- It’s not a good idea to use fireplace coal for BBQing. Coal is very impure as fuel, and contains a lot of coal tar and sulfur as impurities.
- These can both be toxic and smelly, and can easily spoil your food.
- Coke is the better option to use if you’re looking for a hot fire, but it can also erode your grill or fireplace.
Difference between coal and charcoal
Coal and charcoal are both made from burning wood, but they have different compositions. Coal is made by burning the wood completely, while charcoal is made by burning the wood only partially. This means that coal contains a lot of coal tar and sulfur as impurities, while charcoal is much cleaner.
How I almost ate fireplace coal poisoned hamburgers
It was a beautiful day, and I was out in the backyard with my son, trying to teach him how to barbecue. We had some hamburgers and hot dogs, and I was showing him how to cook them over the coals. He was having a lot of fun, but I could see that he was getting a little impatient.
“Dad,” he said, “can’t we use coal instead of charcoal? It’s so much easier.”
I shook my head. “No, son, that’s not a good idea. Coal is very impure as fuel, and it contains a lot of coal tar and sulfur as impurities. They’re both toxic and smelly, and they’ll easily spoil your food.”
I could see the disappointment in his eyes, but I knew that I had to be firm with him. He would learn sooner or later that using coal as a barbecue fuel was a bad idea. Unfortunately, I think he’s going to have to learn the hard way.