Charcoal


 
The more I cook, the more particular I become and the more heightened my senses get.

I think I'm almost becoming a snob.

Do I use Kingsford? Sometimes, but I prefer not to.
 
As a "just starting out" guy like Chris mentions, what are the best sources of inexpensive bulk Kingsford? Costco here (CA) quit carrying it, so to satisfy my burning desire to fire up my new toy I paid $5 per 9 lb. bag at a hardware store. There's got to be a better way- Home Depot maybe? There's no Sam's Club nearby.
 
I'm a big fan of Wicked Good charcoal. I've began experimenting with their briquettes, and I think I may start using it instead of their lump. It's much easier to pack the WSM's ring full of charcoal when using the briquettes.
 
I haven't burned lump yet mostly because there isn't much of it where I live. I see Ace Hardware has Cowboy, but I haven't heard a lot of good things about it.

I've burned K for four years now and I do smell something that is a bit off when I first light it, but I've never tasted any off tastes that I would attribute to the K. I'm not a big fan of all of the ash it produces, but I can live with that because of the long burn time.

I decided to try Royal Oak briquettes because of the supposed lower ash level than K. That stuff smells really nasty upon start up and it took considerably longer for it to light. The cook went fine, but the ash production looked to be about the same as K.

I've got to say, I love the big K.
 
ive tried lump mainly the royal oak brand but after nearly ruinging a kettle with it due to some half burnt piece of plastic and several times finding what appeared to be remnants of some sort of fibrous filter material i went back to kingsford.

ive never had a problem with kingsford it lights even gives good results and i have never smelled any hint of petroleum with it. petroleum usually smells come from lighter fluid or quick light types of charcoal like match lite.

i just find lump to be too much of a hassle to sort through it and clean up after it and most of it falls through thte grates when loading the chimney or wsm. i cannot tell the difference between lump or kingsford in the end result so i decided to cut the hassle and mess and risk of using lump and went back to kingsford.
 
Irwin,

Home Depot in my area sells K in a two pack for around $13, I believe they are 21 lb bags. During the summer they had the same two pack on sale for $9.99. Call me crazy, but I kinda like the way K smells when its lighting up. Never had any off taste though.

I use K only because lack of other options in my area and that's what i grew up with. I haven't tried ordering anything online thinking the freight would be to high for it to make sense. I haven't verifed this though. I may have to check out BBQ Galore for the Lazarri Hardwood Lump.
 
Originally posted by Tony Catencamp:
I haven't burned lump yet mostly because there isn't much of it where I live. I see Ace Hardware has Cowboy, but I haven't heard a lot of good things about it.
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Speaking for myself, I'd take Cowboy over briquettes, but that's me.
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Cowboy ain't too bad, IMO, and other than some odd looking pieces that seem to come from cabinet shop cut-offs, and other small twigs and other small cruft in the bag, it's not bad. Whole Foods gets their hardwood lump from Cowboy.

What kinda bad things have you heard about it?
 
Hey guys,I've only used K in my bullet since I got it in April. I'm doing a garlic studded pork loin friday,AND,I remembered that I have some lump in the garage that I got at work from a truck driver picking up a load at our warehouse. I think I have enough left to do the loin. I'll let you know what I think.
 
The hatred comes from the fact the old formula was great. Burned a little slower and cooler. I still have a bag left that I can't bring myself to opening. I'll wait for a special occasion maybe for my 20th wedding anniversary or something.
 
For those that haven't tried lump, I'd highly recommend it. Forget everything you've heard about burning hotter, less consistency, misc mixed in items, etc - do a cook with lump and see if you notice a TASTE difference. I did and intend never to use conventional charcoal briquettes again.
 
IMHO - some folks seem to be "wired" for Kingsford. Why? Maybe it's the consistency / creatures-of-habit.....

When we go camping, my in-laws bring a big bag of K. They spread foil over the perfectly good campfire coals, put K over it, and use lighter fluid. Any time I try to talk them into cooking over what I know to be "primo" real-wood, burned-down coals, they nix the idea.

I've been using lump in my WSM since I got it (US-Made Royal Oak & Grove) - and I don't plan to use briquettes unless I run out and they're all I can get my grubby paws on!
 
Originally posted by Chris Derum:
Irwin,

Home Depot in my area sells K in a two pack for around $13, I believe they are 21 lb bags. During the summer they had the same two pack on sale for $9.99.
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Yup. They usually do this over Memorial Day, 4th July & Labor Day weekends. I like lump better, but I just can't pass up a great deal like that.

Oh, they did a loss leader $3 for 20lb. Rancher Natural Briquets. Talk about steal of a deal.
 
I haven't used K in a long long time, but it is OK.

I am a lump snob like many others. I try to acquire and use different brands as long as I know it to be of quality.

If, by some chance I was unable to get lump, I'd use K with no hesitation.
 
Originally posted by Jon Merka:
ive tried lump mainly the royal oak brand but after nearly ruinging a kettle with it due to some half burnt piece of plastic and several times finding what appeared to be remnants of some sort of fibrous filter material i went back to kingsford.
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With briquettes all ground up and squished into a briquette,, how do you know that this stuff isn't in there also but you just can't see it?
 
Switched to K for several reasons:

1) Wanted consistancy while learning on the WSM

2) Found questionable material in Cowboy

3) It's cheap when on super sale

4) Hard to find anything else

When I find a different brand of lump locally, I'll try it.
 
OK,did the "Vampire Killer POrk Loin" tonight on some lump I got a couple years ago. There was an almost "clean"smell to the smoke and the taste was fantastic!! I think we have a lump convert. Can you use it for real long cooks,like brisket and butts?
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Originally posted by Phil Perrin:
I think we have a lump convert. Can you use it for real long cooks,like brisket and butts?
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Absolutely. Pack the ring tightly eliminating space between pieces as best you can. I find shaking the ring a couple of times as I load up helps.
 
Hey Rod,I got this lump for free from work and had a bag left to try last night. I do believe I've seen Cowboy brand lump at Lowe's. Don't know anything about it,other than what I've read on this site(both pro and con). But the taste was a lot cleaner, the smoke flavor was delicate,and nowhere near as overpowering as I've done in the past!
 
Originally posted by rod culver:
Phil, where in the Charlotte area can we find lump?
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BGE lump, which is really Royal Oak, but better quality than what you get in the 10lb bags at Walmart...

Blackhawk Hardware
4225 Park Road Shopping Center
Charlotte NC US 28209
704-525-2682

D. J. Distributing of the Carolinas
349-F West Tremont Ave
Charlotte NC US 28203
704.332.8301
 
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