Disaster with lump

[Guest]

I have always used briquettes in my Weber kettle and WSM. The taste of the food has always been just fine whether I've had all briquettes alight or using the Minion method - never had any odd taste that I could attribute to the fuel.
Recently I bought a bag of lump redgum charcoal that I thought might be good for both grilling and bbq.
On two occasions, I lit a full chimney of the lump and put the glowing coals in the kettle with all vents open. Within a short time with the lid on, the coals had all but gone out and were useless for grilling the chops and sausages I had planned. (Time constraints caused me to [shudder] fall back to the gas option)
My third try with lump was using the WSM for grilling steak as per Chris's technique; it was successful.
But the real point of this post is this: if the lump won't stay alight in a kettle with vents open, it probably won't stay alight in the WSM. I'm glad I didn't experiment with ribs or butt, etc. Have I missed an important step in using lump? Or is Aussie redgum lump just plain unsuitable? Any advice would be appreciated.
In the meantime, I'm reverting to briquettes for both the WSM and the kettle - it's half the price & I know that once its lit, it stays lit!
/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif
Jock

 

[Ken Nelson]

Hello, Jock,

I’m not familiar with the type of lump you’re using but it sounds to me like you got a bag that was of low quality to begin with or had been mishandled at some point. Just like briquettes, the quality of lump can vary from species to species and maker to maker.

I’ve used lump exclusively in all my smokers for several years now and the difference between brands is sometimes astounding. I now get my lump directly from a manufacturer and am completely satisfied with it. During my last cook, my WSM hummed along all night on just one full load of lump lit 'a la Minion.'

I guess my advice would be to shop around and experiment with different brands of lump until you find one that you the results you're expecting. After all, learning what works best is part of the fun.

Good luck,

Ken

 

[Jim Minion]

Jock
I use lump for grilling but I get it going and start cooking right away. I don't know anything about redgum lump, not something I've ever come across in the States.
Moisture can be a problem with lump or any charcoal as far as that goes, it will cause it to not burn like advertized.
Jim

 

[Guest]

It might have absorbed moisture too. Make sure you keep your lump away from damp areas. It will suck up the moisture like a filter or a sponge.