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Q Harley
11-12-2012, 10:29 PM
Had a conversation with a customer in my shop yesterday. The customer saw my stock pile of Kingsford and we got to talking about BBQ. He asked me why I had so much Kingsford and so little lump.
I told him that I like to use the Kingsford more for the type of BBQ that I do.
He told me that he had just got a ceramic style cooker and he was instructed to use only lump in the cooker as the chemicals in the Kingsford would permeate the ceramic, and cause the food to have an off taste later on with future cooks,
As an avid reader of this forum, I do not recall this being a problem with the many posters here who have ceramic style cookers.
Is this a problem, or was this customer misinformed?

Harry

JMSetzler
11-12-2012, 10:30 PM
The problem is the ash production choking up the air flow on a Kamado. Lump gets you away from that problem.

Pyle's BBQ
11-12-2012, 10:40 PM
I guess it depends on how you start your briquettes. If you use lighter fluid, I know that will leave a residue in the cooker that can be tasted. Since I have been using lump exclusively, I don't like the taste of meat cooked with briquettes. What JM is true also.

BillywannaQ
11-12-2012, 10:55 PM
I was told to only use lump in my BGE. Even a good quality briquette like Stubbs produces much more ash than natural lump. There kamado cookers insulate so well, that I doubt you would ever run out of lump on a long cook. Never use lighter fluid in any kamado style cooker.

f308gt4
11-13-2012, 10:07 AM
I have used briquettes in my BGE. I got the all natural ones from Trader Joe's, which have no fillers. Worked fine.

It does produce a whole lot more ash, so you have to be vigilant about cleaning out the ash after each cook (with lump, you don't need to clean out the ash after each cook). I have a high-que grill, so that helps with the ash/airflow.

Also, I don't think I would use briquettes for a low/slow cook, but for regular grilling (chicken, burgers, steak, etc), it worked fine.

I did have a harder time starting the briquettes. Normally, I use a blow torch to light up lump, and it didn't really work that well for the briquettes. What I wound up doing was using fire starters to light up the briquettes.

I still use lump, since I get a good price for it locally, but it's nice to know that there is an alternative if necessary.

captndan
11-13-2012, 11:14 AM
You can't go wrong with lump but you might go wrong with briquettes.

Panthers65
11-13-2012, 02:00 PM
Bricks will burn in a BGE just the same as lump will, but the extra ash products does make it a little harder. As long as the bottom of the egg is clean before you start, I've burned 10+ hours using KB and not had any problems keeping the fire from choking out. I use lump whenever I can, but have no problems throwing KB in the egg when I'm out of lump.

Big George's BBQ
11-13-2012, 02:08 PM
I can burn for over 20 hrs with lump in my Large egg I like the flavor of the meat better with Lump too