Fogo Super Premium Charcoal Review — The Jealous Devil Comparison Nobody Does Honestly

The Charcoal Wars Are Stupid — But the Differences Are Real

Charcoal people are tribal. Jealous Devil loyalists will fight you in comment sections. Fogo devotees will post essays about burn times. Royal Oak defenders will insist you're overpaying for a brand name. Kingsford purists — okay, nobody actually defends Kingsford briquettes for anything beyond casual grilling, but you get the point.

I've been using Fogo Super Premium as my primary lump charcoal for four months, running it through a Kamado Joe Classic III, a Weber Kettle Premium 26", and the Oklahoma Joe's Highland offset that I reviewed separately. Before switching to Fogo, I used Jealous Devil exclusively for two years. I have specific, measurable opinions about both, and I'm going to share them without brand loyalty or affiliate bias.

Piece Size and Consistency: Fogo Wins

This is the first thing you notice opening a bag of Fogo Super Premium versus Jealous Devil. Fogo's quality control on piece size is noticeably better. I'd estimate 70-75% of a Fogo bag is usable, restaurant-grade pieces — meaning chunks that are 3-inch (7.6 cm) or larger in at least one dimension. Jealous Devil runs about 60-65% by my estimation, with more medium-sized pieces and a higher percentage of small fragments.

Both brands have minimal dust at the bottom of the bag — dramatically less than Royal Oak, B&B, or the various generic "competition lump" brands you see at hardware stores. But Fogo edges it on consistency. I've gone through roughly 12 bags of each brand over my testing period, and Fogo has fewer "bad bags" — those occasional bags where quality control slipped and you get a disproportionate amount of small pieces or soft, punky wood that crumbles when you handle it.

The large piece size matters beyond aesthetics. Bigger pieces mean longer burn times, more stable heat, and less frequent refueling. In my Kamado Joe, a full load of Fogo Super Premium gives me about 16-18 hours of cook time at 250°F (121°C) before I need to add more fuel. Jealous Devil, with its denser Quebracho wood, actually beats this — I get 18-22 hours from a full load. But Fogo is closer than most people expect.

Heat Output and Temperature Ceiling: Jealous Devil Wins

This is where the wood species difference shows up clearly. Jealous Devil's Quebracho Blanco is one of the densest woods on the planet — the name literally translates to "axe breaker." That density translates directly to higher maximum temperatures and more BTUs per pound of charcoal.

In my Kamado Joe with the vents wide open, Jealous Devil consistently reaches 750-800°F (427°C) at grate level within 15 minutes of full ignition. Fogo Super Premium, under identical conditions, reaches 680-720°F (382°C). That's still screaming hot — more than enough for searing steaks — but it's a measurable difference that matters if you're pushing for maximum heat in a kamado or kettle.

For low-and-slow work at 225-275°F (135°C), the difference is less significant. Both charcoals hold temperature beautifully once the fire is established and the vents are dialed in. Fogo is actually slightly easier to control at low temperatures because its lower density means the fire responds faster to vent adjustments. Jealous Devil's density creates more thermal inertia — which is great for stability but can make overshoots harder to correct.

Lighting Speed: Fogo Wins

Fogo Super Premium lights faster than Jealous Devil in a chimney starter. In my testing, Fogo reaches fully lit (all coals showing gray ash on the surface) in 12-14 minutes. Jealous Devil takes 15-18 minutes. This is directly related to wood density — denser wood takes longer to ignite and longer to reach full combustion. Not a huge difference, but it's real and repeatable.

In a Kamado Joe with a fire starter cube (I use Weber lighter cubes), Fogo reaches 250°F (121°C) target in about 20-25 minutes. Jealous Devil takes 25-30 minutes. Again, small difference, but if you're firing up for a quick weeknight grill session, those five minutes matter.

Ash Production: Close to Even

Jealous Devil produces slightly less ash than Fogo — roughly 3% versus 4-5% of the original volume. In practice, this difference is negligible for anything other than kamado cooking, where ash buildup can restrict lower vent airflow. On my Kamado Joe, I notice the ash problem about 2 hours sooner with Fogo than with Jealous Devil during long cooks. The solution is a quick stir of the coals to knock ash loose — 10 seconds of work — but it's an extra maintenance step.

Both brands produce dramatically less ash than Royal Oak (8-10%), B&B Competition (6-8%), or Kingsford briquettes (which are basically ash delivery devices that happen to produce some heat).

Smoke Flavor: Different, Not Better or Worse

This is subjective, and I'll be upfront about that. Fogo Super Premium, made from Central American tropical hardwoods, produces a slightly sweeter, milder smoke flavor compared to Jealous Devil's Quebracho. Neither produces aggressive or acrid smoke when properly lit — both are clean-burning charcoals that complement rather than overpower food.

For beef — especially brisket and steaks — I slightly prefer the more neutral flavor profile of Fogo. It lets the meat flavor dominate with just a subtle smokiness. For pork and poultry, I prefer Jealous Devil's slightly more assertive smoke character. These are marginal differences that most people won't notice unless they're doing blind taste tests, but they're real to my palate after hundreds of cooks on each.

Price and Value: Fogo Wins (Slightly)

As of spring 2026, Fogo Super Premium runs about $1.70-1.90 per pound in the 17.6 lbs (8 kg) bag. Jealous Devil runs about $1.80-2.10 per pound in the 20 lbs (9.1 kg) bag. Price varies by retailer and region, but Fogo is consistently $0.10-0.20 per pound cheaper.

However — and this is the math that brand loyalists never do — Jealous Devil's higher density means you use less charcoal per cook. If a full Kamado Joe load of Fogo weighs 8 pounds and lasts 17 hours, and a load of Jealous Devil weighs 8 pounds and lasts 20 hours, the cost per hour of cooking is roughly comparable despite the per-pound price difference. In my detailed tracking, the cost per long cook (12+ hours) comes out within $1-2 of each other.

Where Fogo clearly wins on value is for high-heat grilling sessions — burgers, steaks, quick cooks — where you're burning through charcoal at high airflow and the burn time advantage of Jealous Devil is less relevant. For these cooks, you want fast ignition and reliable heat, and you'll use roughly the same amount of charcoal regardless of density. Here, Fogo's lower per-pound price makes it the better value.

Which One Should You Buy?

If you primarily do low-and-slow smoking in a kamado or a charcoal smoker, and you value maximum burn time and minimal ash, buy Jealous Devil. The density advantage is real and meaningful for overnight cooks.

If you do a mix of grilling and smoking, value faster lighting and slightly better piece consistency, and want to save a few dollars per bag, buy Fogo Super Premium. It's a more versatile charcoal that does everything well without excelling in any single dimension.

If you're using an offset smoker, neither charcoal is your primary fuel — wood is. But for building your initial coal bed, I prefer Fogo's faster lighting and easier temperature control.

Both are excellent charcoals that are miles ahead of anything you'll find at a hardware store. The difference between them is smaller than the gap between either of them and the next tier down. You genuinely can't go wrong with either one.

Final Score: 7.0/10

I'm giving Fogo a 7.0, which is actually the same range I'd give Jealous Devil if I re-scored it today. They're different charcoals with different strengths, but they're comparable in overall quality. Fogo wins on consistency and lighting speed; Jealous Devil wins on burn time and max temperature. Your ideal choice depends on your primary cooker and cooking style, not on which brand has better marketing.