Different Type of Charcoals available in Singapore

Which types of charcoals should you use?

It is well-known among many experienced and aspiring cooks that charcoal can imparts the flavour to the foods. Rice tastes better when cooked over a charcoal fire. In addition to marinates, BBQ meats get extra desirable smoky flavour when cooked above the burning charcoal. It must be remembered that all charcoal is created from the same thing – wood burned in low oxygen environment. 

Now, what is the best charcoal for grilling? There are strictly no right and wrong answer to this question. Ultimately, it all boils down to personal preference and the types of charcoal suited for certain purposes.

 (1) Lump Charcoal

Absolutely 100% Natural made, meaning it contain no fillers or additives. It is simply made by burning wood without the presence of oxygen. It can come in the shape of broken, small and short logs. Most commercially available packed in 3-5 kilograms at most supermarkets. Many chefs love it for its versatility and inexpensive price tag. There are two types of lump charcoal available.

Black charcoal – Most common type of lump charcoal you see at all supermarkets.

White charcoal (Binchōtan) – Japanese charcoal, it has the attributes similar to metals; makes sonorous sound and is extremely hard.

Pros: 100% Natural. Burns hot and fast. Mostly cheap. Produces less ash than briquettes.

Cons: Many small pieces of charcoals can be found for low-end packages.

(2) Charcoal Briquettes

Hexagonal shaped charcoal briquettes

Mostly made from sawdust and without binding additives. Like its name suggests, it has a hexagonal intersection and a hole in the centre of the briquettes. It is mainly valued for being smokeless and long burning time.

Pros: Efficient storage. Burns at a consistent heat and longer time. Even heat distribution. Mostly cheap.

Cons: Takes longer to ignite.

Hexagonal shaped charcoal briquettes

Pillow shaped charcoal briquettes

The basic pressed charcoal import brands can be found at some supermarket in Singapore. If you wanted a large selection of different briquettes, you might have to explore bit further into specialised BBQ shops in Singapore. Compressed charcoal are factory made using wood by-products such as sawdust and scrap wood, along with chemical additives.

Pros: Generally lasts longer than other types of charcoal. Each piece is at same shape and size. Burns at a consistent heat.

Cons: Briquettes are laden with binding additive and other additive. Generally expensive in Singapore.

Pillow Shaped Charcoal Briquettes

The gist of this article is that you can dish out a delicious meal from using your charcoal with any type of charcoal. Keep in mind that different types of charcoal have their different advantages and disadvantages. If you are throwing barbecue event and require long cooking time, generally briquettes is preferred. However for small barbeque party, lump charcoal should suffice.