Charcoal – fast heat and less ash
Charcoal, also referred to as lump charcoal, is made of wood and is produced by heating the wood in an oxygen-poor environment. Charcoal is traditionally produced through carbonisation in a charcoal kiln. Today, however, most production takes place in a more industrial way in different types of coal furnaces. Biltema’s charcoal consists of 100% quality-controlled charcoal.
The advantage of charcoal is that it quickly reaches a high temperature, forms a good bed of coals, and produces little smoke. But just as quickly as the charcoal reaches high temperatures, the bed of coal starts to cool. This makes charcoal a good choice for direct grilling of example, sausages, hamburger patties, and vegetables, for example.
Briquettes – more even burn and smokier flavour
Briquettes consist of compressed lignite, peat, charcoal, or coal dust and can be used for both grilling and smoking. Biltema’s briquettes are made of 100% quality-controlled charcoal.
The advantage of briquettes is that they are the same size, which allows them to burn for a long time and the heat is distributed more evenly. However, it takes significantly longer for the briquettes to ignite and reach a high temperature. In addition, briquettes produce more smoke and ash than charcoal, which means you will have to clean the grill more than if you use lump charcoal. Briquettes are suitable for grilling whole pieces of meat and for indirect grilling under a lid.
Frequently asked questions about Charcoal and briquettes
What are charcoal and briquettes made of?
Charcoal is made of heated wood, while briquettes consist of compressed lignite, peat, charcoal, or coal dust. Biltema’s charcoal and briquettes consist of 100% quality-controlled charcoal.
Should I use charcoal or briquettes?
Briquettes are best for grilling whole pieces of meat and for indirect grilling under a lid. Charcoal is best suited for direct grilling of sliced meat, sausages, and vegetables, for example.
How much charcoal and briquettes should I use?
It depends on what and how long you are going to grill. Use one layer when grilling quick foods such as sausages, vegetables and thin pieces of meat. Use two layers when cooking food that takes longer.
How should I discard charcoal and briquettes?
Unused charcoal and briquettes can be disposed of among household waste. Burnt charcoal and briquettes, as well as the ash, must be allowed to cool for at least two days before throwing it away.
