Halachos of Daily Living

Can I Use Flavored Charcoal Briquettes for My Barbecue?

Rav Belsky, zt”l held
that one may not use wine soaked wood chips or charcoal briquettes that contain
wine flavors. Although the briquettes do not directly touch the food and are
burned up in the fire; nevertheless, they release an aroma which impacts the
food. Not only is it forbidden to drink non-kosher wines, but it is forbidden
to derive benefit from them as well. Although Rama (Yoreh De’ah123:1)
writes that nowadays if one is a facing a situation of loss, one may be lenient
with regard to deriving benefit from non-kosher wine, this leniency does not
permit one to use these briquettes l’chatchila,
in the first instance, since this does not involve a situation of loss. Other
flavored briquettes such as hickory and smoke do not pose a problem. They are
unlikely to contain any non-kosher ingredients, and even if they did, Shulchan
Aruch (Yoreh De’ah 108:1)
rules that although it is improper to allow a kosher food to absorb a
non-kosher aroma, it will not make the food non-kosher.