No offense to ye olde K guys, but...
 

I didn't want to hijack Bill's thread about the smoked burgers and last bag of Old Kingsford, so I'll ask here.

Having suffered through miserable times not knowing how to properly grill with briquettes and going through a gasser phase, I went with what is IMO the easiest charcoal grill around a few years ago. Since I bought my Egg back in Ought Four, I've only used natural lump. Less mess, easy burn, easy light.

Why do a lot of you use briquets instead of lump? I'm not being fecitious, I'm asking an honest question. :confused: Last year I bought a couple of bags of K to use in a new Weber Kettle that I bought for our gun range, and it just didn't work out for me. Luckily a bonafide caterer stepped in and took over, so we had good burgers & dogs.

It just seems that things are easier and cleaner with lump.

Thanks in advance for the replies. :smile:

For me the answer is simple... the only lump I can find around here is Cowboy, which sucks. If I could find a good quality lump I'd buy it everytime.

Same as Ron. I can not get anything other than briquettes locally.

I just bought a 10lb bag of Kingsford natural lump at Target yesterday. It was the first time I'd seen it. Wally World usually carries Royal Oak lump in my area. I usually go with it, since I can buy three 10-lb bags of RO for every 1 bag of BGE lump (made by RO). Maybe WalMart in youse guys areas carries it, or could get it if you asked?

Our local Wal*Mart had it once, but when I went back for more they didn't even have a spot on the shelf for it. I talked to the Garden Center guy and he said that they won't be carrying it because no one bought it. We said that he would order it if I would take the whole pallet. I don't have anyplace to put a whole pallet!

I'm just like Ron can't find any good stuff around here. But I have had good luck with kingsford I get about a 20hr burn with about 15lbs and some sticks of wood. That is with my big smoker it has 23 foot of cooking space.

I use lump about 90% of the time but I am able to get awesome lump at a store here in KC. The chunks are huge and burn a long time. I have heard people say that the disadvantage to using lump is that it's obviously a natural product and due to that sometimes may burn inconsistently or hotter than briquets causing temp spikes or whatever. I also know people who say that unlit briquets may cause a bitter or off taste in meat due to chemical binders in the coals. Personally I have not had an off taste in my meat from Kinsford and I will say that lump is much more expensive in my opinion but to each his own. I use both.

Local lump supply (that I know of) is only Cowboy :eek:

I use Kingsford and it is the only thing I have used in my WSM. Cowboy is also the only other thing here at Lowes and i refuse based on other comments. I happen to like it but maybe because it is the only thing I have ever used!

Cowboys about the only thing I can easily find in St. Louis. And I can get 5 times as much K at Sams for about double the price.

I once got a completely charred coke can out of a Cowboy bag when I was trying it. And a half burned piece of pre-finished flooring. That worried me.

And plywood scraps. I tried the Cowboy, didn't like it. I burn mostly sticks anyway. Just my preference.

YUP--I bought a 20# bag of Cowboy when I first got to smokin' several years ago.
Seemed like the thing to do.
Pure crap.

I gave the remaining 5 lbs or so to the buyer of my Dera to start fires with.
All it is good for.

All the supply problems for quality charcoal around here and the labor and logistical challenges with sticks/chunks led to my FEC and Gas Grill :oops:

TIM

Ron L have you tried Gordon Food Service. I believe they have a store in Aurora. I buy RO lump and Kingsford there all the time. Open to the public.. Gordonfoodservice.com and use the store locator feature

We have a bunch of different types of lump available here and I have tried several of them but IMO it burns too hot and too fast. I always go back to my Royal Oak briquettes. I can count on a consistant fire every time unless I screw it up myself.

I have found some good stuff here locally by going to a BBQ supply shop The Outdoor Cooker. May sound weird but a lot of the local fireplace and and Hottub supply outlets are now carrying BBQ and Smokers, some of them are stocking Lump as well, might give it a shot or make some calls and ask. Just an idea.