Lump coal?


 
T

Tyler McCallum

TVWBB Fan
Just bought my WSM its being shipped in a couple weeks!! I notice most people use briquettes as opposed to lump coal on the WSM. I use lump coal with my current offset BBQ and was wondering if anyone bothers using lump on the WSM?? Also does the minion method work with lump??

Thanks in advance
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Ditto what Jon said. Both briqs and lump will work in the WSM. And, yes, the minion method works with lump. Follow the directions for the MM, just sub lump in for briqs.

I think the reason that some people use briqs in the WSM (and the reason I use them) is that they burn more evenly than lump. That being said, there's nothing wrong with using lump in the WSM. I've used both kinds of charcoal in my WSM, and found I prefer briqs. Others swear by lump. It's just personal preference, really. If you're already comfortable with lump, then by all means use that and ignore the portion of the WSM's instruction manual that says lump charcoal is not recommened for the WSM. The general consensus here is that Weber put that there so first time uses would not get discouraged due to the inconsistencies inherent in lump charcoal as opposed to briquettes.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Chris W.:
Ditto what Jon said. Both briqs and lump will work in the WSM. And, yes, the minion method works with lump. Follow the directions for the MM, just sub lump in for briqs.

I think the reason that some people use briqs in the WSM (and the reason I use them) is that they burn more evenly than lump. That being said, there's nothing wrong with using lump in the WSM. I've used both kinds of charcoal in my WSM, and found I prefer briqs. Others swear by lump. It's just personal preference, really. If you're already comfortable with lump, then by all means use that and ignore the portion of the WSM's instruction manual that says lump charcoal is not recommened for the WSM. The general consensus here is that Weber put that there so first time uses would not get discouraged due to the inconsistencies inherent in lump charcoal as opposed to briquettes. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

i agree thats why i use briqs its the inconsistancy and lack of quality in the bagging proccess. the only lump available to me without driving large distance just for charcoal is royal oak. i have had chunks of plastic large rocks fibrous filter like material and other trash in bags of royal oak where i am. i got tired of the hassle of sorting it out to get rid of the trash i went back to briqs.

mileage may vary, others like it i find it a hassle.
 
I've got about 3/4 a bag of RO left, and I don't mind using it in my kettle. I'll fire up 1/2-3/4 a chimney, and use it for grilling steaks or burgers or what not, but I found the insonsistancy of the burn drove me away from using it in my WSM. I also noticed alot of trash in the three bags I've used, but it's less of an issue for me when I'm just using a chimney load at a time.

I think I might continue using RO for the kettle, but we'll see. The wife thinks I'm crazy for wanting to use two different kinds of charcoal for two different cookers.
 
the last bag of lump i had i used in my kettle for making burgers. i am thinking about giving a go at making my own out of the deadfall behind my house this summer. i am always fascinated by learning new techniques especially ways of doing things that are long past.
 
Thanks for all the input.... looks like I will give briqs another try.

My first smoker was a tiny offset smoker and I used briqs on my first smoke. They food was inedible due to a chemical taste. I was sure that I got the non-lighter fluid briqs. It may be the product was so close to the briqs in the small off set BBQ. The bad smell that comes off the briqs hadn't had a chance to fully combust??? The WSM smoke travels quite a bit further from the briqs to the product which may solve this problem.
 
Lump is fine in the WSM. Yes, the Minion Method works with lump. Pack it in the ring so you have good contact piece to piece
 
Tyler, how did you light your briquettes on your first smoke with the other smoker? Did you put lighter fluid on them while they were in your smoker and light them that way? I'm assuming you were using Kingsford briqs.

I've never had a problem like that using briqs, and I've cooked ribs in my Weber 18" kettle before I got my WSM, and I'm willing to bet that the room between the charcoal and the meat in that is no more than in your first smoker.

And it could be you just got a bad batch of briquettes, or the match-lights were placed in a regular bag. I'm sure it happens from time to time. As for the exact cause to the chemical taste, I can't say for sure, but my guess would be a bad/mislabeled batch of charcoal.

I want to stress, though: if you don't want to use briqs, don't. As Dave said, lump is fine in the WSM. If you would prefer to use lump, then don't let anyone here talk you out of it. I chimed in earlier just to let you know that if you start out using lump in the WSM, you might get frustrated a bit at first with the temperature control given the fact that lump burns more inconsistently than briqs. I started using lump in the WSM after one cook, and I'd wished I'd stayed with briqs until I learned how my WSM operated a little bit better, and I just wanted to warn you about that.

But, yeah, use whatever fuel source you like, and don't let anyone tell you your choice is wrong or that you should be using something else. Like alot of stuff, the choice of fuel comes down to personal preferences, and those are almost never wrong.
 
Chris, I have a weber chimney starter now but I just might have used lighter fluid the first time around....I can't remember
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I am sure that must have been the case or mislabeled briqs as you suggested (yes the were Kingsford).

Also I agree your kettle set up was probably same distance as my old setup. I am just trying to be thorough here so I don't botch my first smoke with my new rig. No one should have to see a grown man cry LOL

Thanks for the reassurance I am gonna go Kingsford for the win~!!

FOUR WEEKS TILL MY 22.5 WSM IS HERE WOOOT!!!
 
I highly doubt you'll botch your first smoke in the WSM. The wealth of info contained on this site, coupled with the smoker's extreme ease of use, makes that hard to do. My first cook was ribs, and they came out great. I'm sure yours will too. I bet you can't wait to get your smoker!

As an aside (and sorry for hijacking the thread Tyler) - Jon, how are you going to make your own charcoal? I mean, I know it's just burned wood, but every time I've burned wood it's gone down to ashes. Is there any trick to getting it to the charcoal stage? Any particular type of wood you need to use?
 
yeah i am not trying to convince anyone of anything just giving my opinion and experience with lump to date. if you dont like the briq use the lump nothing wrong with either. the only no go is lighter fluid or self starting briqs or using store bought charcoal starters in the wsm itself.

lots of folks use the starter cubes but use their chimney starters to do it. i would never start the actual coals in the wsm charcoal bowl itself.

some brands of briqs are not clearly labeled as to what they are so you have to be careful when buying briqs. i buy my kingsfords in large quantities at sam's club when they are on sale and have almost bought starter fluid briqs that were stacked on the same pallets with the regular kind.

my recomendation try both and decide they both work equally fine.
 
Chris no worries
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Well its kinda bass akwards way that I think most people start smoking. I started indirect cooking on my gas BBQ with a tin foil smoker... hard *** hell. Then I went to my offset smoker. Its was small, leaky, inefficient but significantly easier (and made way better product) than my gas set up. Now from what I read of the WSM its like fishing with dynamite!! Would make more sense if the first set up was the easy one... but that wouldn't be as much fun.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Larry D.:
What Dave G. said.

There hasn't been a briquette in my WSM in 4 years. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
What Dave G and Larry D said. Lump, Lump, Baby.
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Larry D.:
What Dave G. said.

There hasn't been a briquette in my WSM in 4 years. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
What Dave G and Larry D said. Lump, Lump, Baby.
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</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yep, +1 on Dave and Larry. I use the briquettes to start my MM.
 
I had my 22 for about 3 or 4 months and went through about 40 lbs of lump. I wont use that stuff again. Its prone to temp spikes, and it really didn't work with my bbq guru. Everytime I fired my grill up it would spike to 300 every time. Tonight is the first time I used kingsford, and the temp climbed to 260; I slightly adjusted the intake vents and it dropped to 250 on the dot (within 5 minutes). It would take much longer with lump coal. I would only use it if I had to, for instance if I owned a BGG or ceramic smoker. Just my 2 cents.
 
I have been hardcore lump since i got my first real BBQ. Seem like with all hobbies, people are divided. I am going to give briqs another shot on my WMS as it is a new rig for me.
 
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