For barbecue and grilling purists seeking the absolute highest quality cooking fuel to maximize flavors and performance, restaurant grade charcoal is clearly the best choice. This premium charcoal made specifically for chefs burns significantly hotter, cleaner, and more consistently than typical mass-market charcoal briquettes purchased from the grocery store. While costing a bit more upfront, restaurant grade charcoal provides game-changing benefits that can seriously elevate any grilling aficionado’s barbecue capabilities and enjoyment. Here’s an in-depth look at the range of reasons discerning home cooks should join professional chefs in using restaurant grade charcoal.
Reach Optimal High Temperatures
The number one reason most chefs and pro pitmasters choose to cook with select restaurant grade lump charcoal or briquettes is the ability to reach scorching hot temperatures exceeding 700°F, and sometimes over 800°F in certain high-end grills. Restaurant charcoal is manufactured from densely packed wood sourced from species like hickory and maple that burn with very high BTU energy output. This means you can get more usable heat energy per pound compared to low-end charcoal. Ultra-hot temps are absolutely crucial for properly searing steaks to get that crispy browned crust, sizzling chicken skin, warming tortillas, stir frying veggies with wok hay flavor, and any recipe relying on flames versus smoldering coals. For grill masters with high performance smokers and kamado grills that can handle very high heat, quality restaurant grade charcoal is essential for exploiting the full potential of your equipment.
Enjoy Longer Burn Times
Another major benefit that earns restaurant grade charcoal its sterling reputation is much longer sustained burn times compared to the cheap stuff from big box stores. While exact durations depend on environmental factors and grill type, expect at least 1-2 hours of steady high heat from a single load of top lump charcoal, and possibly over 3 hours before any additional charcoal needs adding. Premium natural wood lump charcoal varieties boast burn times exceeding 5 hours per charge. This exceptional endurance means far less hassling with inconvenient charcoal refueling multiple times during longer elaborate barbecue cooking sessions. You can thoroughly sear beef and poultry with an initial blast of intense heat on a fresh charcoal load, and then precisely adjust the airflow and vents to gradually transition to slower, lower temperatures ideal for smoking pork shoulders, brisket, or ribs for hours without any bothersome mid-cook refueling.
Minimal Messy Ash and Reduced Airborne Sparks
Professional chefs don’t want to be stuck constantly cleaning up tons of messy ash residue all over their commercial kitchens after each day’s grilling. Premium restaurant grade charcoal contains significantly less non-combustible mineral fillers, clay binders, and other additives that lead to excessive ash leftover after burning. There are also noticeably fewer stray sparks flying out compared to cheaper briquettes overloaded with binders and fillers. Less airborne ash keeps the cooking area cleaner and reduces the chances of food getting contaminated by soot or mineral deposits during prolonged low and slow barbecue sessions. Nobody wants to finish an amazing 12-hour brisket cook only to realize the meat is coated in ash powder. Cleaner burning restaurant grade charcoal keeps your cook chamber under control.
Achieve Consistent and Reliable Results
Inconsistency is one of the most frustrating downsides of cheap charcoal that leads home grillers to undesirable outcomes like meat burnt on the outside but raw inside. Grocery store bags often contain irregularly sized and shaped briquettes or random large hunks of lump charcoal that burn erratically. But quality charcoal destined for discerning restaurant use has highly uniform briquette sizes and carefully sorted lump material that allows for completely predictable heat generation. This means you can perfectly nail the ideal doneness on your steaks every time. No more raw chicken or blackened fish fillets. With even heat and predictable temperature response, you’ll gain full command over your grill.
Source 100% Natural Wood Composition
A lesser known but hugely appealing benefit for purists is that true premium restaurant grade charcoal is made from 100% all-natural renewable wood sources. The highest quality charcoal avoids filler woods and instead uses dense species like hickory, oak, maple, and mesquite that burn most efficiently. There are no chemical binders, petroleum byproducts, synthetic additives, or artificial wood flakes mixed in like some commercial charcoals contain. All-natural composition allows the real essence of the wood to permeate your barbecue, imparting pure smokey flavor ideal for infusing meats low and slow with that mouthwatering pit smoked taste. Real wood makes real wood-smoked barbecue.
Eco-Friendly Sustainable Production
Responsible professional chefs and environmentally-conscious home cooks also appreciate that premium restaurant grade charcoal is predominantly made through sustainable practices these days. Instead of clear-cutting forests, renewable waste wood sources like orchard tree trimmings or forest management wood debris get repurposed into charcoal, doing good for the planet. Top restaurant select charcoal brands use earth-friendly kiln production methods and ethical sourcing. Supporting green companies producing sustainable charcoal aligns well with modern grilling values. Plus, discerning customers want the satisfaction of knowing their charcoal comes from ethical sources with minimal ecological impact.
Experiment with Specialty and Artisanal Charcoal Varieties
While lump charcoal and standard briquettes cover most home grilling needs, venturesome pitmasters can take their skills to the next level thanks to the wide array of exotic specialty charcoal varieties found at upscale restaurant supply stores. Binchotan Japanese charcoal offers the extreme heat needed for crisping up maki rolls and stir fries in blazing cast iron woks. Big 10-inch South American quebracho logs provide marathon burn times perfect for low and slow whole hog roasting Porchetta style. Seek out artisanal small batch charcoals like coconut shell, whiskey barrel oak, wine barrel staves, and other creative types to impart nuanced flavor notes.
Tax Savings Benefits of Business Use Charcoal
An insider tip for the truly charcoal-obsessed: in many US states, registered food businesses and restaurants can legally buy wholesale restaurant supplies like charcoal tax-free! Some hobbyist home cooks obtain state business licenses so they can purchase bulk commercial bags of restaurant grade charcoal without paying sales tax, which adds up fast. Just make sure you follow proper documentation requirements. But the tax savings often offset the elevated per-pound costs of gourmet charcoal, making bigger bags economical.
Buy in Bulk for Big Discounts
Like with any consumable, buying restaurant grade charcoal in bulk saves money compared to smaller bags. While special chef varieties are sold in 10lb bags, commodity Royal Oak and other briquettes come in huge 15-20lb sacks containing enough fuel for months of grilling. Instead of picking up tiny 6lb bags every month from the grocery store, buy bulk charcoal on sale for as little as $1 per pound. Store extra bags in a sealed waterproof container. For super savings, go in on a pallet with other neighborhood grillers!
In summary, any grilling enthusiast frustrated by subpar results from inferior charcoal needs to try premium restaurant grade fuel to take their barbecue to the next level. The impressive heat output, long burn times, reduced mess, and natural flavors will quickjy prove worth the extra investment. Ditch the ashy grocery store stuff and unlock the full potential of your smoker, kamado or grill with charcoal the pros trust.
Hillside Woodfuels
Unit 7, Westfield Industrial Park, Waunarlwydd, Swansea SA5 4SF
01792 946421
hswf.co.uk
