H-E-B Grand Champion Charcoal

[oldbill]

Since HEB is pretty much only in Texas I guess this question can only go to Texas Brethren but I was wondering if any of you have tried the HEB Grand Champion Briquettes? It's made from lump and has no artificial binders in it. I've used it a few times and found that it was every bit as good as the blue bag stuff for heat production, it didn't give off a foul odor or any of the weird green smoke that I've seen with regular briquettes and seemed to produce less ash than regular charcoal but I've really only used it for grilling. Has anyone tried it in a basket for a long cook? I'm curious as to how long it will burn in the minion set up or something similar.:idea:

 

[Bludawg]

I 've tried in my Mini and the UDS. It It gives a good heat but not as much as lump slightly more ash than lump but less than a regular Briquette. Flavor is neutral. IMO it is way over priced for what it is, IIRC an 6 lb bag was almost 8.00 it is sitting right next to the Lump 10 LB for 6.00. and regular HEB Blue bag is 6.98 for 18 lb I'l take Ole Blu or the Mex lump home first.

 

[oldbill]

I 've tried in my Mini and the UDS. It It gives a good heat but not as much as lump slightly more ash than lump but less than a regular Briquette. Flavor is neutral. IMO it is way over priced for what it is, IIRC an 6 lb bag was almost 8.00 it is sitting right next to the Lump 10 LB for 6.00. and regular HEB Blue bag is 6.98 for 18 lb I'l take Ole Blu or the Mex lump home first.

We might be talking about different products, I'm buying the Grand Champion at my local HEB for about $8.00 for a 16.6 lb. bag and it ran at $5.97 for memorial day weekend. They also have an 8 lb. bag for $4.97 at regular price. That seems like a good price to me! Maybe you're thinking of the Central Market mesquite lump, I tried that stuff about a year ago and I've never paid so much for so much DUST in my life!

 

[El Ropo]

Pricewise, it's cheaper than kf blue around here. The local HEBs are selling the 16.7ish lb bags for under $8.00. I consider that a pretty good deal for a decent quality briquette product. The better deal is the Academy brand (rebranded royal oak) ridge briqs in a 17.6 lb bag for $4.99. These work great.

You can get the same rebranded ridge briqs at walmart in their store brand ridge briqs for $5.99/16.7 lb bag.

 

[Bludawg]

We might be talking about different products, I'm buying the Grand Champion at my local HEB for about $8.00 for a 16.6 lb. bag and it ran at $5.97 for memorial day weekend. They also have an 8 lb. bag for $4.97 at regular price. That seems like a good price to me! Maybe you're thinking of the Central Market mesquite lump, I tried that stuff about a year ago and I've never paid so much for so much DUST in my life!

Nope I'm talking about the black bag of nuggets with the star on 'em. Ya'll need to realize this is the only Grocery store for 50 miles in any direction. Imagine having to buy Groceries on an Aeroplane using their liquor prices for a guide. We pay for your good prices. HEB around here stands for H ere it comes E verybody B end over and brace yourself. :shocked:

 

[oldbill]

Nope I'm talking about the black bag of nuggets with the star on 'em. Ya'll need to realize this is the only Grocery store for 50 miles in any direction. Imagine having to buy Groceries on an Aeroplane using their liquor prices for a guide. We pay for your good prices. HEB around here stands for H ere it comes E verybody B end over and brace yourself. :shocked:

Lol! Ah yes, the old "only game in town trick"! I was reading a post from someone the other day about brisket prices and he mentioned that a choice whole packer was running nearly SIX bucks a pound where he lives and then I remembered looking at them the day before in my local store where they run for $2.18 a pound, it makes no sense and is borderline criminal to charge so much more for something just because you can!:mmph:

 

[Tiger fan]

I tried it and was very disappointed. It was not tightly compacted, it did not last long. Made lots of ash. In the bag I bought, at least 1/4 of the briquettes badly broken. Therefore, the last quarter of the bag was mostly prieces and dust. I sent HEB an email stating my concerns and they did offer a full refund, which I will not collect as I did use the whole bag. I want to be a fan of HEB as they are a Texas icon.
FYI, tried B&B briquettes and found my new charcoal! Texas made, too!

 

[yakdung]

I use it and it works great. The price is right.

 

[jmoney7269]

FYI, tried B&B briquettes and found my new charcoal! Texas made, too!

I have tried them and they were ok. Burned up pretty quick in the vault. I'm a lump kinda guy and just have never been satisfied with any briquette. But unless they changed something recent, b&b charcoal is made in Mexico. And it sparks alot, so I have switched. I use strictly central market oak and mesquite but the dense logs of wicked good is still my favorite.
Here was the HEB grand champion briquettes. The vault had a hard time keeping 300 with a light load, no uneasant smell or flavor, but a little too charcoaly tasting to me.

I like the lump because I can choke down the smoker and run 275 or I can have it screaming @350 anytime I want. Adjustments of air on lump react better.
This is my normal starting basket on the vault.

 

[RangerJ]

I use them all the time. No foul smell and not much ash and the price is right.

Used them in my vault and my backwoods and in my drums, currently use the small bag to get the fire started but its all wood after that as I've switched to a stick burner.

 

[oldbill]

I have tried them and they were ok. Burned up pretty quick in the vault. I'm a lump kinda guy and just have never been satisfied with any briquette. But unless they changed something recent, b&b charcoal is made in Mexico. And it sparks alot, so I have switched. I use strictly central market oak and mesquite but the dense logs of wicked good is still my favorite.
Here was the HEB grand champion briquettes. The vault had a hard time keeping 300 with a light load, no uneasant smell or flavor, but a little too charcoaly tasting to me.

I like the lump because I can choke down the smoker and run 275 or I can have it screaming @350 anytime I want. Adjustments of air on lump react better.
This is my normal starting basket on the vault.

Yeah, I had a feeling that it probably wouldn't be good for longer cooks, I've always used it for grilling and I picked up a bunch of it over Memorial Day week end when they were running it at $5.97 for the 16.6 pounder! I was curious about it since it's supposedly made from lump and natural binders and I guess it's HEB's version of K Competition briquettes. I definitely agree with you about another thing as well and that is that "Wicked Good" is the best charcoal I've ever used period, weather we're talking lump or briquette. I just wish that it wasn't so expensive and more readily available around here!!!

 

[Smokey Al Gold]

I've used them and they are not bad. Lit up quick and burned pretty good. I did notice that they don't seem to be compacted enough they broke apart easily. Could have been my particular bag but it was ok overall. My go to is still the heb blue bag and heb mesquite briquettes.