What does charbroiled mean?
Charbroiled describes food—most often meat—that has been cooked directly over glowing charcoal or an open flame, giving it a distinctive seared exterior, dark grill marks, and a smoky, caramelized flavor. The term combines "char," meaning to scorch or blacken, with "broil," meaning to cook with intense direct heat. It appears overwhelmingly in the context of cooking and dining, particularly on American restaurant menus, where phrases like "charbroiled burger" or "charbroiled chicken" are staples. In British English, the closely related term "chargrilled" tends to be preferred instead. Charbroiling carries warm, appetizing connotations of backyard barbecues, steakhouses, and hearty fare, distinguishing itself subtly from ordinary grilling by emphasizing both the fuel (charcoal) and the flavorful charring it produces. For anyone describing food with precision—or simply savoring the language of good eating—"charbroiled" is a vivid, useful word.
Cooked over direct heat from burning charcoal or an open flame, typically marked by a seared, slightly blackened surface and smoky flavor.
"She ordered a charbroiled salmon fillet with lemon butter."
Used almost exclusively to describe food, especially meat and poultry.
Past tense and past participle of "charbroil": to cook (food) over direct heat from charcoal or an open flame.
"The chef charbroiled the burgers to order."
Chiefly North American usage.
"Char" comes from the same Latin root as "carbon" — so every charbroiled burger carries a tiny piece of chemistry in its name.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of charbroiled
Charbroiled derives from the verb "charbroil," a compound of "char" (to scorch or partially burn) and "broil" (to cook by direct radiant heat). "Broil" traces back through Middle English to Old French "brûler" (to burn), ultimately of Germanic origin, while "char" is a variant of "chare," itself connected to "charcoal." The compound arose in twentieth-century American English as commercial charcoal grilling grew popular. Its root also connects it to "carbon," from Latin "carbo" (charcoal).
Related word forms
How charbroiled is actually used
The word is used almost exclusively of food and is especially associated with American restaurant menus and casual dining. In British English, "chargrilled" is the more common equivalent. The term connotes hearty, robust flavor rather than refinement.
Easily confused with charbroiled
"Broiled" refers to cooking by direct radiant heat in an oven's broiler, while "charbroiled" specifically implies grilling over charcoal or an open flame with the resulting charring and smoky taste.