When you grill on a charcoal barbecue, you need charcoal. Charcoal burns quickly and reaches a high temperature, which makes it easy to prepare different dishes. How much charcoal you need, depends on how often and for how long you want to barbecue. Do you barbecue several evenings a week or prepare dishes that cook slowly? Choose 2 or 3 bags of charcoal, so you can be sure you have enough.