How to choose the right BBQ fuel for better grilling and smoking results

What to know before choosing BBQ fuel

There are a few key things to keep in mind before you fire up the barbecue.

• The right BBQ fuel depends on your BBQ type, cooking method, flavour preference and how long you need the heat to last.
• Lump charcoal is best suited to fast, high-heat grilling, while briquettes are better for longer, steadier cooks.
• Pellets are designed for pellet BBQs and smokers, so they’re not a direct swap for charcoal in a standard charcoal BBQ.
• Smoking chips and chunks add wood-fired flavour, but they need to be used with the right setup and according to your BBQ and fuel instructions.
• Always use BBQ fuel safely, keep hot fuel away from children and pets, and follow the instructions for your BBQ and fuel product.

What are the main BBQ fuel types?

There are four key BBQ fuel types to know about:

• Lump charcoal: Irregular pieces or chunks of charcoal made from charred natural hardwood.
• Briquettes: Compressed blocks of charcoal that are uniform in shape, size and performance. Despite being made from charcoal, they’re not exactly the same as lump charcoal – we’ll explain why a little further down.
• Pellets: Compressed hardwood pellets designed specifically for pellet BBQs and smokers.
• Smoking chips: Wood chips or chunks added to charcoal or gas BBQs to enhance the wood-fired flavour.

What’s the best BBQ fuel for your cooking style?

Read on to learn the pros and cons of each type and how to match the right fuel with your cooking style.

For high-heat grilling or searing: lump charcoal

Lump charcoal is the most natural BBQ fuel, as it’s simply pure hardwood that’s been charred. It’ll give your food a really nice smoky flavour and you a true grilling experience – this is why it’s hugely popular among barbecue enthusiasts.

If you’re using high heat to cook steaks, snags, burgers or veggie skewers, lump charcoal is your best bet. It reaches temperature quickly and produces intense heat.

The trade-off is that lump charcoal burns relatively fast, meaning you’ll either need to top it up for slower cooks or go for briquettes, which generally burn for longer.

For low-and-slow cooking: briquettes

Think of briquettes as lump charcoal’s closest sibling. They’re made from compressed wood scraps and sawdust, along with binders and a few additives to improve heat performance and ignition consistency.

Despite both originating from hardwood, lump charcoal and briquettes perform very differently. Briquettes reach more moderate temperatures than lump charcoal, but they have a longer burn time because they’re denser. They also tend to burn more predictably thanks to their uniform shape and size.

Just keep in mind that briquettes can take a while to light. This will depend on the lighting method and the product, so check the pack instructions. To be safe, allow up to 20–40 minutes.

They’re best for slow cooking – think brisket, ribs, pork shoulder, lamb shanks and even whole chickens. 

For convenience and precision: pellets

Pellets open up a whole new category of outdoor cooking: they’re specifically designed for pellet BBQs and smokers. These are automated cookers that have a hopper and auger system, which feeds the pellets into a burn pot.

They’re great if you want the flavour and benefits of wood-fired cooking without the hands-on fire management required for charcoal barbecuing or smoking.

Pellets are made from compressed sawdust. They’re available in multiple flavours depending on how you want your food to taste, from applewood and cherry to hickory and mesquite.

Pellets work for smoking, roasting, long cooks and everyday grilling in compatible pellet BBQs and smokers, making them a bit of a multitasker. They’re also fantastic for cooking seafood, including shellfish, as they provide gentle, consistent heat and a subtle smoke aroma.

For adding a smoky flavour: smoking chips

Smoking chips and chunks are small scraps of untreated wood that enhance the smoky flavour of charcoal cooking. They’re scattered on the hot coals, producing smoke that infuses your food.

You can also use them with a gas-powered or electric BBQ. Instead of going directly on the heat source, they’re placed in a smoker box – effectively turning your barbecue into a smoker.

Only use smoking chips or chunks designed for BBQ cooking, and follow the instructions for your BBQ, smoker box and smoking wood.

Using them is easy – check out our guide on how to use smoking chips

BBQ smoking chips are available in lots of different varieties. The most common include:

Mild

• Apple, peach and cherry: Fruitwoods have a mild and sweet taste that pairs nicely with poultry, pork, fish and veggies.

Medium

• Pecan: Pecan smoking chips have a rich, nutty aroma. They’re a solid all-rounder and work well with every type of meat.
• Hickory: Hickory is a classic when it comes to smoking. Because it has a robust flavour, it goes best with beef, pork and game meats.
• Oak: Oak is more subtle than hickory, but just as versatile, pairing well with lamb, beef, pork and seafood.

Strong

• Mesquite: The strongest variety of the bunch, you’ll need a bold protein that stands up to its intense, earthy flavour – think richer cuts of pork, lamb or beef.

Lump charcoal and briquettes: what’s the difference?

Lump charcoal and briquettes often get confused, because they’re both made from wood. In short, lump charcoal is best for quick, high-heat barbecuing, while briquettes are ideal for low-and-slow cooking.