Different Types of Charcoal

Let’s start with the basics; charcoal briquettes. Briquettes are what most people think of when they think charcoal. That is; compressed charcoal dust bound together into squares. They usually come in two varieties, quick-start and traditional - try to avoid the quick-start variety and stick with traditional. Typical charcoal briquettes are bound together with a variety of chemicals, while premium briquettes are bound with corn starch – a natural ingredient. These are definitely preferable. We recommend never using lighter fluid, whether you have a Kalamazoo grill or not. If you are working with a conventional charcoal grill, the preferred way to light a charcoal fire is with a chimney starter; they’re quick, and eliminate the need for lighter fluid. We like Steven Raichlen’s Square Chimney Starter. The shape allows the coals to light uniformly, and stay glowing for up to an hour.

Lump charcoal is charcoal in its purest form and doesn’t incorporate binders or added chemicals. Sometimes it’s made from reclaimed wood, and other times from virgin wood. It produces less ash than briquettes, and is more responsive to oxygen making it easier to control the heat of your fire by using the adjustable air vents on your grill. You’ll sometimes find foreign objects in your lump charcoal, because of the raw nature of the product.

In Japan, the traditional wood used to make charcoal is bamboo. It burns extremely clean with almost no smoke, so clean in fact that in Japan many people burn it inside their homes. More recently, coconut charcoal has risen in popularity. Sold as tube shaped briquettes, these coals include binders just like traditional briquettes. Coconut charcoal is great because it’s made from renewable resources, burns extremely clean and is much better for the environment. 

How to Choose Good Charcoal

The telltale sign of charcoal quality is how much ash it leaves behind. This is more of a discerning factor for quality in briquettes than it is in lump. The less ash the briquettes leave behind, the more pure they are. Good pure lump charcoal will leave behind very little ash because of how completely it burns.

If using lump charcoal, you should also consider the size of the pieces. In briquettes this usually isn’t a problem, although some brands are more prone to falling apart. A bag of lump however, will include some large pieces, lots of medium sized pieces, and tiny unusable pieces and dust at the bottom of the bag. Since you’re paying by weight, you want as little dust as possible.

Select the Right Charcoal For the Job

Each style of charcoal has different heat characteristics, and it’s important to consider them when choosing the right type for the job at hand.

Lump charcoal is ideal for searing foods like fish, burgers, and steak that are not overly thick, because it generates high temperatures, and has a faster heat cycle. Essentially it gets hotter, and burns more quickly than other types of charcoal.

Briquettes tend to give off a more stable, even heat that is great for smoking, roasting and anything that takes longer than about twenty minutes to cook. They don’t get quite as hot as lump charcoal, but they stay lit for much longer.

Regardless of the type of charcoal you use, a charcoal fire produces a drier heat than a gas fire, which emphasizes the glorious Maillard reaction - that wonderful caramelized crust.

Grillmaster Russ’s Favorites

Kalamazoo grillmaster Russ loves Royal Oak’s products. Their lump is completely natural, with consistent size and wide availability making it a great go-to. He also recommends Royal Oak Chef’s Select briquettes. It comes in a very plain bag marked “not for retail sale.” The briquettes are large, all natural and have a nice, long heat cycle. It’s made for professional cooks, and can be hard to find so keep your eyes peeled.

Royal Oak's Chef's Select charcoal

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White Cheddar Grits with Grilled Ramps

Ramps, sometimes referred to as wild leeks, taste like a delightful combination of garlic and spring onions. They are an early spring vegetable, available right now, and for a little while longer, so be sure to try this recipe soon. Ramps add a bright, fresh flavor to this creamy, Southern dish from Saveur.com.

White cheddar grits with grilled ramps, photo courtesy of Saveur.com

Tomahawk Chops with Grilled Mushrooms and Garlic Scapes

Garlic scapes are another wonderful spring vegetable, with a light, oniony flavor. They are available in late spring but the harvesting season is short, so make sure you’re on the lookout or you might miss them. This recipe involves a gorgeous, perfectly grilled piece of meat, complemented by the fresh, herbal flavor of chimichurri sauce, earthy, grilled mushrooms and fresh, pungent garlic scapes. Tomahawk chops not only look spectacular, but taste amazing; juicy, tender, and meaty.

Asparagus, Fingerling Potato and Goat Cheese Pizza

Asparagus is one of those quintessential spring vegetables. With its vibrant green hues, fleshy texture and hearty flavor, asparagus can really elevate a meal. The first harvest of the season results in smaller, thinner spears, which are typically the most tender. This pizza from BonAppetit.com combines the fresh flavors of asparagus, fingerling potatoes and creamy, tangy goat cheese. Try your hand at cooking your pizza on the grill. This method allows you to reach scorching high heats that result in a crisp, perfectly blistered crust.

Asparagus, fingerling potato and goat cheese pizza, photo courtesy of BonAppetit.com

Underly is on the leading edge of a movement within the meat industry to find new cuts of beef that are full of flavor, but until now haven’t been available commercially. In fact, she wrote an entire book, which was nominated for a James Beard Award, all about getting the most out of your meat. The Art of Beef Cutting is great for anyone who wants to dive deeper into their beef, and perhaps save a bit of money without sacrificing flavor or tenderness.

Back to the trend towards “new” cuts of beef. In some cases, such as the Denver Cut, it was simply a matter of finding a piece of meat that wasn’t being used on the cow and learning how to cut it to create a tender, flavorful steak.

In other cases, particular cuts of beef have been pushed to the wayside because people didn’t know how to cook them without turning them into shoe leather. This was the case with Skirt Steak. The Skirt Steak brings all of the beefy flavor of more expensive cuts, and, if you cook it right, it can be just as tender. Check out SeriousEats.com for a great guide on how to get the most out of this inexpensive cut.

Image courtesy of chicagotribune.com

The Oberon Flip

• 3/4 ounce Oberon
• 3/4 ounce freshly-squeezed orange juice
• 1 1/2 ounces bourbon
• 1 egg white
• 1 dash blood orange bitters (optional)
• Ice
• 1 large, thin slice of orange peel

Rub the orange peel around the rim of a cocktail glass and then toss it in the glass as garnish.

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake for 20 seconds. (I suggest you stop after 5 seconds and crack open the shaker to release some of the pressure, and then continue.)

Add ice and shake 20 seconds more to chill.

Strain into the cocktail glass and enjoy! If you start with a particularly sweet orange, you may wish to add a dash of bitters.

Smoked Oyster Deviled Eggs

Switch up the flavors of this classic appetizer by adding a delicate blend of spices and smoked oysters. These ingredients create a briny, rich, flavorsome twist.

Smoked oyster deviled eggs

Spit-roasted Leg of Lamb over Grits and Tomatoes

Treat your guests to a tender leg of lamb, seasoned with a delicious blend of fresh herbs and spices, rotisserie roasted on the grill. Serve on a bed of creamy grits with roasted tomatoes and onions.

Grilled Figs Over Vanilla Gelato

This dessert is simple and delicious. The sugar in the figs caramelizes beautifully when grilled over a hot flame, and the vanilla gelato is the perfect indulgent complement.

Grilled figs over vanilla gelato

Asparagus wraps with crispy prosciutto and herbed cheese

* Title photo by Katie Seldon for MLive.com

Designers Joe Lucas and Parrish Chilcoat of Lucas Studios in Los Angeles designed this high-tech California outdoor space for a professional hockey player. The result was an outdoor room that is both casual and elegant with a nice balance of masculine and feminine elements. The space has been fully outfitted for comfort, and includes a flat screen television, surround sound audio equipment, outdoor lighting and a fireplace.

Outdoor entertaining area in California, designed by Lucas Studio’s, photo from cotedetexas.blogspot

Designer Sandy Koepke created an eclectic effect in this Manhattan Beach outdoor living space, by using antique pottery accents and a lush color palette. The homeowner is an avid home chef who wanted a top-of-the-line outdoor kitchen to meet his cooking and entertaining needs. To fulfill this requirement Koepke installed a Kalamazoo Hybrid Fire Grill, keg tapper, outdoor beverage center, clear ice maker, and wok cooktop. The end result was a luxurious, outdoor space which encompassed a self-contained, state-of-the-art kitchen, an elevated dining room and a lounge area surrounding a stunning fireplace. To view more pictures of this project please visit our outdoor kitchen photo gallery.

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet kitchen in Manhattan Beach, CA designed by Sandy Koepke

Homeowner and chief retail creative officer at Ralph Lauren, Alfredo Paredes, collaborated with New York–based architect Michael Neumann to create this luxurious Manhattan rooftop retreat which was featured in Architectural Digest magazine. The space is divided into several different entertaining areas, including a lounge complete with comfortable teak furnishings, and a large area for outdoor dining. A zinc dining table is surrounded by vintage chairs, and serves as a focal point that clearly defines the space. Lush trees and plants add a sense of privacy while still allowing for panoramic city skyline views.

Rooftop in Manhattan, as featured in Architectural Digest magazine

Grillmaster Russ's white wine pizza dough

Corned beef burger, photo by framedcooks.com