Have Your Fill of Charcoal Grills

Nothing beats a great Saturday afternoon lazing in your backyard with a nice, cold pitcher of iced tea, the pool gleaming in the friendly sun, and of course, the grill simmering away on your favorite barbecue. Yep, you can almost see the burgers and hotdogs getting those delicious stripes, the kebabs getting all juicy and tender, the corn cobs and bacon and just about everything else cooking on your handy-dandy charcoal grill.

But there's one little setback in this almost perfect picture: you don't know a thing about charcoal grills. Before you end up barbecuing your hand instead of the steak, here's a quick guide on charcoal grills, their varieties and types, and some ideas for determining which one is the best for you.

Basically, charcoal grills are just one of many types of grills that differ depending on the fuel you use. Compared to other types, like gas-fueled grills, charcoal grills use lump wood charcoal or charcoal briquettes instead of liquid or gas fuel. The charcoal is burned to produce embers that will then radiate the heat to the food you're cooking.

Charcoal grills come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and vary depending on your cooking habits or how complicated (and expensive) you want your grill to be. Some are basically just charcoal containers with a grill pan, while others may include specialized vents or heating systems to maximize every briquette.

Here are some types of charcoal grills commonly found in most households.

• Brazier grills are plain, inexpensive, and practical. They consist simply of a charcoal pan (usually with pegs to serve as legs) with a metal grill placed on top. Compact and portable, they are the best type if you plan camping trips, but may need a bit of shelter from the elements. If you're the outgoing type, this is the best choice.

• The kettle grill is the most popular grill around, perfect for lazy weekends, and the one seen in most backyards. Along with the charcoal pan and the metal grill, this type also includes a lid, a lower chamber for catching ash and extra coal, a venting system and long metal legs. More portable versions are also available.

• Originating in the Orient, the hibachi grill consists of a metal pan and two independent metal grills, which are adjusted to control the heat. Made with cast iron, it is highly portable like the brazier grills, but can last longer.

• Cart grills are usually rectangular in design, with a hinged lid and separate grills for cooking different kinds of food. They have specialized vents and are usually mounted on a wheeled cart. These kinds of grills also have a removable ash collecting drawer for easy disposal. Large and expensive, this type of grill is ideal for big families or large backyard parties.

• Barrel grills are just that: huge grills placed on large, barrel-like containers. Not intended to be portable, air tubes are placed beside the barrel for air control, with a chimney placed on top. This type is the grill of choice for many restaurants or businesses that serve a large number of people, as it can cook large amounts of food at the same time.

The best charcoal varies for every grilling connoisseur, each with his or her own idea of the best fuel to cook the food. Usually, they follow these standards as to what charcoal lump or briquette is best: aroma, heat production, amount of carbon and quality of the briquette.