Can I Use Wood In A Charcoal Grill?

In today’s market, you might find some charcoal grills under $200. But, to make the most of a charcoal grill, it’s not about using only charcoal and going over and over the same flavor again and again.

Instead, to take full advantage of your grill, we recommend cooking with wood sometimes since it enhances and gives your food a unique flavor.

Over the years, we have used only charcoal in our charcoal grill and never even thought about using anything else. We later discovered something intriguing about using wood, which was a fantastic experience. Since then, we use wood frequently in our charcoal grill.

Our purpose today is to share our experience and thoughts about using wood, no matter what type it is, on a charcoal grill. Let’s get started…

Yes, you can really use wood in a charcoal grill.

You might think that charcoal is the only fuel you can use on a charcoal grill. We assure you that you are not the only one who thinks that way.

The majority of people use charcoal as the only fuel source for their charcoal grills. Having said that, using wood is absolutely fine, and that is what we are concerned about today.

As an alternative to charcoal, you can use wood, or you can mix wood with charcoal. They both work well and we have tried them both.

Jump Into It (or Read On)

What Kind Of Wood Should I Use For My Charcoal Grill?

You might be wondering what kind of wood you should use for your charcoal grill. You can use almost any type of wood for that, whether it is firewood, cooking wood, hardwood, wood chips, or wood pellets.

Currently, firewood and cooking wood are most commonly used. Often, people simply refer to hardwood, which isn’t the case. You can try whatever you want; just make sure that you follow the proper guidelines.

Using Firewood In A Charcoal Grill

Your first step should be choosing the right wood for your charcoal grill. For the best
cooking experience, you need firewood that burns efficiently. Avoid firewood that has more than 30% moisture. Using kiln firewood is preferable because it is the driest.
You are now ready to add the selected firewood to your grill. You can remove your grill’s cooking grate by opening the lid. In order to maximize airflow, the firewood must be stacked effectively with an uncovered center.
Using the lit match, you can then ignite the wood. Using a small pile of kindling and tinder as the center of the stack will help you start the fire.
Once you see that the whole firewood has turned into coal, you are all set to add food. The red-orange color of glowing coal usually indicates that it is hot enough to cook.
In the end, you just have to check the food frequently until it is fully cooked or cooked to your liking.

Using Firewood And Charcoal Together

The same method discussed above can also be used with charcoal and firewood. However, when you plan to use both at once, you should not proceed with the firewood logs, rather use smoking chunks of wood.

Smoking chunks and charcoal together will give you wonderful seared food with a unique flavor.

Using Cooking Wood In A Charcoal Grill

The first thing you have to do is add the firewood you want to the grill. Next, it’s about using the grill’s dampers in a steady manner.
Use your lit match to ignite the wood. Now you can add your food to the grill.
To keep your grill at the needed temperature, you must continually add more cooking wood.
If you would like additional smoky flavor, reverse searing is a good option.
It is not recommended to soak cooking wood and use lighter fluid on it.

Using Cooking Wood And Charcoal Together

This is a straightforward process. Charcoal and wood chunks serve as the heat source and add unique flavor to the food. Just keep the temperature at the right level.

Using Wood Chips In A Charcoal Grill

The first step to using wood chips in a charcoal grill is to light the coal.
You can light the coal using either the existing grill method or the chimney starter method.
As soon as you have lightened it up, add the wood chips.
Utilize aluminum foil as a vessel and shape it like a bowl to prevent combusting
Then place the wood chips and close it before using them in the grill

Using Wood Pellets In A Charcoal Grill

The first step is to mix the pellets with the charcoal of your choice.
Next, light the charcoal with the chimney starter.
Once the coals are hot enough, add the pellets to the grill
Keep the vents half-open all the time
To avoid unnecessary combusting, we recommend using a pellet tube smoker

What Are The Benefits Of Using Wood In A Charcoal Grill?

Using wood on a charcoal grill has several unique and unmatched benefits. Firewood, for example, imparts a particular flavor to food by emitting smoke.

It also enhances the flavor of the food. In addition to this, you can sometimes mix wood types to create more unique flavors.

Fires can easily be started with cooking wood. In addition, since it is all-natural, no harmful fumes or smoke are released.

The wood chips also allow the startup in a very cheap and user-friendly method

Final Thoughts

This has never been about the popularity of charcoal; it has always been about learning and trying something new.

As a result, we have recommended wood as a fuel for charcoal grills since we learned about it. In a nutshell, it has no downside, only a variety of amazing benefits.

In our experience, we found that using wood in a charcoal grill was something worth trying. We encourage you to do the same.

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Annie Plummer

Like her husband, Annie loves being outside, especially when they are barbecuing with friends. Annie loves to cook and try new recipes and techniques. Her day job is as a graphic designer, but she says she loves being in the real world rather than the digital universe.