What does charbroil mean?
Charbroil means to cook food—most often meat such as burgers, steaks, or chicken—on a grill heated by charcoal or open gas flames, producing characteristic dark grill marks, a seared exterior, and a distinctly smoky flavor. The verb combines 'char', meaning to scorch or burn, with 'broil', meaning to cook with direct radiant heat, and it belongs chiefly to American English; British cooks typically say 'chargrill' instead. You will encounter the term most often in restaurant menus ('charbroiled burger') and food advertising, where the derived adjective 'charbroiled' is actually more common than the verb itself. The word carries connotations of casual, hearty dining: backyard barbecues, diners, and steakhouses rather than fine cuisine. Its appeal lies partly in the chemistry behind it—the browning and slight charring of the food's surface (the Maillard reaction) concentrates savory flavors, making charbroiling synonymous with robust, flame-kissed taste.
verbTo grill or broil food, especially meat, over charcoal or on a charbroiler, giving it a distinctive smoky flavor and charred surface marks.
- To cook food (especially meat) over a grill fueled by charcoal or gas flames, so that it acquires charred grill marks and a smoky flavor.
"The steak was charbroiled over mesquite coals until it developed a deep, smoky crust."
"The diner is famous for its flame-charbroiled burgers."
"She prefers to charbroil the salmon rather than bake it, so it picks up a hint of smoke."
That unmistakable crosshatch of dark grill marks on your burger isn't just for looks — it's chemistry, the Maillard reaction charring the surface as the word 'char' in 'charbroil' literally promises.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of charbroil
The word charbroil is a twentieth-century American compound formed from two older English terms: 'char', meaning to scorch or partially burn, ultimately from Old English 'cierran'/related burning vocabulary, and 'broil', which derives via Old French 'bruire/brûler' from Latin roots connected to burning heat (compare 'embroil' from the same French source). It arose as commercial grilling grew popular in American restaurants, alongside the related coinage 'chargrill'. Its sibling terms include 'broil', 'broiler', and 'charcoal' (from 'char' + 'coal').
Related word forms
How charbroil is actually used
Primarily used in American English, especially in restaurant menus and food advertising; British English tends to use 'chargrill' for the same technique. Often applied to hamburgers, steaks, and chicken. The derived adjective 'charbroiled' appears more frequently than the bare verb in everyday usage.
Easily confused with charbroil
Broiling is cooking by direct radiant heat (typically from above in an oven), whereas charbroiling specifically involves a grill over charcoal or gas flames that imparts charred marks and smoky flavor.
Charcoal is the fuel itself — a black carbon substance made from burned wood — while charbroil is the verb describing cooking food using that fuel.