Charcoal Question

[Daggs]

I'm a big fan of frontier lump from lowes!

[yakdung]

I just tried HEB Grand Champion Charcoal it was half the price as the name brand stuff. I like it and will purchase it again.

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lump.htm

[Eggspert]

We have tried a lot of Charcoal. Our favorites in no particular order are Big Green Egg, Good One, and Wicked Good. Royal Oak from Walmart in the orange bag, it has to say "made in the USA" on the back. NOT made in Mexico. That works good if you need to get stuff hot! Works great for chicken, steaks, hot wings, and burgers. Much cheaper then previous brands that I mentioned.

Has anyone else noticed that charcoal prices are going through the roof? I think it is so regulated now and the increase price of shipping is getting the stuff out of control. I might have to watch that youtube video on how to make your own lump charcoal and give it a try if they keep raising the price.

Once you go lump you never go back to briquets. I can taste them a million miles away, tastes like lighter fluid and/or plastic.

Eggspert BBQ

[flyingbassman5]

I use Stubb's for the smokers and for the kettle I use lump or any kind of cheap briquette I can find. I don't ever cook long enough on the kettle to be worried about a foul taste.

Stubb's is 95% ground up hardwood and 5% Vegetable binder. I used to use Royal Oak lump in my Coleman but I honestly can't tell the difference between the Stubb's and the RO. I moved to the Stubb's because it burns more evenly than lump but I still like the lump for grilling steaks.

[Harbormaster]

If you have a Do It Best hardware store in your area, check their website. You can order Royal Oak Chef's Select Natural Briquettes in 40 lb bags and they will ship to the store for free.
I was a die hard lump guy for years but regular availability lacked, so I have switched to these briquettes almost exclusively. They smell like lump when they burn, are very consistent and work great in a WSM or in a kettle.
All natural charcoal with a vegetable starch binder.

[MisterChrister]

Take Clark's advice with a grain of salt. He just can't taste the difference from standing in clouds of smoke from TEN WSMs. Plus he drinks A LOT of whiskey. I think he used to make his own lump from the barrels it shipped to him in but now he buys it by the tanker truck full and has to buy charcoal again. Plus he can't find his retort anymore......it got lost in the Weber abyss.....

[BigTone]

Thanks for all the great advice, Looks like im just going to have to experiment with some of these to see what I like the most. Sounds like Im going to have a ton of BBQ to cook, sounds like a win-win!!!

[El Ropo]

I'd look for some decent lump charcoal if I were in your shoes. Sure Stubbs is OK, KF comp is OK, KF regular is not so OK in my book.

In a UDS. I love a mix of half briquettes of any brand and half good quality lump, mixed up real good and packed into the fire basket with 4-6 half fist sized chunks of wood buried at different depths. Toss on 12ish fully lit briqs and it's always worked great for me.

[charrederhead]

Originally Posted by Harbormaster

If you have a Do It Best hardware store in your area, check their website. You can order Royal Oak Chef's Select Natural Briquettes in 40 lb bags and they will ship to the store for free.
I was a die hard lump guy for years but regular availability lacked, so I have switched to these briquettes almost exclusively. They smell like lump when they burn, are very consistent and work great in a WSM or in a kettle.
All natural charcoal with a vegetable starch binder.

Do you know if there's much less ash than KBB?

[Harbormaster]

Originally Posted by charrederhead

Do you know if there's much less ash than KBB?

None of my cookers have ever seen KBB,so I can't offer an objective opinion.
However, the ROCS produces about as much ash as lump, so I would say it produces a LOT less ash. I never have vent clogging issues using ROCS even when doing very long cooks in my WSMs.

[J-Rod]

The only thing I can add is to let the coals "settle in". Meaning after you pour the lit coals onto the unlit coals in your coal basket, let the lit ones heat up the unlit ones so as to burn off those nasty fumes created when they light up. This simple step will not only keep a nasty flavor from ending up in your food but it'll also allow time for your pit to come to temp and start puffing out thin blue smoke which is what you want.

[sdbbq1234]

Royal Oak Chefs Blend is about the cleanest smelling, and less ash producing charcoal I have found.

You try it once, and you will know what I mean.

wallace

[chriscw81]

get yourself some good quality lump, it's light years ahead of briquettes. that being said, i do still use regular kingsford too because i buy it when its on sale around labor day. i only use lump for long cooks though. i should consider mixing lump and briquettes for long cooks though, ive never done it.

[Neonnblack]

Well, Chris i put half and half stubb briq and RO lump with a few chunks of apple. Was maybe 12 pounds total about 7-8 inches tall in a 17.5 inch diam basket. I have cooked for ~12 hours on it so far and i have maybe another 3-4 left in the basket. minimal ash on the bottom (minimal to me, anyways i dont make a big deal out of it).

[charrederhead]

Originally Posted by Harbormaster

None of my cookers have ever seen KBB,so I can't offer an objective opinion.
However, the ROCS produces about as much ash as lump, so I would say it produces a LOT less ash. I never have vent clogging issues using ROCS even when doing very long cooks in my WSMs.

Originally Posted by sdbbq1234

Royal Oak Chefs Blend is about the cleanest smelling, and less ash producing charcoal I have found.

You try it once, and you will know what I mean.

wallace

Based on ^^^ and Harbormaster's suggestion, I'm gonna give it a try. I found a hardware store about 10 miles away that will honor the web price and do the free shipping.