How to Use a Charcoal Basket
At higher cooking temperature, when drippings from the meat hit the charcoal below, the oils, sugars, and proteins burst into smoke and flame. That heat creates new complex molecules that rise in the smoke and warm air to coat the food you’re grilling. So it’s pretty safe to say that the characteristic flavor of grilled food comes from the drippings, not the fuel. But remember, the smoky flavor comes with a price — cancer-causing chemicals such as HCAs and PAHs.