Understanding Natural Lump Charcoal




The Process
Natural Lump Charcoal comes from partially burning wood. It is also created by heating wood without oxygen. In doing so, this chared wood becomes carbon. During the process of making charcoal, volatile compounds in the wood (water, hydrogen, methane and tars) pass off as vapors into the air, and the carbon is converted into charcoal.


Natural "Lump" Charcoal is known to be more efficient, healthier and controllable than briquettes or any prefabricated charcoals.


The Properties
Since Charcoal is pure wood carbon, it weights much less than its original state. It is also free of tars (which can contain carcinogenic compounds, like benzo-a-pyrene). Perhaps only traces of volatile components can be found in charcoal. Definitely not enough to alarm nutritionist nor scientist. Unlike Charcoal Briquettes, which holds different chemicals, natural charcoal is merely 100% carbon.

How long can Lump Charcoal last (Shelf Life)
Lump Charcoal is perhaps good for life. Unless it has been exposed to moisture and variable temperature, natural lump charcoal will last.

Charcoal Silhouettes
For cooking purposes charcoal comes in two different shapes: lump charcoal and briquettes. Lump charcoal is charcoal which has not been formed into briquettes. Briquettes are the pillow shaped little pieces of compressed ground charcoal.

Should you use Lump Charcoal or Briquettes?
If you are going to use our Primo Grill and Smoker, the answer is Lump Charcoal. The low ash production of lump charcoal is very important. Primo Grills and Smokers have a fire bowl holding the charcoal. As the charcoal burns, the ash falls down into the bottom of the bowl. There isn't room for a whole lot of ash. Lump charcoal tends to burns hotter and faster than briquettes. Lump charcoal will also burn at whatever rate and temperature that you allow it to. Using briquettes in your Primo Grill and Smoker can cause frustration when needing to regulate the temperature. Briquettes tend to burn slower as they were designed to be used in an uncontrolled environment. Briquettes weren't designed for professional use.


 Where can I purchase Lump Charcoal
You may be able to purchase lump charcoal locally. You local hardware, BBQ store, mass merchant, grocery store and other related retail outlet may carry lump charcoal. You may purchase also your charcoal from Primo® Direct . Review this web site and take advantage of getting our Cowboy Charcoal brand at a good price.

Types of Lump Charcoal
There are 2 types of charcoals: the first type comes from natural wood which has been cut and made into charcoal. This is as natural as you can get. The wood comes from trees, branches and scrap pieces from saw mills. The second type comes from using processed scrap wood and tuning it into charcoal. Processed scrap wood tend to burn faster since its density is lesser than natural. This is mainly because there is less moisture into the wood at the time it is transformed into charcoals. This wood comes from wood flooring scraps, building material scrap and furniture scraps and others.

Quality Lump Charcoal usually comes in a multi layer paper bag to absorb moisture. Commonly, lump charcoal is sold in a 20 lbs bag.

Lighting Lump Charcoal
Never use any starter fluid. It will give a undesirable flavor to your food and impregnate into the ceramic of your Primo Grill and Smoker. There are many other ways to light up lump charcoal. You can use paraffin fireplace starter blocks (Primo recommended), electric starters, propane sticks, weed burners, propane torches, MAP gas torches and Chimney starters. The Chimney starter is the most economical since it uses paper (usually newspaper) to light the charcoal.

You should never use lighting fluid for your ceramic charcoal grill and smoker.

More on Briquettes
In a nutshell, charcoal briquettes were developed to be user friendly when using an open-top charcoal grill. Briquettes are able to burn at a consistent rate regardless of the amount of air flow within the grill. Since an open-top grill isn't able to precisely regulate air flow, the briquettes are adequate for that application. When using your PrimoTM Grill & Smoker, you must be able to regulate the temperature (HI and LO) quickly. Lump Charcoal has the quality to offer you temperature control through air flow restriction.