Thinking about switching to lump
- Thread starter Craig C
- Start date
Mickey Murphy
TVWBB Member
Hey Craig,
I have used both. I like lump. The only problem I had with it was on an overnight, and it burned out on me. Maybe my fault, but I think it burns alot faster than kingsford. I did obtain nice smoke rings. Give it a try, I think you'll like it. Also, the ashed are better at the end, put them in with your compost, you can't do that with Kingsford.
I have used both. I like lump. The only problem I had with it was on an overnight, and it burned out on me. Maybe my fault, but I think it burns alot faster than kingsford. I did obtain nice smoke rings. Give it a try, I think you'll like it. Also, the ashed are better at the end, put them in with your compost, you can't do that with Kingsford.
Clark Deutscher
TVWBB All-Star
I only use lump now. Not saying it's better or anything, just what I buy. Keeping in mind I haven't used briquettes for a year and a half the differences I remember are a little less consistent burn time, less ash, more chance of a temp spike. I wouldn't worry about any of this though,all is easy to control and deal with.
Clark
Clark
George Curtis
TVWBB Olympian
i think the secret to using lump for long cooks is to pack it in as in put it in by hand.
Bob Correll
R.I.P. 3/31/2022
Just wondering if anyone mixes the two, and if so, how?
Lump on top, briqs on bottom, or vice versa, or all mixed together.
Results??
Or is this just me talking real crazy like?
Lump on top, briqs on bottom, or vice versa, or all mixed together.
Results??
Or is this just me talking real crazy like?
Dave/G
TVWBB Emerald Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bob Correll:
Just wondering if anyone mixes the two, and if so, how?
Lump on top, briqs on bottom, or vice versa, or all mixed together.
Results??
Or is this just me talking real crazy like?
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I've done that many times just to use up some of each that I had left so I could throw the bags away. I put the briquettes on the bottom only to prevent small pieces of lump from falling through the charcoal grate. No science involved, from me anyway. It all burned with no differences that I noticed vs just using one type.
Just wondering if anyone mixes the two, and if so, how?
Lump on top, briqs on bottom, or vice versa, or all mixed together.
Results??
Or is this just me talking real crazy like?
I've done that many times just to use up some of each that I had left so I could throw the bags away. I put the briquettes on the bottom only to prevent small pieces of lump from falling through the charcoal grate. No science involved, from me anyway. It all burned with no differences that I noticed vs just using one type.
Just pack the lump in the ring when filling it. Pour a 1/3rd ring of lump and rock the bowl to fill in the gaps. Any really large pieces that come out the bag, put them on the very bottom or the very top. I make the call on where they go depending what falls out of the bag on the first dump. Fill rock, fill rock, etc. Using a good lump, I can usually get 16 hrs out of a very full packed ring of lump. HTH
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> I can usually get 16 hrs out of a very full packed ring of lump. HTH </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Bryan - I was curious...are you getting 16 hours using a WSM 18 or 22.5?
Also, do you find if your packing the ring full that the temperature is higher/harder to control than usual?
Matt
Bryan - I was curious...are you getting 16 hours using a WSM 18 or 22.5?
Also, do you find if your packing the ring full that the temperature is higher/harder to control than usual?
Matt
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Bryan - I was curious...are you getting 16 hours using a WSM 18 or 22.5?
Also, do you find if your packing the ring full that the temperature is higher/harder to control than usual? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
MAtt, I use an Old 18" WSM.
Packing the ring makes it easier to control the temps as it eliminates large air pockets in the lump which can cause temp spikes. The down side to packing it that tight is if you're doing a high heat cook. Really reduces the air-flow through the charcoal. So if doing a HH cook, don't pack it too tight. Plus on a HH cook it's short so no need for a full packed ring anyway. I just go half full for HH cooks. HTH
Also, do you find if your packing the ring full that the temperature is higher/harder to control than usual? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
MAtt, I use an Old 18" WSM.
Packing the ring makes it easier to control the temps as it eliminates large air pockets in the lump which can cause temp spikes. The down side to packing it that tight is if you're doing a high heat cook. Really reduces the air-flow through the charcoal. So if doing a HH cook, don't pack it too tight. Plus on a HH cook it's short so no need for a full packed ring anyway. I just go half full for HH cooks. HTH
Teddy J.
TVWBB Pro
As Kevin mentioned already, I do the same on filling with lump, and then lighting via minion method with Kingsford briquettes.
Pack it tightly and u can go 16+ hours. Usually I have to crack the vents open a bit more near hour 12, but u will have enough fuel. Just recently I did a 32# butt cook for 16 hrs on lump.
Once I made the switch to lump I could actually taste the different rubs on the meat. I found using K put a certain flavor on the meat that everything tasted the same.
Pack it tightly and u can go 16+ hours. Usually I have to crack the vents open a bit more near hour 12, but u will have enough fuel. Just recently I did a 32# butt cook for 16 hrs on lump.
Once I made the switch to lump I could actually taste the different rubs on the meat. I found using K put a certain flavor on the meat that everything tasted the same.
Ralph Grunz
TVWBB Fan
I would like to ask if anyone knows if the new competition K approaches the same effect as lump... or where you see that product in the big picture of charcoal options?
I switched awhile ago...main thing I experienced is a "cleaner" flavor. I believe that K puts in its own taste, not saying it is necessarily bad, but it is there. The lump (GFS - rebranded Royal Oak, $11.99/20lbs) smells just like wood...that is it.
Also it does tend to burn hotter and shorter in my experience. My guess is that with the non-uniform sizes, there are more air gaps which allow more O2 for combustion as well as the fact that lump is less dense so a full ring is less charcoal by weight.
Also it does tend to burn hotter and shorter in my experience. My guess is that with the non-uniform sizes, there are more air gaps which allow more O2 for combustion as well as the fact that lump is less dense so a full ring is less charcoal by weight.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Don Irish:
My guess is that with the non-uniform sizes, there are more air gaps which allow more O2 for combustion as well as the fact that lump is less dense so a full ring is less charcoal by weight. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That's why we say that the "packing the lump in the ring" is the most important part if you are going low and slow. For high heat, I only put in what I need for that cook, and leave the air gaps in the lump because my WSM runs on the cold side and I welcome all the extra airflow I can get. YMMV.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mitch Josey:
As Kevin mentioned already, I do the same on filling with lump. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Kevin gets credit and he didn't even post in this thread?
My guess is that with the non-uniform sizes, there are more air gaps which allow more O2 for combustion as well as the fact that lump is less dense so a full ring is less charcoal by weight. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That's why we say that the "packing the lump in the ring" is the most important part if you are going low and slow. For high heat, I only put in what I need for that cook, and leave the air gaps in the lump because my WSM runs on the cold side and I welcome all the extra airflow I can get. YMMV.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mitch Josey:
As Kevin mentioned already, I do the same on filling with lump. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Kevin gets credit and he didn't even post in this thread?
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
Just pack the lump in the ring when filling it. Pour a 1/3rd ring of lump and rock the bowl to fill in the gaps. Any really large pieces that come out the bag, put them on the very bottom or the very top. I make the call on where they go depending what falls out of the bag on the first dump. Fill rock, fill rock, etc. Using a good lump, I can usually get 16 hrs out of a very full packed ring of lump. HTH </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Been using lump 100% for years now. Before that I was using mostly wood in a horizontal. I do what Bryan does. I do keep some briqs (hardwood briqs) handy for minion starts.
I get lazy on shorter cooks and don't always take the time to tight stack. But on long/overnighters it's important to prevent spikes sometimes due to air pockets/large spaces that can form as mentioned above.
LOTS LESS ASH! Signifcantly less. Also HW can be dried when it gets wet and used. I like the natural smoke flavor of the HW too. Lots of time I don't use smokewood at all and just leverage the flavor of the HW fuel.
To me it seems to burn hotter than briqs, but others seem to disagree.
For overnights I have gotten regular 12-16 hours on a topped out well stacked fire ring minion with the load of fuel up above the top of the ring a little. I typically will have an aluminum gasket around the mid section to make sure I am air tight.
Just pack the lump in the ring when filling it. Pour a 1/3rd ring of lump and rock the bowl to fill in the gaps. Any really large pieces that come out the bag, put them on the very bottom or the very top. I make the call on where they go depending what falls out of the bag on the first dump. Fill rock, fill rock, etc. Using a good lump, I can usually get 16 hrs out of a very full packed ring of lump. HTH </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Been using lump 100% for years now. Before that I was using mostly wood in a horizontal. I do what Bryan does. I do keep some briqs (hardwood briqs) handy for minion starts.
I get lazy on shorter cooks and don't always take the time to tight stack. But on long/overnighters it's important to prevent spikes sometimes due to air pockets/large spaces that can form as mentioned above.
LOTS LESS ASH! Signifcantly less. Also HW can be dried when it gets wet and used. I like the natural smoke flavor of the HW too. Lots of time I don't use smokewood at all and just leverage the flavor of the HW fuel.
To me it seems to burn hotter than briqs, but others seem to disagree.
For overnights I have gotten regular 12-16 hours on a topped out well stacked fire ring minion with the load of fuel up above the top of the ring a little. I typically will have an aluminum gasket around the mid section to make sure I am air tight.
GEORGE BUCHANAN
New member
Did my first longer cook with lump just last weekend--full ring ran steady 12 hours @ 250 easy, I'm sure it would've gone longer--key is packing tightly.