The different types of BBQ charcoal Quebec

Charcoal BBQ is really hot. In fact, those who are into charcoal BBQ are often people who like to light fires and watch the flames. People who like to "play" with fire.

I say this but, whether you are new to the world of charcoal or an expert, you are probably curious to know the differences between our charcoals to know which one (or ones ;)) to try.

Actually, for the record, there are more and more people who are doing charcoal BBQ (seriously, if you look at the growth in charcoal BBQ sales over the last 5 years, it's pretty phenomenal!), but 2-3 years ago, there was a big charcoal shortage. The supply couldn't meet the high demand.

So following that, we, BBQ Québec, had to "turn around" to find new species and flavors so that no one would run out of charcoal. We tried several types, and in the end, we chose to offer oak charcoal and guayacan charcoal (our exotic charcoal) in addition to the sugar maple charcoal that we already offered to our customers.

And there I hear you saying "Yes, but which one should I take!?", I'm getting there. ;)

The differences

Each of our 3 types of charcoal offers a different experience and flavor. Some bags contain less charred pieces of charcoal, others are rougher, others are larger… They all offer their own adventure.

The weight of the bags also varies: the sugar maple charcoal bag is available in 8 kg format, the oak charcoal bag in 4 and 8 kg formats, and the exotic charcoal bag in 10 kg format.

Sugar Maple Charcoal

This one is my favorite. I've been burning it for 10 years and I love it. No, it doesn't taste like maple syrup, but it has a sweet flavor that we Quebecers are used to. These are pieces of charcoal made in Quebec that heat up quickly, manage to keep a stable temperature and burn for a really long time. I've always been satisfied using maple charcoal.

Oak charcoal

This charcoal really gets me going. You know me, I'm a meat guy, so when I feel like cooking a piece of beef or a nice big steak, I go with this one because I find it gives my meat a little Texas "kick". In fact, you'll probably find bits of charcoal with bark if you open a bag of oak charcoal, but you don't have to remove it, it's what will give your meal a truly American taste. (The wood fiber is what gives the smoky taste. ;)) It has a pretty strong flavor.

This type of charcoal is a little more difficult to light because it is less charred (meaning there is less water and moisture removed from the pieces), but it will burn a little longer than maple charcoal.

Moreover, just like our maple charcoal, this one is also made in Quebec, but the pieces are larger.

Exotic charcoal

Made with guayacan wood, an ultra-dense and stiff wood, this charcoal really offers a different flavor. Since it comes from Latin America, it’s like a “back to basics”; it has a taste reminiscent of open-air Argentinian-style grills where cuts of meat are placed on an angled grate and topped with fruit.

These pieces of coal are quite large, they burn slowly and provide constant heat. They are efficient.

The similarities

In any case, our coals are all made of 100% natural wood (unlike briquettes), have good density (which gives off a lot of heat), and all represent the same thing in terms of their BTU level.

And yes, you will find pieces that are larger than others in each bag, but in fact, the small pieces are super handy for filling in the gaps where there is no coal in your BBQ. The more the pieces are stuck together, the more of a "bed" of hot coal you will have. The small ones will last a little less time than the large pieces, sure, but they heat at the same BTU as them.

In conclusion

Whatever your preferences, what I can tell you, however, is that trying a charcoal is the best way to adopt it. Ask your loved ones what kind they prefer and they will surely all tell you different things; it's normal, it's a taste that develops. The wonderful thing about charcoal is that you can give a different aspect to all your recipes and discover new classics!

And by the way, charcoal can reach temperatures as high as 2000°F, so whether it's -30°C or 30°C, it doesn't matter, your charcoal will still stay very, very, very hot. Even though... in the winter, the colder it is, the more oxygen there is in the air, so the hotter your charcoal will be. For searing steaks, it's really cool. ;)

Yes, you will need to use more charcoal to smoke your food or if your BBQ is not insulated, but the end result you will get will be the same. So whether you want to sear a steak, smoke a pork shoulder, ribs or sear and smoke food at the same time, it is possible with charcoal!

Finally, if you ever love to barbecue with charcoal and you have a gas BBQ, know that there are gas BBQs that are actually designed to be heated with basic charcoal, so this is an option that can be considered if you are interested. There are also people who even convert their gas BBQ into a charcoal BBQ, but that's a story for another time. ;)

Happy BBQ!