18.5 coal question


 
NeilH

NeilH

TVWBB Emerald Member
How many kingsford coals (roughly) should it take to smoke a 8 pound Boston butt. Assuming the temp is in the 50's.
 
I always fill my charcoal ring up to the top. I use any leftover charcoal in the next cook.

Bob
 
I'll second that notion. I always fill the ring no matter what I cook. You can always add more coals if need be. And if there are any left,you have the start of.the next cook!
 
I'm with Bob. I pretty much fill the ring. If my cook goes over ten hours or so, I might add a couple of handfuls near the halfway point. Seems like it takes about three quarters of a bag of Kingsford to do a eight to nine pound butt.

Bob Mann said:
I always fill my charcoal ring up to the top. I use any leftover charcoal in the next cook.

Bob
Click to expand...
 
I always just fill it, too. re: best coals. If you're using briquettes I'd go for something that says "natural" - something with minimal additives. But I seem to have an unusually good sense of smell and the regular Kingsford Blue just doesn't seem like a food smell to me. But Kingsford Competiton's OK, or there's a bunch of other brands that are basically just charcoal + a binder.

That being said I prefer lump. Go here: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumprankpoll.htm and just try to get something ranked decently high you can get locally. Worst case you can go to the Ace Hardware website and get Wicked Good shipped for free to your closest Ace Hardware but I'd think in NC you should be able to find some decent charcoal without a lot of effort. It's a little harder in areas that aren't traditionally BBQ areas.
 
Doug Wade said:
I always just fill it, too. re: best coals. If you're using briquettes I'd go for something that says "natural" - something with minimal additives. But I seem to have an unusually good sense of smell and the regular Kingsford Blue just doesn't seem like a food smell to me. But Kingsford Competiton's OK, or there's a bunch of other brands that are basically just charcoal + a binder.

That being said I prefer lump. Go here: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumprankpoll.htm and just try to get something ranked decently high you can get locally. Worst case you can go to the Ace Hardware website and get Wicked Good shipped for free to your closest Ace Hardware but I'd think in NC you should be able to find some decent charcoal without a lot of effort. It's a little harder in areas that aren't traditionally BBQ areas.
Click to expand...

Thanks Doug. I found the wicked good right up the road from me, I'm gonna try it.
 
NeilH said:
Thanks Doug. I found the wicked good right up the road from me, I'm gonna try it.
Click to expand...

Perfect. It's pretty neutral, maybe adds a little sweetness. It's a perfect base to add any kind of smoke wood you want to. It's dense so you can cook a long time on a charcoal ring (I've done 17 hours on my 22" WSM).

Let us know how your cook goes!
 
Doug Wade said:
Perfect. It's pretty neutral, maybe adds a little sweetness. It's a perfect base to add any kind of smoke wood you want to. It's dense so you can cook a long time on a charcoal ring (I've done 17 hours on my 22" WSM).

Let us know how your cook goes!
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17 hours is awesome. I'm gonna do a chicken or turkey this weekend then a Boston Butt on the 21st. Thanks again for the help.
 
Doug Wade said:
I always just fill it, too. re: best coals. If you're using briquettes I'd go for something that says "natural" - something with minimal additives. But I seem to have an unusually good sense of smell and the regular Kingsford Blue just doesn't seem like a food smell to me. But Kingsford Competiton's OK, or there's a bunch of other brands that are basically just charcoal + a binder.

That being said I prefer lump. Go here: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumprankpoll.htm and just try to get something ranked decently high you can get locally. Worst case you can go to the Ace Hardware website and get Wicked Good shipped for free to your closest Ace Hardware but I'd think in NC you should be able to find some decent charcoal without a lot of effort. It's a little harder in areas that aren't traditionally BBQ areas.
Click to expand...

Doug,
Just curious though as I use both lump and the briquettes in my kettles and I used Kingsford Blue on my smokes in the WSM. The Weber manual actually states lump charcoal or heat beads are not recommended. I wonder why they state that or if its a heat or ash or other associated with it. I was all set to get the deal at Ace going on it till I read that...http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?37454-WICKED-GOOD-CHARCOAL-%2822LB%29-16-99-bag!!!!-%28Must-buy-5%29-Ace-Hardware
Have you had any issues using the lump in the WSM? I never did in my kettle so it makes me curious...
 
I use lump in the WSM, mini wsm, and kettle (I am on a borax, lime, and anthracite coal restricted diet). I've not had any issues with it, experience a very clean burning fire, and I like the results.
 
Dwain Pannell said:
I use lump in the WSM, mini wsm, and kettle (I am on a borax, lime, and anthracite coal restricted diet). I've not had any issues with it, experience a very clean burning fire, and I like the results.
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Like I said I have mixed RO lump in and used it solely in my kettles and was curious on why Weber didn't recommend it for the WSM...I never had any issues with it except the occasional popping...........................They even put it in the first paragraph on the " Getting Started " section.

B) Remove the lid and center section before lighting the charcoal briquettes. Weber
recommends the use of charcoal briquettes (1) with your Weber® Smokey Mountain
Cooker™ smoker. Lump charcoal or heat beads are not recommended.
 
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I have no problems and lots of people here use lump. The Weber manual is actually kind of weird in general - as I recall it makes lots of recommendations that people here pretty much ignore (like using water in the pan!). I'm *guessing* they think the briquettes are easier for beginners to use and that more advanced people will just ignore that bit. Who knows though.
 
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