lump charcoal modification


 
Have you ever tried a mixed fuel cook?

I have several times. What I have found in long cooks-ave. time 18 hours-is that there will be more chunks of lump left than regular charcoal.
To me, that says the large chunks of lump burn slower.

There may be a benefit to a mix of fuels if you are doing a long cook and there is lump left to burn when the cook is finnished.

I have observed that reuse of lump seems to do better than reuse of charcoal. Reuse of charcoal seems best suited to lighting a MM cook NOT reused in the ring in a MM cook.

I do not get 'higher temps' or 'temp spikes' when using lump in a controlled cook in a wsm. If you control the oxygen-you control the temp-no matter what fuel.

All that said, I use more Kingsford than anything else. Perhaps it is perceived value. If I had one fuel and only average experience, It would be Kingsford. When I have lump on hand, I like using it in the ring with K.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Shawn W:
If you live in one of those areas where you can pick up Kingsford on the cheap there is likely no way lump can come close in the cost department.

For me Kingsford costs $0.50/lb on a good day ... Maple leaf lump (MLL) costs $1/lb ... I think they cost near the same to operate the WSM or MLL might even be a bit cheaper so I prefer the lump hands down.

I picked up a bunch of Royal Oak Plus briquettes for just under $0.30/lb this fall ... we'll see how that works out. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

My last trip to Berger Bro's the 40 lb bags of lump were $18/ea. That's $0.45 so I'm not seeing that I'm paying any (noticeable) premium for using lump over charcoal. Guy that was loading the charcoal into my car wouldn't even put them in until after he lined the 'trunk' with cardboard so I guess if I factor in the tip I gave him it was a bit more per pound.
icon_smile.gif
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bob T.:
Big difference between Kingsford and Hump Lump? Ash build up isn't that important an issue to me, the food just plain taste better! Kingsford leaves more of "it's flavor" in the food. Hump Lump leaves more of the foods flavor, smoke wood, and whatever you seasoned it with come out. Everyone I cook for that has had both noticed a difference without me saying anything. Is it worth the extra money? To me, yes, to others, maybe not. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Are you referring to BBQing or grilling? With grilling an unseasoned piece of meat, you MIGHT be able to tell the difference in taste. With BBQing, using smokewood and a good rub on the meat, there is no way you are going to tell the difference between lump and briquettes in taste unless you bough briquettes that were presoaked in lighter fluid or something.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Rich_S:
With BBQing, using smokewood and a good rub on the meat, there is no way you are going to tell the difference between lump and briquettes in taste </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Rich, YOU ARE WRONG. Big difference in taste with Lump verses Kingsford in the final product. Don't try to tell me what i can and can't taste.
icon_wink.gif
 
You can't make blanket statements about this subject. The fact is that Rich and Bryan can both be right. Both could sample two meats, Rich saying he can't taste a difference, Bryan saying he can. That's why we each have to make these choices as individuals.

Regards,
Chris
 
I know people that you can give them a taste of a complex rub and they can name 90% + of the ingredients. It is a very small group of people that have that ability but there out there.
Jim
 
I too got tired of the ash problems associated with the Kingsford of late but did not want to give up the cost difference between lump and briquettes. So...I mix them about 50:50. I really like WickedGood or B&B Expert's Choice lump for this.

The briquettes fill in the spaces between the chunks of lump which results in very long burns. Longest being 23 hours @235°on one full ring.
The ash is significantly reduced, as would be expected, and so is the Kingsford aroma.

Al

Best of both worlds.
 
<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 Rich_S:
With BBQing, using smokewood and a good rub on the meat, there is no way you are going to tell the difference between lump and briquettes in taste </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Rich, YOU ARE WRONG. Big difference in taste with Lump verses Kingsford in the final product. Don't try to tell me what i can and can't taste.
icon_wink.gif
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Answer me this - what exactly are you tasting? What flavor are you detecting in lump versus in briquettes? Are you saying that this flavor is strong enough to be detected over the flavor of the meat, the smoke, and the rub? I'm just not seeing it unless, like I said, you had briquettes that were soaked in lighter fluid or otherwise adulterated.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Rich_S:
<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 Rich_S:
With BBQing, using smokewood and a good rub on the meat, there is no way you are going to tell the difference between lump and briquettes in taste </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Rich, YOU ARE WRONG. Big difference in taste with Lump verses Kingsford in the final product. Don't try to tell me what i can and can't taste.
icon_wink.gif
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Answer me this - what exactly are you tasting? What flavor are you detecting in lump versus in briquettes? Are you saying that this flavor is strong enough to be detected over the flavor of the meat, the smoke, and the rub? I'm just not seeing it unless, like I said, you had briquettes that were soaked in lighter fluid or otherwise adulterated. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
The meat cooked over lump tatses better than when i use Kingsford. Just because you can't taste it doesn't mean everybody can't. That would be like saying red sauce is the best because i like it better than a vinegar sauce and so should you. Not everbody has the same taste buds. I like apples you like oranges, it's what makes the world go round. Bob T also mentioned that he and his wife both agree the food cooked over lump is better. I did a test and my wife and i both picked the Lump one over the Kingsford one. I cook everything over Lump and will continue to do so.
icon_wink.gif
 
I would like to add that when I do short cooks for ribs or chicken I use only lump because I prefer the aroma that it gives off when burning and also the slight flavor profile that it adds to the meat. The kingford does not add any flavor as far as I can tell but the aroma that it gives off when used alone is not pleasant.

Sometimes I even cook chicken without any additional smoke wood because the lump alone adds enough smoke flavor.

To each his own. No right way and no wrong way on this debate.

Al
 
I'm just trying to understand what this "charcoal taste" is. When you grill, most of the flavor comes from the fat dripping onto the coals and burning, creating a residue on the meat as it filters up. When you BBQ, the flavor comes from the wood smoke which contains all of the volatile oils from the wood. Charcoal is basically just carbon, so I'm not seeing how it can add any flavor, let alone different flavors depending on the type of charcoal.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Rich_S:
I'm just trying to understand what this "charcoal taste" is. When you grill, most of the flavor comes from the fat dripping onto the coals and burning, creating a residue on the meat as it filters up. When you BBQ, the flavor comes from the wood smoke which contains all of the volatile oils from the wood. Charcoal is basically just carbon, so I'm not seeing how it can add any flavor, let alone different flavors depending on the type of charcoal. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Rich, Whatever is burning is going to impart something to the mix. The charcoal is burning for 15 - 20 hours or more during the cook. No matter what kind of charcoal you are using it adds something to the finnished taste. Do a taste test. Get a butt and put your favorite rub on and cook it over Kingsford. The next day or weekend put the same rub on use the same smoke wood and amount cook it over lump and see if you can tell a difference. It's hard to do a side by side unless you have 2nd WSM.
 
I have never done a side-by-side comparision, but I moved to lump not because of taste, but because for me (and I know this topic has been beaten to death) the lump burns longer at a steady temp - no temp spikes.

Of course I used Kingsford when I first started using my WSM and switched to lump shortly after. (Inexperience could have played a role, but maybe not - haven't tried Kingsford since - except to light my MM cooks).

One thing I can say for certain - I like the smell of Wicked Good better than Kingsford as it cooks.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Rich_S:

Are you referring to BBQing or grilling? With grilling an unseasoned piece of meat, you MIGHT be able to tell the difference in taste. With BBQing, using smokewood and a good rub on the meat, there is no way you are going to tell the difference between lump and briquettes in taste unless you bough briquettes that were presoaked in lighter fluid or something. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well Rich, I use the Hump Lump for the WSM, not the Kettle. I can tell you with no doubt that I can and do taste a difference, along with most I have cooked for using the 2 different fuels. I don't use the lump for direct cooking because IMHO, charcoal burns more even for me. I found a bag of Duraflame a coulpe weeks back, and hope they get more in because I can tell a difference between Duraflame and Kingsford in the kettle. I'm not saying Kingsford is bad, burned through hundreds of pounds of it this year. Still have 150 pounds left in the garage.
So with all due respect Rich, Don't tell me what I can and can't taste. I don't use presoaked coals either. Maybe you can't taste the difference, but please don't tell the rest of us that can, that we are wrong.
icon_wink.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top