Barbecuing has always been a simple but intricate cooking approach, even if you don’t realize at all. Barbecue gourmets all over the world have a lot to say about this method, especially for the fuel that you are going to use to grill your food.
Well, there are two types of fuels that you can use on your grill. One is the lump charcoal, and the other one is the charcoal briquettes. For the meantime, we will go to talk about the former. Specifically, the best lump charcoals can give you a speedy and quality cooking results.
Lump charcoals are created from burning wood in a very slow process. Take note that the burning happens without the involvement of oxygen. As a result, harmful chemicals and residues are easily expelled. The final result is a charcoal lump, a fuel that doesn’t generate too much ash and creates a high level of heat.
If you are looking for the best options for this type of charcoal, then you should check out the following list below. By the way, I listed these brands of charcoal lumps. I rated them based on their popularity to the community and their overall performance, of course.
5 Most Popular Options of The Best Lump Charcoal
1. Jealous Devil – Best Overall Lump Charcoal
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I have nothing to say about the Jealous Devil except that it is a really good lump charcoal. It will never deserve its name if this product cannot generate extreme heat. In fact, you are required to wear a grilling glove if ever you are dealing with this charcoal. Specifically, the duration of its burn is three times longer than ordinary charcoal. A bag of this charcoal guarantees around 7,000 calories/ gram of heating power.
The Jealous Devil is an all-natural fuel choice. It doesn’t contain scrap wood, chemicals, and fillers. It is also a restaurant-quality charcoal because it doesn’t produce sparks and smoke. As a result, cleaning would never really become a problem.
Pros:
- It doesn’t flavor the food
- High heating capacity
- Low production of residues
- Commercial-grade lump charcoal
- High-quality packaging
Cons:
- No noticeable drawbacks
2. Fogo FHWC35LB 35 – Alternative Pick/ Runner Up
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Each bag of the Fogo FHWC35LB 35 contains large chunks of lump charcoal. The charcoals are produced from the high-quality hardwoods that are ideal for smoking and grilling (e.g. maple and oak). Therefore, you can guarantee that the flavor it imbibes on your food would be delicious and aromatic.
What I like about the Fogo FHWC35LB 35 is that it burns quicker than most of its competitors. It burns longer than ordinary charcoals, too, which is already an excellent selling point on my part. Because of these qualities, many insist that the Fogo FHWC35LB 35 is a restaurant-grade lump charcoal. I want to remain neutral. But when it comes to that particular claim, I can say that it is true!
Pros:
- Gentle and aromatic smokes
- Even and quick burning
- Last longer than conventional charcoals
- Produce less amount of ash
- Burns hot
Cons:
- The charcoal seems to be lighter than it should be
3. Royal Oak 195228021 Lump Charcoal – Budget-Friendly Choice
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If you want a good substitute for high-priced lump charcoals, you might want to check the Royal Oak out. This particular brand of lump charcoal has been a tested-and-proven choice. It works well with various setups such as ceramic grills, Kamado, and generic types of smokers. Of course, you can also assure that the charcoals are 100% natural. The charcoals are derived from oak, maple, walnut, and hickory.
Take note that the Royal Oak 195228021 Lump Charcoal doesn’t include any additives and chemicals as well. This is the greatest perk that you can get from this product. Without these elements, you can ensure that your food is safe to eat. You can expect that the flavor of your grilled items is preserved. You can’t even smell an accent of smoke on them!
Pros:
- Hot and even burning results
- No chemical inclusion
- Clean burning output
- Doesn’t overpower the flavor of the food
- Works on various setups
Cons:
- Some packages of this lump charcoals includes no large chunks
4. GRILL DOME CCL-20 Choice Lump Charcoal – High-End Lump Charcoal
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GRILL DOME CCL-20 should be one of your top choices for a lump charcoal. Although it is a bit expensive than most of its counterparts, the product can still assure you that it is a commercial-grade option. This lump charcoal generates blazing temperatures, which is ideal for massive-scale grilling and barbecuing. On the other hand, its residue production is not that much. As a result, it became a convenient option for various restaurants.
The GRILL DOME CCL-20 Choice Lump Charcoal also optimizes even heating and burning. Your grilled food and barbecues will be at their top quality after you heated them using this fuel. Needless to say, this particular lump charcoal is made through a natural process. No chemicals or suspicious additives that could harm your food were included in its production.
Pros:
- Generates high level of heat
- Lump charcoals are big
- Safe to use (no artificial additives present)
- Doesn’t produce too much ash
- Quality packaging
Cons:
- You need to break some of the charcoals because they are too big
5. Original Natural Charcoal Premium Lump – A Good Choice for A Portable Lump Charcoal
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If you are planning to have a weekend grilling party, you need to have a large but portable stock of fuel. Fortunately, you always have an option for that. Let me introduce you to the Original Natural Charcoal Premium Lump. The latter is a 17.6 pound of hardwood lump charcoal. Therefore, you can never run out of fuel for your next barbecue party.
Of course, this one is not just about quantity. I would never include this lump charcoal brand if it has a shabby performance. First and foremost, this one is a commercial-rated fuel source. It doesn’t generate too much waste, and its smoke production is kept to a minimum. Fire sparks are also expelled in the equation. On the other hand, the charcoal can give your food an authentic barbecue aroma. Isn’t that great already?
Pros:
- Restaurant-grade lump charcoal
- Can produce the ideal heat level for barbecuing
- No fire sparks
- Low production of ash and smoke
- Coats your food with gentle barbecue scent
Cons:
- Uneven charcoal sizes
Why You Need to Choose the Best Lump Charcoal
We all have different preferences when it comes to our barbecues. Even for the heat source, we are not really in the same boat.
As I mentioned earlier, you can either opt for either a lump charcoal or a charcoal briquette. I have already discussed a few things about lump charcoals so let me elucidate the characteristics of charcoal briquettes. The latter has the same production process as a lump charcoal. Specifically, it is made through slow burning.
However, the biggest nuance between these two charcoals is the material in where they were derived. Lump charcoals are made from hardwood. Meanwhile, briquettes are generated from wood residues, and leftover sawdust. Because of this, briquettes usually includes additives to optimize its performance. The role of the additives is to make sure that the materials will be cohesive and attached together. But of course, that may harm the quality and safety of your barbecue.
I can say that the burning time of briquettes is longer than lump charcoal. On the flipside, I can attest that the heat of lump charcoals is way higher than briquettes.
Moreover, there are some other chemical inclusions on the briquettes to make them light faster. These chemicals will eventually turn into smoke and affect the flavor of your food. This is the reason why a lot of barbecue geeks out there claim that they can smell these chemicals whenever they are grilling.
Despite these drawbacks, briquettes still hold a good reputation in the community. You just have to pick the right brand to ensure the quality and safety of your food. But if you are not convinced of its performance, I suggest that you should pick lump charcoals.
Lump charcoals are all-natural fuels. On a normal basis, there should be no chemicals or additives are included in its production. The quality of its heat-generation is top-tier, too. It is stable and last longer. Moreover, unwanted residues and scents are not found on this type of charcoal. Therefore, cleaning should not become a problem.
It is not also true that lump charcoals are the expensive niche. Take note that the absence of chemicals in its production makes it inexpensive and cost-efficient option. You can get a quality fuel for your grill without spending too much. That’s hitting two birds with one stone.
Final Verdict
Among all the options I featured, the Jealous Devil indeed holds the best performance. It features a quick ignition and stable production of heat. It won’t produce loads of ashes as its residues. Even sparks are not a common occurrence for this lump charcoal. Furthermore, it can meld your food with luscious and authentic barbecue smell! For its price and quality, I can say that this is the best lump charcoal today!
But what are your thoughts about this? Which of these lump charcoals do you think to have the most decent quality? Tell me all of your answers in the comment section below!