The Dangers of Match Light Charcoal

On a bright summer day, there is nothing quite like a barbeque. The epicenter of almost every summer holiday, a barbeque is not only a dining experience but a social one as well. That being said, the food that is served at a barbeque has usually two things in common: That it’s delicious and that it is cooked on a grill of some kind.

With everything in life, you have choices when cooking food on a grill. The grill alone poses an interesting question: Gas or charcoal? If you choose charcoal there is one other choice that you need to make. What type of charcoal? Match-light charcoal, while it may be slightly more convenient than the normal variety, has some major downsides that far outweigh the benefits.

What is match-light Charcoal?

Match-light charcoal is a variety of charcoal that doesn’t require additional lighter fluid to ignite. In other words, you simply need to apply a match to the charcoal and the charcoal will ignite without much further work or issue, hence the name match-light.

This occurs because the lumps of charcoal have already been mixed with an activator (the substance that causes the charcoal to begin to burn) before being packaged and shipped out.
The activator that is used varies based on the manufacturer of the charcoal but typically the activator is either paraffin, a petroleum product, or another similar substance.

While at first glance, this seems like the happiest medium between a traditional charcoal grill and one of the propane variety.  However, this assessment is false. While companies will offer match-light charcoal as an upgrade to the usual briquettes sometimes even making them more expensive, this is simply a marketing tactic. There is a litany of reasons to avoid match-light charcoal.

Health Concerns

Chemicals Leach Into The Food

For many people, their health is amongst the most important things in the world. To them, their health is a driving factor in their decision-making process and for good reason. Your health is the foundation that everything else stands on. It is for that reason that it is unwise to use match-light charcoal.

As previously stated, match-light charcoal uses an activator to make the lighting process much easier. While the company may say that the chemicals that they use are safe, is it advantageous to believe them? The answer is a frank and overwhelming no.

As you cook with these briquettes, the smoke and flames that the charcoal produces contain the same chemicals that help ignite the grill. They then leach into the food that you are preparing and make their way into our systems.

The most common activator that is used, paraffin, is derived from petroleum and is used in candles and other wax-based products. While it is safe in candles, paraffin is a known carcinogen and can cause cancer. While it may seem like this is irrelevant, you only eat barbeque on rare occasions, even limited exposure can allow cancer to develop.

Over Cooking

Also, the lumps of charcoal themselves burn hotter and brighter. While on the surface this may seem like a good thing, with quicker cooking times and more fire, there is a reason why this is not a good thing. The hotter flames are much harder to control and harness. They make it very easy to overcook and char the meat on the grill.

While some may like the taste of slightly burnt meat, new studies have indicated it might not be good for your health. Recent studies have indicated that burned meat may also cause some cancers to develop much earlier. While some of these studies are in their infancy, others have been peer-reviewed and show both correlation and causation between burned meat and cancer.

Environmental Concerns

Greenhouse Gases

The environment is the world around us and as such, it is vitally important to take care of it in all instances. The atmosphere is constantly bombarded with greenhouse gases and harmful emissions. The average temperatures are beginning to rise and as a result, the seas are beginning to rise and the weather across the globe has begun to become erratic.

It is a scary time to live in and it is important to do your part to prevent any further damage to the environment. With that said, match-light charcoal is terrible for the environment.
As previously stated, what gives match-light charcoal its flammability is the activators that are within the charcoal.

These activators are the same substances that are emitted when cars drive and factories turn. Paraffin and Petroleum, the most and second most common activators respectively, are direct contributors to the erosion of the ozone layer. In other words, they are causing the earth to warm up and at the same time destroying the protective layer around the earth that prevents us from being subjected to the sun’s harmful rays.

Fire Hazard

In addition to the unavoidable implications that match-light charcoal can have on the earth’s atmosphere, it can also pose a risk to the topography and the land. The vast majority of charcoal grills are not constructed to endure high wind speeds or even slight bumps and as a result, fall over very easily.

While this in and of itself would ruin anyone’s day (their food would have fallen into the dirt), it can also have much longer-lasting and dangerous implications. When the grill falls an ember could find its way to a dry wooded area and cause a forest fire. While forest fires are often a natural phenomenon, forest fires caused by humans are not good at all. They can cause millions in damage and destroy entire ecosystems.

Match-light charcoal is much more likely to spread fire-starting embers because of the larger flames that it produces. While there are definite benefits in the realms of convenience and ease, the dangers of match-light charcoal far outweigh the positives.

What other options are there for charcoal?

While match-light charcoal undoubtedly is the wrong choice for any and every grill-master, not all charcoal should be avoided. There are much safer and natural options when you decide to have a barbeque. There are typically two main alternatives to match-light charcoal: hardwood lumps and charcoal briquettes.

Hardwood Lump Charcoal

Hardwood lump charcoal is made by burning wood when there is an absence of oxygen. This causes the outside of the wood to char and takes on the typical charcoal appearance. This form of charcoal is the purest and contains little to no chemicals.

The individual pieces can vary in size and shape but overall look like rods or teardrops. This form of charcoal is great for slow cooking because you can easily control the temperature at which the coals burn. This charcoal also emits a great fragrance. This is good when you are looking to give the food that you are cooking a smoke-like taste.

Charcoal Briquettes

Charcoal Briquettes are a less natural alternative to Hardwood Lump Charcoal. While they are constructed of flammable materials they do light instantaneously like match-light charcoal. They also don’t have many of the negatives that match-light charcoal possesses.

Their claim to fame is their long burn times. Charcoal Briquettes have been reported to be still hot after hours and hours of grilling. It is important to note that while there are synthetic versions of briquettes, it is possible to find all-natural versions of the briquettes online and at the store.

If you’d like to learn more about charcoal you can read my article What’s The Best Charcoal For Grilling.

How do you light a non-match-light bed of Charcoal:

If you have been using match-light charcoal for the duration of your grilling career it can be difficult to start a charcoal grill without the help of an activator. While you could use lighter fluid, that is almost the same as using a match-light bed of charcoal. It is a little better but there is a much better alternative.

The Chimney Starter

The chimney starter is a contraption that acts as an ignition for the rest of the grill. The starter works by containing a section of charcoal and lighting it by using newspaper. You then release the lit cubes into the bed of charcoal and you have a fire.

This method is preferred by grill enthusiasts because it doesn’t require the use of lighter fluid and thus doesn’t introduce carcinogens into the bed of charcoal. The contraption has a slide-away grate that makes it easy and safe to pour the already burning coals into the bed of unlit coals.

In conclusion

It can be determined that match-light charcoal is amongst the worst options when deciding to grill food. It is not only bad for the consumer but also for the environment. There are much better alternatives that perform on a much higher level and achieve much better results when compared to the match-light variety.

While those that are still opposed to the other options may say that the convenience of match-light charcoal is unparalleled, some contraptions can replicate the convenience and efficiency that match-light charcoal possesses. For all of those reasons and more, choose another option when deciding on the type of charcoal you need for your next barbeque. Your friends and family will thank you and your food will taste exponentially better.

As Always, Happy Grilling