Charcoal Face-Off: Lump VS Briquetes 

I'm in Texas and have been smoking BBQ and grilling since I was a teen. Lump charcoal is better because of the wood flavor and the smoke is cleaner.

I use a combination of both. I use Kingsford to maintain a steady heat source and Cowboy lump to create a little flavor. Approximately at a 5 to 1 ratio.

After several years of using lump in my Big Green Egg, I now use briquetes in my $79 Weber with the option of wood smoking chips to add smoke flavor.

It really depends on what Im cooking and what method I use. If I’m using the snake method to cook pork butt, ribs, brisket, etc. I absolutely use briquettes. The even size and shape stacks very well together to keep a consistent burn rate and even heat. If I’m grilling direct heat over the coals like thin steaks, burgers, hotdogs, brats etc, I prefer lump for its flavor. If I’m doing hot indirect/reverse sear like poultry, thick steaks, tri-tip etc, I use whatever bag I happen to grab, because it doesn’t make much difference over a little bit longer cook time.

Great job on all the charcoal videos. Another common thing I hear is that lump is better for grilling and briquettes for low and low smoking. I just used jealous devil lump on my WSM and it did an amazing job maintaining temp at 250 all night. I’ve also used Fogo lump on my kettle for low and slow with great results. I can’t stand all the smoke put off at the beginning from briquettes so I am definitely team lump. Keep up the great videos.

That noseblindness is real! I couldnt taste the mesquite on my chicken thighs the day of cooking them, but the next day I smelled them and WOW they had a great smoke smell.

I've been using lump charcoal for the last few months and I like it. I started off with some cheap (probably not ALL-NATURAL) briquettes. They were good but I prefer the flavor of the lump. QUICK TIP: I've found an excellent way to start lump charcoal. I save the paper cup holders (from Tim Hortons where I am) ... the ones that hold 4 drinks in them. I think most fast food places use them. You just stack your charcoal up in one of those, air holes are already in the bottom, light the four rounded corners, and close the BBQ. About 5 mins or so later you have nice hot coals. Works EVERY time for me. In a pinch I'll use a paper egg carton with a few holes made in the bottom sections but the cup holders work far better in my experience.

The amount of smoke put off when lighting the charcoal is pretty big for me in a more urban area. Damn near smoked out my neighbourhood first time using Kingsford briquettes. Switched to Royal Oak lump and have yet to upset the neighbours. Also picked up a LooftLighter which has served me well. Just in case anyone's hesitant to grill in a more dense area due to the smoke, try some lump :)

Dude incredibly thorough and thoughtful on this one! Nice work

Well done. Weight is the only viable method of comparison because of the extreme variations in density.and that they are all priced by the pound. As to which burns hotter, it depends on the brand for both lump and briquettes.

I’ve been enjoying these charcoal comparison videos lol. I’m a fogo man, and bnb as a backup. But id like to see you add to these tests and compare wood chips, Wood chunks, and splits in a kettle/komado application

For a long time I used Kingsford briquettes because they light fast and would work well. Then I stopped off at a little meat market and found a lump charcoal called Don Juan. This turned out to be a great discovery because not only did it cook better and hotter, but it would cook LONGER. Kingsford would last a good while, but this Don Juan lump charcoal ran for several hours still at high heat. We used it to roast corn after we'd already done the meat. My wife and I love it, and found that others do to since on Memorial Day weekend the HEB grocery store was all out of Don Juan lump charcoal.

I think the lump charcoal having a larger volume (and lots of smaller / irregular pieces) may also allow it to get more airflow which would aid combustion, giving a hotter temperature for a given weight

Was that a double blind triangle test?! Epic.

I USE BOTH ! my gotos are b&b and royal oak brands

I'm surprised you didn't check which burns longer. (which might need volume and weight done separtely)

I mix them both with wood chunks. Sometimes I wrap the chunk looslely with foil to slow down the burning because hot coals will light the thing right away. Consistency of briquettes, taste of charcoal and taste of wood. Can't we all just get along?

I've tried both Briquettes and lump charcoal when grilling hamburger or steak. Get it going. 30 minutes later I check it and redistribute the coals. This is a memory comparison. Not a side by side test. The lump heat felt hotter than the briquettes at 30 mins. (I like some flame tickling the meat). As I was grilling and time passed. The heat seemed to cool off faster with lump than when I used briquettes. With lump, less heat there when you flip the burger/steak. Longer time to cook side two. Benefit. Longer time to pickup that smoke flavor. Briquettes? Still hot to get that flame flair-up. Bad side is ash could land on your meat and can be more than well done fast. Sometimes I really like Burgers with dark crispy edges.

the brand of charcoal can absolutely changed the taste of your grilled food also the amount of ash for briquetes at least in my experience was way too much cheers!!

I’m pretty new to the charcoal game but tried lump first and it’s tough to figure out. Random pieces fall through the grates without another additional basket, pieces are inconsistent, sparks, takes forever to light, etc. I’ll try again one day but briquettes seem to be better for my skill level even though I have a feeling lump is actually better for several reasons laid out in this video.

For the blind taste testing, may I suggest a triangle test in the future? It is the statistically most sound testing method for exactly this purpose to curb random guessing likelihood! EDIT: oops, just watched the rest of the vid, that's exactly what you did, I just misunderstood your explanation. Sorry! Great video!

For better statistical significance, technically, you’d have to repeat the taste test 7 or more times. Randomizing gave you better scientific method. :) Really good analysis!

Great video. Thanks from the UK 🇬🇧

Good vid ... I'm really liking the Spider Pit a lot after seeing various videos on it

i mix both in a chimney usually

1:11 thank you for acknowledging this!!!

Fogo medium lump is probably the best I've used yet.

you the man!

Great review! Subscribed!

TBH: Unless you're buying ultra cheap briquettes or lump, it probably won't make any real difference. I'd redo the final test with several types of each, have someone else cook / mark them all, leaving you only to blind taste test. As a control, have your wife mark her card for each as well in the same blind taste test. Run the gamut, 3 expensive, 3 cheap, and 1 ultra bargain basement, each of both lump and briquette. I'll give you a preview of the results: Most will be about the same, you might guess right a few times, but I'm guessing you won't be able to reliably tell. That's why I say, for most people, even using Kingston original briquettes will probably just work in a pinch. The exception: if you manage to find some super cheap (as in ULTRA cheap) no name discount briquette or lump charcoal you'll be able to tell. You know, something at the cheapest discount store, probably labeled "CHARCOAL" in an otherwise plain bag. In those, the binders, and quality of wood, will be so bad your nose will crinkle.

Hi GTE, can you do a review of Thaan charcoal? The ones that come in the red box, made in thailand. Not the bamboo-yellow box nor the light blue bag. It is an absolutely AMAZING product!

Love your videos.

Could we get a review on binchotan and okutan charcoal?

For the taste. The briquettes having less flavor. The irony is I know most people use lump so grilled food has a “cleaner” flavor.

Im more concerned...with the cook... not the cooker ..or..fuel . source....

bad thing about lump, is all the crap thats in with it. cement chunks. insulation. nails. spikes i found it all.

Jealous devil briquettes ftw