How to Pick the Right Grilling Fuel

Fuel is what makes your grill hot enough to cook foods. Whether it’s a flame, hot coals, or a hot surface, fuel is the source. Most grills only work with a specific type of fuel, so there are several things to keep in mind when making your choice.

• Different sources burn at different temperatures, and the ability to easily control the temperature varies.
• Fuels burn for different lengths of time and take varying amounts of time to get hot.
• Another factor to consider is what’s left over after the fuel is used up. For instance, some leave ash behind.
• Safety is a significant issue with anything hot, so being able to lessen hazards is important.
• Grilling fuels are also responsible for adding extra flavor to your food. The different ways fuel affects the taste of food is one of the biggest reasons master grillers are choosy with the fuel they use.

Charcoal may be the classic, more familiar grilling fuel. It comes in two forms: charcoal briquettes and lump charcoal.

Charcoal briquettes:

• Uniform, rounded squares mostly made of compressed, burnt wood and sawdust.
• Controlling the temperature of the little bricks is straightforward thanks to the pretty much equal size, shape and density of each piece.
• Briquettes are known for burning a long time and with good airflow.
• Charcoal briquettes are considered reliable, consistent and predictable, making them ideal for aspiring grill masters.
• Some varieties start quickly, while others require lighter fluid and may take longer.
• Charcoal briquettes generally leave behind a lot of ash that must be disposed of safely, though it depends on the brand.
• Best for foods that need to cook slowly and with little temperature variation. Some varieties add specific wood flavors to food as well.

Lump charcoal:

• Lump charcoal pieces are irregular shapes and sizes of burnt wood.
• The lumps light extremely quickly and burn much hotter than briquettes, but they also lose that heat easily. As a result, temperature control requires more skill.
• Lump charcoal is known for the flavors they give to food grilled over them.
• The high heat is great for searing meats and grilling items that require short cook times.
• A minimal amount of ash is created by burning the pieces.

• Hardwood chunks or logs are simply unburnt pieces of wood cut into sizes that fit into grills.
• Grilling wood is smoky, giving their unique flavors to food items.
• Wood burns hot, so it needs to be controlled depending on how long your food requires.
• Different kinds of wood produce different flavors and burn with different intensities. For example, oak and hickory are great for longer cooking foods, with oak adding a milder smoked flavor. Pecan, with its sweet flavor, is good for short cooking times, while mesquite burns very hot and has a unique BBQ smoky flavor.

These two types of grilling fuel are pretty similar. Pellets are made from compressed wood chips and sawdust. As a result, both give smoky flavors to their food, depending on the type of wood used.

Pellets:

• Cooking pellets are designed for specialized pellet grills or smokers.
• Each pellet is the same size and shape as the others.
• They are particularly good for smoking foods because they have a steady burn.
• This fuel is lightweight and small, so it’s easy to store.

Wood chips:

• They burn quickly because they’re small, so they’re best combined with other types of fuel.
• Wood chips are added to create a flash of flame and smoke to give extra flavor.

• Electric grills are often smaller and more portable than other grill types.
• With no open flames, they’re safer for use indoors as well as close to homes.
• Unless you get an electric smoker, your cooked food won’t get a smoky flavoring.
• Cleanup is easy with no ash byproduct, and temperature control is at the touch of a button.

Propane and natural gas are popular fuels for grilling, and both kinds of gas have their own unique characteristics.

Propane:

• Propane gas grills have reliable, simple temperature controls.
• Liquid propane comes in a small cylinder that’s easy to carry and attach to your grill.
• When the tank runs out of propane, it can be refilled or replaced with one that’s full.
• No ash byproduct is left behind, so there’s nothing to dispose of afterward.
• Gas grills light up and turn off quickly, and the lack of smoke makes them environmentally friendly.
• Food isn’t smoke-flavored when using gas as a fuel.

Natural gas:

• Natural gas grills have reliable, simple temperature controls.
• Quick start up and shut down.
• Smokeless and burns cleaner than propane and has no ashes to clean up later.
• Food grilled on a natural gas grill won’t have a smoky flavor.
• Natural gas is permanently installed into your home’s primary gas supply, so while it’s not portable, it is convenient.

If you want to use multiple methods to grill your food, it’s possible to mix and match fuels. This is called hybrid grilling. To accomplish this, use a combination grill. For your safety, read the manufacturer’s instructions before trying any different fuel. Most grills are single-fuel types that can only work safely with a specific fuel source.