Whether you’re grilling up a quick meal for the family or want to tap into your culinary skills for guests, choosing the right fuel for your grill is essential. Not only does it heat up foods at certain temperatures, but it also plays a role in adding unique, smoky flavors to your dishes. If you’re on the hunt for the best option, Tractor Supply carries grilling fuel in our extensive lineup of grills and outdoor cooking accessories, allowing you to find what you need with ease.
New or Existing Grill?
Whether you already have a grill or are shopping for a new one, finding the right grilling fuel starts with compatibility. Do you own a charcoal grill that requires charcoal as a fuel source, or do you have a gas grill that runs on propane or natural gas? Other grill types, such as combination grills, use more than one fuel source to cook up burgers, hot dogs and other foods. Read through your grill manufacturer’s information to determine which fuels can safely be used with your specific grill model.
If you’re in the market for a new grill, it’s worth it to research your fuel compatibsility options, as each type can have a different effect on the food’s smokiness and flavor. Plus, fuels burn at different temperatures and rates, which means varying grilling times depending on your cravings.
Types of Outdoor Cooking and Grilling Fuel
No matter what kind of grill you have or want to own, Tractor Supply is home to a range of fuel options, so you can easily stock up and start whipping up a delicious meal. These include:
Grilling Pellets
Grilling wood pellets are designed specifically for use with smokers or pellet grills, made from compressed sawdust and wood chips. They typically go into a hopper compartment on the grill, which automates wood feeding and keeps temperatures consistent. Because pellets produce smoke when burned, you can use this fuel type to add smoky, delicious flavors to foods. Pellets are made with specific wood types, such as mesquite or cherry, to deliver customized flavor to any dish.
Charcoal
If you’re looking to grill up your next meal the classic way, charcoal grills offer the cooking power you need using charcoal. Our charcoal sources include one of two types:
Charcoal Briquettes
Charcoal briquettes come in rounded, square shapes, usually made of burnt and compressed sawdust and wood. Because each piece of charcoal is uniform in its size, shape and density, it can be easy for you to control grilling temperatures, as well as cover the bottom of the grill in its entirety for even cooking. Many grillers enjoy charcoal briquettes for their reliable, consistent burning. They also offer long-burning cooking and promote ample airflow for safe grilling.
When you want slow-cooked, smoky flavors, charcoal briquettes deliver just that. They keep temperatures consistent while cooking, and they feature other substances and additives that make lighting faster and more convenient. You can also choose different briquette flavors, such as mesquite, applewood or hickory, to deliver unmatched flavor.
Lump Charcoal
Lump charcoal comes in irregular shapes and sizes, made with natural, burnt wood materials. It’s designed to burn quicker and hotter than briquette charcoal sources. Because lump charcoal emits such a high heat, many grillers prefer this fuel for cooking meats and other foods with shorter cook times. It also offers a more natural, smoky flavor, allowing you to give your dish flavorful impact.
Gas
Gas grills use gas-powered sources to cook anything from chicken to kabobs to steak, typically featuring single temperature control to make easy work of grilling. Alongside easy temperature control, gas grills offer more convenient features, such as quick starting and easy turning off, as well as high temperature burning for simple, efficient grilling. Gas grills get their power in one of two ways – propane fuel sources or natural gas grilling fuel:
Propane
Propane fuel powers up some gas grills, coming in small, cylindrical containers called propane tanks, which easily attach to your grill and gives it power to cook up anything that comes its way. Propane-powered grills don’t produce much smoke, so foods won’t have added smoky flavors, and they leave behind minimal residue for easy cleanup. When the tanks run out of fuel, you can simply head over to our stores for convenient propane refills.
Natural Gas
Natural gas grills differ from propane-powered grills in the fuel it uses to cook foods. As their name suggests, these grills connect to your home’s natural gas line, providing similar grilling results as propane grills.
Wood Chips
While many grillers enjoy the convenience and simpler cleaning of gas or electric grills, others may want that signature flame that really ties the grilling experience together. Wood chips are a great way to add smoky flavor to meats while using gas, charcoal or pellet grills. Our selection of wood chips feature small pieces of wood, designed to burn quickly and efficiently.
Wood chips work best when used with other fuel types – meaning you don’t have to buy a wood chip-compatible grill to use this fuel source. Instead, you place the wood chips in a smoking basket or box to add heat and promote flaming and smoke.
Electricity
Do you live in an apartment complex that prohibits open-flame or gas-powered grills? Or maybe you want the convenience of grilling without the hassle of buying a whole grill setup. Regardless, electric-powered grills are an ideal alternative for those wanting fresh-grilled meals. Electric grills don’t need open flames or extra fuels, instead using electricity to power up your cookware.
Because electric grills don’t require additional fuel sources, they can be used close to homes or even indoors for wintertime grilling. Our range of electric grill options come in small, portable setups, meaning you can take your grill with you on camping trips, tailgates, family barbecues or other events.
Like gas-powered models, electric grills won’t give your food smoky flavoring because there’s no open flame and they don’t produce smoke. Because there’s no smoke, they won’t give off ash or other substances after burning, making cleanup a breeze. You can also easily control the temperature on electric grills, often featuring simple-to-use button settings.
Grilling Wood
Grillers looking for bold, flavorful smoke in their dishes can rely on grilling wood, which comes as unburnt wood chunks that you would typically see in campfire-starting wood. Grilling wood can feature log or chunk shapes and include easy-to-use sizes that conveniently fit a variety of grills. This type of fuel burns hot, meaning you must control the flame to ensure safety and a perfectly cooked dish.
Grilling wood creates a lot of smoke when burning, giving food more unique and interesting flavors. Different kinds of wood can also offer different flavors, depending on the type of food you’re making and how you want it to taste. For example, oak wood can add smoky, mild flavors, while mesquite offers a smoky, barbecue flavor.
Additionally, the type of wood you use for your grill depends on how long the food needs to cook, what you’re cooking and how much you need. Oak wood is ideal for slow-cooking foods because it burns slowly. On the other hand, mesquite burns hot and adds a unique smoky flavor, making it great for quick grilling.
Serve Up the Flavor with Grilling Fuel from Tractor Supply
Keep your grills fueled and ready to go with our selection of grilling fuels, lighter fluid and other accessories. Whether you’re looking to try a new grilling technique or want an upgrade for your existing grill setup, we have the options you need to dish out bold, exciting flavors any day or night of the week. To learn more about what we offer, visit your local Tractor Supply store today or browse online.