Lump charcoal and wood briquettes are both good options that you can use for barbeque. Of course, both have their own benefits. It’s highly possible that you might want to mix lump coal with wood briquettes. This would be to reap the benefits of both of them.
So that begs the question, Can you mix lump charcoal with wooden briquettes?
Yes, you can! But temperature control will be harder and it will come with a few more issues. However, you will still get the benefits of a better, smokier flavor profile, longer cooking times, and hotter flames for better sears. Go for it and be experimental!
Well, that’s not all. To know more follow through!
How Can You Mix Lump Charcoal with Wooden Briquettes?
The best way to mix them together is by not doing so in the first place. But by making them that one couple that constantly screeches “space”. Layer the lump wood over the briquettes.
Do this by firstly making an even layer of your briquettes on the bottom. This is so that they keep going for longer. Light the layer on fire. Next, add on a layer of the lump wood.
This will create an even-sized layer of lump wood. The layers won’t fall through the grates of the grill and will ensure proper temperature utilization.
Types of mixes
Of course, mixing them might not just mean half and half for you. There are people who might just sprinkle in a little bit of one or the other into its counterpart here.
But the question is still natural due to possible safety concerns over temperature differences.
Let’s dive into what each mix might bring for you in terms of benefits.
Lump Charcoal Heavy
An example of such a mix would be something along the lines of a 90% to 10% lump to briquette ratio or an 85% to 15%ratio of the same order.
Lump charcoal dominant mixes will have end products tasting similar to ones cooked only in lump wood. The difference with the purely cooked with lump charcoal will be minimal if not non-existent.
However, you shouldn’t expect the added benefit of the fire burning for really long. At best the briquettes will act as a warming agent. At worst it’ll aid you in overcooking your meat.
Use this only if you’re short on lump wood and have some briquettes with you.
Charcoal briquette heavy
It’s going to be the same and just vice versa with the charcoal briquette heavy ratio. It might be a problem if the lump wood and the briquettes vary in size astronomically. Then the chances are that you will not be able to control the temperature.
Refrain from doing this even if you really want to have a barbeque. But for similarly sized ones it won’t be such a massive problem.
A 50:50 Ratio
is what most of you are here for. Our article primarily does focus on his aspect and this will give you the best of both worlds. But it’ll also bring problems. Cooking this will make something that Thanos would call “Perfectly balanced as everything should be.”
Benefits of Mixing Lump Charcoal with Charcoal Briquettes
The Heat that you’ll be getting will be a lot higher than the amount produced by briquettes alone. Unfortunately, it might not be as high as using lump charcoal alone. This is since it’d be breaking the laws of thermodynamics.
However, you can still reap the benefits of a longer cooking time.
There might be some initial temperature instability. But the combination over time might be more stable for you with some practice.
The other benefit would be a better smokier taste profile than regular. This comes with the benefits that were already mentioned. It is what you can call a win-win situation.
Getting To Know What You’re Using: What Are Briquettes And Lump Charcoal?
There are certain differences that you have to keep in mind when you’re mixing the two. Without the basics, there is a higher probability of your barbeque going horribly wrong. A few additional bits of info will also help.
Coal/Charcoal Briquettes
Briquettes that you’d want for making a barbeque are ones made of pulverized coal. Avoid using briquettes made of raw wood as mixing them would create temperature imbalances. Make sure that the briquettes are food grade and not cheap ones made for heating. These are charcoal briquettes, what you want.
These are wood briquettes, what you don’t want
Coal or charcoal briquettes are what will make your fire last longer. But it won’t be as thermic in effect as lump charcoal. They often have additives such as glues in them.
So make sure that you buy solid hardwood briquettes.
Its fires can go up to 800 to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure to mix them with lump charcoal that is similar in size.
Be sure to not use ones that have lighter fluid added to them for greater flammability. As that will impact the flavor of whatever you’re grilling.
Some charcoal briquette suggestions have been given below:
| Brand | Price |
| Kamado Joe KJ-CHAR Big Block XL Lump Charcoal, 20 pound | $29.19 |
| Kingsford Original Charcoal Briquettes, 7.7 Pound Bag | $13.50 |
Please note that these are highly rated products. But due to supply chain issues with wood and charcoal, many companies are subjected to increased costs. This naturally leads to them opting for cost-cutting options.
Make sure that you check for additives in your briquettes regardless.
Lump Charcoal
It’s basically wood that has been burnt to a crisp.
It is also called lump wood or in this case lump wood charcoal. There are things that you’d have to know while mixing the two. Lumpwood generally burns at 1400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Firstly in most brands, you’ll see that the charcoal comes in various sizes within the pack. The issue here is that the different sizes will bring along different burning times. It will also bring more temperature fluctuations.
It may also overpower your briquettes.
These are lump woods. As you can see they vary a lot in size. Ideally, you would want to make sure that the sizes of the pieces of lump wood are firstly uniform. This will ensure that temperature difference-related issues will stay at a minimum. Secondly, you’d want to pick ones that are similar, or just slightly larger than the charcoal briquettes.
Possible problems that you might face while mixing them
With the good comes the bad. Unfortunately, this situation is no exception. There are a few issues that you may face while mixing the two that are jotted down below:
Temperature Control
The primary concern of this will be the aspect of temperature control. This is due to the burning temperature difference between the two.
Unfortunately, there’s no set rule that is out there that might help you in this case. Some trial and errors are what you’ll have to go with to get a good end result.
Adjusting your air intake might be a crucial part of making sure that things go smoothly.
Sparks
Lump wood doesn’t carbonize properly. Due to this, larger pieces will have some moisture in them.
Make sure to use the quality stuff unless you want minor explosions in your green oval. Apart from that, it may create minor sparks in your.
Clogged air vents
If you’re used to cooking with wood briquettes only then there may be less ash than you might expect. This is since lump wood produces less ash. That is due to not being fully carbonized and having a relatively larger surface area.
Lump wood will create a lot more ash than expected. This may result in your air intake being clogged.
The reason why this is a problem is that your fire runs on the basis of a combustion reaction. This reaction occurs due to oxygen being present. When you cut off this supply your fire will invariably, die off.
FAQS
Can you use briquettes and Lumpwood?
Yes, you can but make sure to follow the aforementioned steps.
What’s the difference between Lumpwood charcoal and briquettes?
Lumpwood is basically your regular charcoal and the briquettes in this context are large pellets made with pulverized charcoal. They have different burning temperatures and burn times.
Are briquettes better than charcoal?
The answer is that it is subjective but for longer cooking times and uniform burning, briquettes are the way to go. Flavorwise, charcoal might be the better option for you.
Conclusion
Can you mix lump wood with charcoal briquettes? The answer to this question is yes. You should also actively try doing this as this is what barbeque masters and grill masters do.
But be careful regarding the issues that come with it. Have a fun time with your grill!
