It’s spring time and that can only mean one thing, it’s time to get out your BBQ and start cooking! There is no need of being an expert chef to cook on a BBQ, yet there is so much you need to know before you start. One needs to know what food can be cooked on a BBQ and how long it takes to cook it. If you have a Charcoal BBQ then you need to know what charcoal to use and the importance of using good-quality charcoal. One might think that all charcoal is the same, however not all charcoal is created in the same manner. Below, we will be analyzing why it’s always a good idea to invest in the best quality charcoal.
Where does Charcoal come from?
It doesn’t matter how charcoal has been processed, all charcoal starts out as wood. Wood is heated up in a low oxygen environment whereby all particles except carbon melt away into liquid or gas. That remaining bulk of carbon is what we know as charcoal, which can then be manufactured into two sectors; hardwood lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes.
Why choose Charcoal Briquettes?
So why should we use charcoal briquettes instead of simply using gas or wood? Here’s why you should choose Charcoal Briquettes…
Concentrated
Since briquettes are made from compressed chunks of charcoal and other additives, they are denser, harder and more compact than for example, wood, offering a more concentrated form of energy.
Slow Burning
Briquettes burn slowly and for a longer period than if it is in its original state. Therefore, when using briquettes you will be able to cook food properly at a slower pace as the flame will not die down quickly.
More Efficient
They are also more efficient since briquettes are very easy to light, and produce constant heat. Briquettes produces a more intense flame than other fuel. They have a higher thermal value, while creating much lower volumes of ash. Thus, using briquettes means that the cooking process is more efficient, hotter and long-lasting.
Smokeless
A unique quality of briquettes is that they are smokeless. Briquettes charcoal is free from any chemicals providing smokeless and flavorless cooking. They create no smoke or carbon deposits and sometimes not even ash, depending on the base material used. It is safe to say that briquettes do not emit any toxic chemicals or gases.
Do brands differ in Quality?
Yes they do. Choosing the right brand can help you give the best flavor to your food and reach the maximum burn time from your briquettes. Some briquettes may have unwanted additives that create too much ash, shorter burn times, or can cause the briquette to light too quickly and aggressively or not at all.
It’s important to know that briquettes burn longer than lump charcoal, so if you want to cook your food longer without having to replace charcoal every time and without the hassle of constantly checking the temperature of your food, then you definitely need to get charcoal briquettes from a top brand. A good bag of charcoal briquettes is expected to burn for about 10 minutes at a high temperature followed by about 45 minutes of slow burn.
Our Heat Beads®
A great grilled meal starts with the right kind of charcoal. Here at Petrolea, we put this belief into practice by offering Heat Beads® which is one of the finest quality charcoal brands on the market. Heat Beads® is an Australian charcoal brand made from blends and presses of char, charcoal, starch, salt and sanded into a superior barbecue fuel, custom-made to the precise needs of the barbecuing enthusiasts. Moreover, Heat Beads® are safe, non-toxic and fragrance-free.
So, if you want to enjoy that real BBQ taste, choose Heat Beads®! You can choose between our Easy Lite 2.5Kg bag or the Original 4kg bag. Our briquettes will burn hotter for longer, give you a high cooking temperature for over four hours and offer better value for money.
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