How to Cook With Lump Charcoal

If charcoal grilling is the purist's method of outdoor cooking, then natural lump charcoal makes grilling a true art. Lump charcoal is made entirely from natural chunks of wood, imparting a pure smokey flavor and igniting much quicker than traditional charcoal briquettes. Briquettes also contain petroleum binders and other impurities, often putting unwanted flavor into food. Lump charcoal can be purchased at most grilling supply and home improvement stores.

Things You'll Need

• 1 bag natural lump charcoal
• Electric charcoal starter
• Meat and/or vegetables of choice
• Hardwood smoking chips
• Barrel- or kettle-style grill

Instructions

Direct Grilling

1. Remove the grill's cooking grate and pour in enough charcoal fragments to completely cover the coal grate or basin at the bottom of the cooking chamber.

2. Gather the charcoal into a pile in the center of the coal grate and bury the electric starter into the center of the pile before plugging in the starter.

3. Allow the charcoal to catch for about eight minutes, until the coals smoke and can be heard popping and crackling. Unplug the electric starter, and use the starter iron to spread the coal around so the grate or basin is completely covered in hot coals.

4. Open all vents on the grill, replace the cooking grate and close the lid, allowing coal to further catch for another 10 minutes or so. Add hardwood grilling chips just before adding food to impart extra flavor.

5. Place desired food on the grill, and cook to taste based on meat type and thickness.

Indirect Grilling

1. Follow steps one through three above to ignite the lump charcoal.

2. Once ignited, use the starter iron to push the charcoal into two equal piles on either side of the grill, leaving an open, coal-free pocket at the grill's center.

3. Place a drip pan fashioned from aluminum foil in the open pocket to catch any grease or drippings. A cup of water poured into the drip pan eliminates grease flare-ups.

4. Replace the cooking grate, open vents and close the lid until coals thoroughly catch before adding hardwood smoking chips directly to the coals.

5. Place meat and/or vegetables on the cooking grate and re-close the lid, cooking to desired taste and temperature depending on meat type.

Tips & Warnings

• Consult a grilling cookbook or website, such as Steven Raichlen's Barbecue Bible site, for suggested cooking times and temperatures for various types of meat and other tips on direct and indirect grilling.

• Always wear protective gloves when removing grill lids or adding charcoal to live fires and use long grilling tongs or spatulas when moving or removing meat to avoid burns.

References

• Barbecue Bible
• The Virtual Weber Bullet: All About Charcoal
• BBQ USA; Steven Raichlen; 2003