Lighting a BBQ with briquettes vs. charcoal — what's better?
Deel
Briquettes or charcoal — it's a question every BBQ enthusiast eventually asks. Both have their pros and cons, and the best choice depends on what you're cooking. Below, we'll compare them fairly.
What's the difference?
Charcoal is burnt wood that quickly reaches temperature, burns very hot, and provides an authentic smoky flavor. Briquettes are pressed blocks of charcoal dust, starch, and sometimes additives. They burn longer and more evenly but take longer to heat up.
Charcoal: advantages and disadvantages
- ✅ Quickly up to temperature (15–20 minutes)
- ✅ Very high maximum temperature (up to 300°C+)
- ✅ Natural smoky flavor
- ✅ Less ash
- ❌ Shorter burn time (45–90 minutes)
- ❌ More difficult to maintain stable temperature
- ❌ More expensive per kilogram
Briquettes: advantages and disadvantages
- ✅ Long, stable burn time (2–4 hours)
- ✅ Ideal for low & slow cooking
- ✅ Cheaper per kilogram
- ✅ Easier to dose
- ❌ Slower to heat up (30–45 minutes)
- ❌ More ash
- ❌ Less intense flavor (unless combined with smoking wood)
When do you use which?
Choose charcoal if you want to grill quickly at high temperatures: steaks, chicken, vegetables. The short cooking time matches charcoal's short burn time.
Choose briquettes if you're cooking low & slow: pulled pork, brisket, spare ribs. The long, stable heat is essential for hours of cooking. Read more about what low & slow BBQ entails.
Can you combine both?
Yes — a popular technique is to start with charcoal for quick ignition and a high initial temperature, then add briquettes for a longer, stable burn time. This gives the best of both worlds.
Adding smoking wood
With briquettes, you often miss the smoky flavor of charcoal. Add wood chips or chunks for extra smoke and flavor. Read our guide to choosing smoking wood per meat type.
Quick overview
- 🔥 Fast grilling at high heat → charcoal
- ⏳ Low & slow, hours of cooking → briquettes
- ⚖️ Best of both worlds → combine
Do you also want to know how much charcoal you need? Then read our article on how much charcoal you need for the BBQ.