Lump charcoal

Lump charcoal is made by charring solid pieces of hardwood in a low-oxygen environment until only carbon remains, without the binders, fillers or additives found in briquettes. Because the pieces are irregular chunks of real wood rather than pressed pillows, lump charcoal tends to light faster, burn hotter, and leave noticeably less ash in the bottom of the grill after a cook, which also means less risk of ash choking off airflow during a long session.

The tradeoff for that hotter, faster burn is less consistency. Bag to bag, and even piece to piece within the same bag, lump charcoal can vary in size and burn time, since it depends on what wood and what size pieces went into that batch. That makes it a favorite for searing and shorter cooks where high heat matters more than a rock steady temperature over many hours.

When buying, look for larger, denser pieces rather than a bag full of small fragments and dust, since fine charcoal burns out quickly and contributes little heat. A common mistake is assuming all lump charcoal behaves the same as briquettes for temperature control, when in practice it usually needs closer vent management on a longer, low and slow cook.