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The Ultimate Griddle Guide: Mastering Heat with Diverse Fuel Sources

The Ultimate Griddle Guide: Mastering Heat with Diverse Fuel Sources

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Charcoal first comes to mind as a primary fuel for griddling, but what if your food requires precise temperature control or a quicker setup time?

Here are other types of fuel sources available for various cooking results:

Charcoal

  • Best for: Infusing a smoky flavor into sausages, steak, burgers, and vegetables.

Charcoal imparts that signature deep, smoky flavor that many griddle masters swear by. It burns hot for a respectable amount of time and doesn’t combust, making the right temperature easier to maintain.

There are two types of charcoal: briquettes and hardwood lumps.

Briquettes are uniform nuggets of dense, packed sawdust. To enhance burning efficiency and maintain their form during grilling, manufacturers add additives like starch, borax, and sodium nitrate into the briquettes.

Briquettes last longer than lump charcoal but don’t burn as hot or as quickly. They’re essentially the budget-friendly version of lump charcoal, which is 100% natural with no additives.

Hardwood lump charcoal, made from natural hardwoods like hickory, oak, maple, or mesquite, burns clean and offers better temperature control. They ignite quickly and can easily be adjusted for low and slow cooking or for high-heat searing.

Charcoal setup and preparation are fairly similar, regardless of the type.

Arrange the charcoal in a pile in the firebox, then light it and allow it to burn until it’s covered in a layer of white ash. Depending on the charcoal, this can take between 10 to 20 minutes.

Spread the charcoal evenly across the griddle to achieve consistent heat. If you’re planning to cook different items at varying temperatures, spread the charcoal more densely in one area for higher heat and more sparsely in another for lower heat

Gas

  • Best for: Searing steaks, fajitas, and stir-fries due to high-heat capabilities, as well as pancakes and other foods that don’t benefit from smoky flavors.

Gas-powered griddles light quickly, heat evenly, and rapidly reach high temperatures ideal for searing steaks.

Many prefer gas as a heat source because it’s clean, convenient, and easy to use, with little to no wait time.

No messy charcoal briquettes to arrange or smoldering wood to manage—just a flick of the igniter and you’re ready to cook.

It’s perfect for spontaneous gatherings, busy weeknight meals, or quick, no-fuss cookouts.

The problem with gas as a heat source is that it doesn’t give you that signature smoky flavor associated with outdoor cooking.

You can mitigate this by placing pre-smoked ingredients or pre-soaked wood chips in foil packets, but they’ll still only provide a barely-there smokey infusion.

That said, not all foods benefit from a smoky aftertaste.

Pancakes, eggs, bacon, and other breakfast dishes are best enjoyed without the overpowering influence of smoke.

The same is said for delicate seafood like fish or scallops, as smoke can take away their inherent ‘fresh’ taste.

Wood

  • Best for: Infusing food with natural, unique aromas.

Wood fuel shares many similarities with charcoal, but ultimately shines better overall.

High-quality wood offers better flavor and a longer burn time, and is generally easier and cleaner to handle.

You can customize flavors depending on the type of wood you’re using.

Mesquite, for example, adds a sweet scent to dishes, while apple imbues food with a light, refreshing zest.

Hardwood lump charcoal also adds flavor depending on the hardwood used, but it’s not as concentrated or impactful as wood.

And while both burn hot, wood offers a longer burn time without the need for frequent refueling.

Finally, wood produces ash, which is larger and easier to manage than the finer, dustier ash of charcoal.

Final Thoughts

Selecting the right type of griddle fuel is the secret to achieving restaurant-worthy results on your griddle.

To summarize, charcoal is ideal for that classic smoky flavor, but requires longer prep and a more precise heat control.

Gas is favored for speed and frequency, while wood is best for achieving a distinct, robust flavor profile that elevates dishes to new heights.

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