Bag it

Hot stuff It looks like the carbonized aftermath of a big-ass bonfire, but Berger Brothers Co.’s hardwood lump charcoal is a griller’s best friend. These all-natural chunks of charred wood—unprocessed scraps from saw mills—burn hotter, faster and cleaner than your average charcoal, which can contain fillers that give your prized brats an acrid flavor. And because you buy it straight from the source (the Chicago-based, family-run Berger Brothers wholesales to national brands like Royal Oak, but also sells to the public), it doesn’t get bashed up like the stuff that gets shipped across country. Lump charcoal virgins, beware: Because this charcoal burns fast and hot, monitor your grill’s air vents to regulate the temperature and keep the coals from burning up too quickly. $8.80/20lb bag. 1176 N Cherry St between Division and Bliss Sts (312-642-4238).—Colleen Rush