Charcoal Comparison Tests for BBQ and Grilling

Charcoal Comparison Test's

The Equipment:

Flame Boss 200 Pit Controller (now a 500)
Gateway Drum BBQ
ProQ Chimney Starter
ETi Therma Q Blue

Flameboss200 ThermaQ ProQ Chimney UDS drum smoker

The Test:

Fill the ProQ chimney starter with carcoal
Light the chimney with wood wool and left until fully lit (10m ish)
Flame Boss set to 230F (a common temperature for low n'slow)
Pour the lit charcoal into the drum basket
Put basket into the UDS, and let the Flame Boss do its job.
Observe the results

The key Information is the Temperature graph, which shows how evenly the charcoal is burning, and the Fan speed, which shows how hard the controller is working to maintain the temperature. Sometimes we will note anything out of the ordinary.

Disclaimer: This is a bit of fun, and helps people see that there is a difference between different charcoals. We don't make a value judgement because that is unfair to artisan small batch producers, and those that are environmentally friendly (e.g., sustainable, CO2 neutral)

For the purposes of comparison, I am grouping the charcoal into three groups.

Lumpwood, Briquettes, and composite (everything else)

Click the charcoal name to see its results, or click one of the 3 group links to see the overall comparison.

Lumpwood

Briquettes

Composite

BBQ charcoal

91%

(312)

(23)

(2)

(3)

309

Amazing ribs and such a good price as well.

Amazing quality products and fast service. It turned up as frozen as it left so I really can't complain.

Great Rub 10/10

If you’ve spent any time watching BBQ videos on YouTube, you’ve likely seen Malcom Reed work his magic with this rub. After using it on everything from spare ribs to spatchcock chicken, I can safely say the hype is real. It’s a "competition-style" rub that manages to be accessible enough for a Tuesday night dinner.

Flavor Profile

The standout feature of this rub is its perfect balance. It leads with a sweet, molasses-like depth from the brown sugar, followed quickly by a savory punch of garlic, onion, and a hint of orange peel that adds a subtle brightness. There is a "kiss" of heat at the very end from the chili pepper, but it’s definitely not a "hot" rub—it’s just enough to keep the sweetness from being cloying.

Performance & Appearance

This is where Killer Hogs truly wins. If you want that deep mahogany, "candy-coated" look on your ribs or pork butt, this is the bottle to grab. The sugar and paprika blend caramelizes beautifully, creating a professional-grade bark that looks like it came off a trophy-winning smoker.

Versatility

While it’s marketed heavily for pork and poultry, it’s surprisingly versatile:

- Pork: It’s a 10/10 for ribs and pulled pork.

- Chicken: Gives thighs and wings a great color and savory-sweet skin.

- Sides: I’ve actually started shaking a little on my baked beans and even over roasted sweet potatoes—it adds a nice "BBQ soul" to just about anything.

The Verdict

The only potential downside is for those who prefer a very salt-forward, Texas-style profile (lots of black pepper and salt). This is a sweeter, more "Memphis-style" blend. However, for a general-purpose rub that guarantees your meat will look and taste like you know exactly what you’re doing, you can’t beat it.

Pros:

- Incredible mahogany color/bark.

- Balanced sweet-to-heat ratio.

- Low enough salt content that you can apply it generously without over-salting.

Cons:

- Contains MSG (a pro for flavor, but a con for some dietary preferences).

- Might be too sweet for those who only like savory/peppery rubs.

Final Thought: If you want to turn out BBQ that looks like a professional pitmaster made it, this should be a staple in your pantry.