Fuels for the Fire

When it comes to grilling, a good, reliable fuel source is critical. Here are six options to consider for your next cookout. 1. Cowboy 100% Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal is made by burning wood in an oxygen-deprived chamber until all that's left is carbon-rich charcoal that burns quickly and intensely, great for searing burgers. Long used in Indonesia, slow-burning coconut charcoal forms the basis of 2. Coshell Briquets. These give off a clean, neutral smoke that allows the flavors of the food to shine through. Designed to impart gas grilling with some of the benefits of cooking with charcoal, 3. Mr. Bar-B-Q Gas Grill Ceramic Briquettes sit on the floor of the grill, where they absorb and radiate heat, increasing the ambient temperature. Juices and drippings from meats and marinades vaporize as they hit the surface of these reusable composite stones, creating aromatic smoke that seasons the food. Made from a blend of oak, hickory, and maple charcoal powders, 4. Stubb's 100% All-Natural Bar-B-Q Charcoal Briquets burn at a lower temperature than hardwood charcoal, making them ideal for slower-cooked foods like bone-in chicken. 5. Cowboy 100% Natural Mesquite Wood Chunks can be used in place of charcoal, and lend a pungent smokiness to food. 6. Green Light Fire Bag, a kiln-dried firewood that comes in a recycled livestock feed sack, serves as its own fire-starter. Open one end of the bag for airflow, light the bag on fire, and let the wood burn down to embers. Matches are included.