since if we have some that we have leftover, we can find uncomfortable surprises in their performance.
  • Do not use coals that have traces of having been affected by rain or humidity.
  • If possible, buy the coal from the supplier or manufacturer itself.
  • If we have good quality coals, we must avoid spraying them with alcohol or some flammable product, that way we will only be spoiling it.
  • Charcoal should not be used indoors or with poor ventilation, as it can cause poisoning and respiratory problems.
  • The charcoal must have good ventilation so that the smoke from the flames does not remain impregnated in the meat and affect the flavor of the roast.
  • The charcoal must be well distributed under the grill, in this way the heat of the embers will be uniform throughout the roast.
  • Remember that coal is a flammable product, so its use should be away from chemicals and volatile products, as well as from children and pets.
  • Finally, never spray the charcoal with alcohol or any type of flammable product, that would generate a too large flame, full of chemical and toxic substances, contaminating the food. It is preferable that when lighting the charcoal you use paper balls soaked in vegetable oil.

To sum up

Although it may seem like a minor detail, knowing how to choose the right charcoal for your grill will make your work much easier when cooking. It must be taken into account that coals in poor condition can cause several inconveniences, such as not producing enough fire for good embers or that they quickly weaken in the middle of the roast.

To avoid such surprises, it is important to choose coals with good quality and high performance. And don’t forget to share your experience of a successful BBQ party after selecting the suitable charcoal.

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