Lump Charcoal Cracks and Pops When Lit

[Shooody]

I'm curious why when I light my lump charcoal in a chimminy it cracks and spits little sparks everywhere. Any suggestions?

[Bamabuzzard]

I'm curious why when I light my lump charcoal in a chimminy it cracks and spits little sparks everywhere. Any suggestions?


What brand are you using? The brand Cowboy lump charcoal is known for this. Other brands do this as well. But not all lump charcoal does this.

[Downtown Smokeout]

Sounds like it either has moisture in it or it's just burning off the dust from pouring it in. The draft will bring it up as it lights and will rise higher-faster as it burns and gets lighter. Pretty close to pulverized coal, which is what they burn in power plants, stuff will go up like gunpowder.

[gtr]

That's just what some of it does. Not sure why. Some brands do it more so than others. Seems like the better stuff sparks less but I'm not sure that's always true.

Check out these guys - they are serious about lump: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumprankpoll.htm

I'm sure someone will chime in soon who has a better grip on that kind of info than I do.

[Shooody]

Do either of you have a favorite lump charcoal? And yes Bamabuzzard, I have use Cowboy in the past and it really sparked.

[Grafixgibbs]

I had some RO that looked like the chimney was going to launch. Apparently it was an issue with that batch.

[JD McGee]

Yep...I use Wicked Good and it pops a lot too...the trick is to use some leftover on top of the new stuff...no popping.

[KnucklHed BBQ]

I'm not exactly sure why it does it either, but I've noticed that it's typically the worst when I'm lighting it (I use a weed burner) and the high heat hits cold lump or when you're lighting it in a chimney and it's really starting to get hot. If you light it with lower heat it doesn't seem to spark as much.

My theroy on it is that there are small pockets in the lump that have volitale gasses left over from the charing process, when they heat quickly they are either expanding quickly and causing a pop or they are igniting and mini detonations are occuring.

If you light some lump and let if settle till it's not popping anymore, you can start preheating more lump at the outer edge of the fire and it won't pop as much once its heated and then fed into the fire... of course this only works in a fire box that gives you access during the cook, UDS... prolly not.

[Phubar]

Check out these guys - they are serious about lump: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumprankpoll.htm

I'm sure someone will chime in soon who has a better grip on that kind of info than I do.


15th place briqs is what I us on that chart.
Never had that pop n cracking.

*edit* I've got no experience with lump but I've been standing a couple of times next to a BGE when it got lighted...it was popping and cracking with good lump.

[OakPit]

More air = more popping, especially weed burners or stokers. ONO Kiwawe, Mesquite and Cowboy are really prolific.

[Bamabuzzard]

Do either of you have a favorite lump charcoal? And yes Bamabuzzard, I have use Cowboy in the past and it really sparked.

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumpdatabase/lumpbag77.htm

I use Full Circle Lump Charcoal. Renders very little ash even on long cooks. Good stuff.

[Smokey Al Gold]

In one of my Weber grilling cookbooks it says that lump charcoal has gas pockets that get trapped inside the charcoal and as they ignite they pop. I guess there is gasses that get trapped in them during the charcoal making process. All I know is mesquite seems to pop the worst in my experience. I try to avoid it when it get real hot and dry in the summer.

[deepsouth]

I had some RO that looked like the chimney was going to launch. Apparently it was an issue with that batch.


i understand the RO that comes out of Mexico is a bigger offender than the stuff bagged in the US.