Charcoal briquettes are probably what you picture when you think about charcoal. Typically the cheaper option, they're uniform nuggets of dense, packed sawdust, and they offer an even, predictable, long-burning heat that’s great for grilling larger pieces of meat that take a long amount of time to cook through.

Because briquettes aren’t 100 percent wood (they’re packed with binders to hold their shape), they're technically the less natural option, but if you’re planning on grilling all afternoon, consider these nuggets your economical, dependable, workhorse.

Hardwood lump charcoal is your other option—and it's all about flavor. Made from irregularly-shaped pieces of real hardwood (no filler or binding agents—just trees!), it burns hotter, less evenly, and more quickly than briquettes. Hardwood lump imparts flavor on the food you’re grilling because it’s an ingredient in itself: Depending on what kind of hardwood lump you're using, be it mesquite, applewood, or pecan, your food will taste taste (and smell) different.

We use hardwood lump for quick, hot-and-fast grilling (say you're grilling