Charcoal (7 items found)

There's plenty that goes into cooking great BBQ food. Excellent ingredients and skill with the tongs are both key, but experienced BBQers know that the charcoal you burn can make all the difference. It adds a smoky flavor that brings the essence of the outdoors to your meal. Learn more about the options available so you can choose which charcoal works best for you.

Lump Charcoal Vs. Briquettes

Whether you choose between lump charcoal or briquettes, your choice will most likely come down to budget and preference. Learn the difference between the two to find out which option is right for you.

What is Lump Charcoal?

Lump charcoal, or hardwood charcoal, is a purer, more natural form of charcoal. It is made by burning hardwood without oxygen and has no other additions or binders. A tell-tale sign of good charcoal is that it lights easily and burns well. Burning at high temperatures, lump charcoal imparts rich flavor into what you’re cooking quickly.

Cooking with Charcoal Briquettes 

Charcoal briquettes are made from raw charcoal mixed with binding materials. They are often more budget friendly than lump charcoal. Ingredients often include sawdust, chippings and other timber waste, making charcoal BBQ briquettes an economical and eco-friendly product. Worried about uneven burning? Using a charcoal starter can help. And while they can leave behind more ash, charcoal briquettes burn well, with consistent heat over an extended time. This makes them ideal for long, slow cooking of larger cuts of meat or for busier BBQs that go on for hours.

Can You Use Pellets in a Charcoal Grill?

Charcoal pellets are a solid option if you are working with a pellet grill and want delicious charcoal flavors in your meals. However, for the best results you should use your fuel source of choice with its dedicated grill. So lump charcoal with charcoal grills, and charcoal pellets with pellet grills.

Flavor Variety: Hickory, Oak and Mesquite Charcoal 

Lump charcoal can add a distinctive flavor and aroma to your grilled food, strongly influenced by the kind of hardwood the charcoal is made from. Popular choices include:

• Oak charcoal: Burns at high heat while providing a strong smoky wood-fired BBQ flavor.
• Hickorycharcoal: Has a distinctively woody, smoky flavor that can also add a rich dark hue to many types of meat.     
• Mesquitelump charcoal: Produces a strong flavor, ideal for cooking certain foods like Texas-style brisket.  

Easy to light with very little ash leftover, hardwood charcoal is also quick burning. This makes it easier to control temperature by managing the airflow. It’s good for BBQs where a variety of food is being cooked at the same time. Infuse your favorite dishes with even more flavor our selection of BBQ sauces and rubs.

Stay Prepared with Charcoal Bags and Accessories

Whether you choose lump charcoal or prefer cooking with BBQ briquettes, get what you need to keep you cooking throughout the BBQ season at Ace. Smaller bag options may be good for the busy pitmaster who grills occasionally, but you will want to use larger options for frequent BBQing and big parties. Get lump charcoal bags from B&B Charcoal, Kingsford, FOGO and other brands in bags of various sizes.

Also, frequent grillers will appreciate our handy charcoal storage boxes and dispensers, which will help keep your BBQ area neat, while making it easy to refill your grill.

Shop Charcoal and BBQ Briquettes at Ace Hardware

A great BBQ is one of the joys of outdoor entertainment, and a large part of its success depends on the charcoal you use. Find lump charcoal near you at your local Ace Hardware, where you can also find the grilling tools,accessories and grill grates, and more for great grilling all season long.