Abstract: A portable charbroiler (20) is shown that includes a bottom member (24) and sidewalls (26,26 and 28,28) of thermally insulating ceramic material that form an enclosure. Air inlet slots (30) are located along the bottom edges of the sidewalls, and an outlet port is provided at the upper end of the sidewalls. A grate (52) divides the enclosure into upper and lower chambers (54U and 54L), respectively. Lump carbonaceous fuel (58) is stacked on the grate (52), which stack of fuel is supported at all sides by the enclosure sidewalls (26,26 and 28,28). During combustion, feedback of heat to the fuel from the insulating enclosure bottom member and sidewalls provides for rapid high temperature combustion of the fuel in the 1800.degree. F. to 2200.degree. F. range and substantially smokeless combustion of CO gas and fat vapor. At such high temperatures, a large amount of radiant energy is emitted (FIG. 6 ) for rapid charbroiling of food (38) on grille (36) at the enclosure outlet.