IN THE UNITED STATES, there are two main types of charcoal: lump (aka hardwood) and briquettes. Lump resembles the wood it comes from. Briquettes are compact pucks made from sawdust and other materials.
The process for making both is mostly the same. Wood or sawdust is heated slowly to high temperatures with little or no oxygen. This drives off water, gases, and other substances, leaving behind what we cook with: char, a solid substance that is composed mostly of carbon. With briquettes, the charred sawdust is mixed with wood fiber, starches, minerals, and other ingredients and then compressed.
Does it matter which kind you use? To find out, we tested five of the most popular charcoal brands according to IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm. Dr. Laura Hasburgh and Dr. Kara Yedinak at the
