Phil Perrin
TVWBB Hall of Fame
Ok,I tried the lump last friday. Everybody loved it!! I have a little K left,but once that's gone,I'm a lump man.
Lump Convert
- Thread starter Phil Perrin
- Start date
Teddy J.
TVWBB Pro
I agree with you.
Make sure you keep the K though for minion method starting. Not as messy and easy to light on the propane side burner.
Speaking more on my love for lump, my first bag was Mally's (which I'm still on), and I was able to get ~370 consistent degrees for a high heat beer can chicken with an empty water pan and all vents wide open.
Make sure you keep the K though for minion method starting. Not as messy and easy to light on the propane side burner.
Speaking more on my love for lump, my first bag was Mally's (which I'm still on), and I was able to get ~370 consistent degrees for a high heat beer can chicken with an empty water pan and all vents wide open.
doug gillis
TVWBB Fan
I'm in the same boat here as recently have become converted into using lump and the wsm seems to do a good job handling it as was afraid it would cook too high of heat. I'll take what I can get- lump or good charcoal as unit easily performs well on either. My wsm never gives me a bad piece of butt!
Phil Perrin
TVWBB Hall of Fame
I hear you,Doug. There is a wally world 2 miles from here,but they don't sell lump. But there are three lowes within a ten mile radius,so that won't be too bad.
Bill Gillespie
TVWBB Fan
I started out using K, probably like everyone else. Then a friend of mine turned me onto lump a couple of years ago, and I was sold. Have been using it ever since. Although when I first bought my WSM in July of this year I did use K until I got comfortable with the way The WSM cooks then I switched back to lump. I like the fact that Lump burns a little cleaner (more efficent, less ash), you don't need very much wood for the smoke, and I can still maintain a low temp (225-250) when cooking ribs. I will still use K if I have no lump but IMO lump is the way to go.
Phil Perrin
TVWBB Hall of Fame
Ok,got the saturday ribs thawing in the sink,and a brand new bag of cowboy lump in the garage. Is that an ok brand? I don't remember what I've heard about this brand. It's what they had at HD.
Dave/G
TVWBB Emerald Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Phil Perrin:
Ok,got the saturday ribs thawing in the sink,and a brand new bag of cowboy lump in the garage. Is that an ok brand? I don't remember what I've heard about this brand. It's what they had at HD. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Well, let's put it this way Phil, most on this board aren't too fond of it to say the least. I've never tried it so don't have my own opinion. See what you think. Watch out for those nails
Ok,got the saturday ribs thawing in the sink,and a brand new bag of cowboy lump in the garage. Is that an ok brand? I don't remember what I've heard about this brand. It's what they had at HD. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Well, let's put it this way Phil, most on this board aren't too fond of it to say the least. I've never tried it so don't have my own opinion. See what you think. Watch out for those nails
Alan D
TVWBB Super Fan
Wow, good to see so many people coming over to the dark side, lump is the best IMO also...but there's nothing wrong with K, I use it in a pinch and used some not long ago a local school event in my Smokey Joe.
Phil, there's nothing wrong with Cowboy, although Dave's caution on the nails might be good, I haven't seen any nails though. But I have seen odd cut-offs from what appeared to be cabinet shops, but they were coal. For me, the Cowboy is my second favorite, and Whole Foods sells it...(do says the naked whiz) I was using it for about a year before I got my WSM. But recently I tried the hardwood lump from BBQ Galore (not to bore
) and like it better. I think it comes from Lazzari, but not certain...burns good and just seems like better quality lump to me.
For that matter, there's a bunch of folks who are happy using the Lazzari mesquite charcaoal, that stuff is plentiful in my area, but it sparks a lot so I prefer not to use it. I am not a big mesquite fan, other than building with it, that stuff is harder than a piece of cement though...but it looks cool!
One thing I will comment on lump is that it lights much quicker than briquettes do, in the chimney. I usually only have to leave mine going for about 10 minutes before I dump them in the WSM for minion style. I use a Stoker so that works out great.
Phil, there's nothing wrong with Cowboy, although Dave's caution on the nails might be good, I haven't seen any nails though. But I have seen odd cut-offs from what appeared to be cabinet shops, but they were coal. For me, the Cowboy is my second favorite, and Whole Foods sells it...(do says the naked whiz) I was using it for about a year before I got my WSM. But recently I tried the hardwood lump from BBQ Galore (not to bore
For that matter, there's a bunch of folks who are happy using the Lazzari mesquite charcaoal, that stuff is plentiful in my area, but it sparks a lot so I prefer not to use it. I am not a big mesquite fan, other than building with it, that stuff is harder than a piece of cement though...but it looks cool!
One thing I will comment on lump is that it lights much quicker than briquettes do, in the chimney. I usually only have to leave mine going for about 10 minutes before I dump them in the WSM for minion style. I use a Stoker so that works out great.
Dave/G
TVWBB Emerald Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Rob W:
Can lump be used for long smoking sessions or do you have to add more after a certain amount of time? (briskets, pork shoulders) Is it true that temperature control is easier to maintain with lump? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Lump can certainly be used for long sessions. Some report getting longer burns with lump than with briquettes. Whether or not you need to add fuel at some point depends, of course, on the length of the cook as nothing burns forever. As far as temp is concerned, my brief experience has been that ease of control is about the same as with briquettes. When using lump in the WSM, pack the ring tightly so as to eliminate air spaces between the pieces so each can light off the others. A couple of shakes of the charcoal ring as I load up works.
Can lump be used for long smoking sessions or do you have to add more after a certain amount of time? (briskets, pork shoulders) Is it true that temperature control is easier to maintain with lump? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Lump can certainly be used for long sessions. Some report getting longer burns with lump than with briquettes. Whether or not you need to add fuel at some point depends, of course, on the length of the cook as nothing burns forever. As far as temp is concerned, my brief experience has been that ease of control is about the same as with briquettes. When using lump in the WSM, pack the ring tightly so as to eliminate air spaces between the pieces so each can light off the others. A couple of shakes of the charcoal ring as I load up works.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Rob W:
Can lump be used for long smoking sessions or do you have to add more after a certain amount of time? (briskets, pork shoulders) Is it true that temperature control is easier to maintain with lump? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'm a lump head. Depending on how well it's packed and the quality of the lump/density of it, a full ring will yield about 16 -20 hrs of burn time. Now remeber a full ring of lump is only about 10-12 lbs once again depending on the quality/density and how well it's packed of the lump being used. Compare that to a full chimney/100 K briquetts at about 5 lbs.
Can lump be used for long smoking sessions or do you have to add more after a certain amount of time? (briskets, pork shoulders) Is it true that temperature control is easier to maintain with lump? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'm a lump head. Depending on how well it's packed and the quality of the lump/density of it, a full ring will yield about 16 -20 hrs of burn time. Now remeber a full ring of lump is only about 10-12 lbs once again depending on the quality/density and how well it's packed of the lump being used. Compare that to a full chimney/100 K briquetts at about 5 lbs.
Craig Castille
TVWBB Wizard
A common misconception about lump is that it burns hotter than charcoal.
It does, but ONLY if you let it or want it to.
What is great about lump in the wsm, is how quickly it reacts to airflow change. That is a major convenience to me.
It does, but ONLY if you let it or want it to.
What is great about lump in the wsm, is how quickly it reacts to airflow change. That is a major convenience to me.
Just another point to consider regarding burn length -
Lump leaves little ash behind, so on a long cook, the fuel isn't smothered by ash (as with briquettes). I don't have to shake or stir the coals much if at all.
On long cooks the result is a cleaner airflow and therefore steady burn.
Lump leaves little ash behind, so on a long cook, the fuel isn't smothered by ash (as with briquettes). I don't have to shake or stir the coals much if at all.
On long cooks the result is a cleaner airflow and therefore steady burn.
Lump bigot myself. AFA using briquettes for minion, dump the K once you use it up and switch to hardwood lump briquettes. Royal oak has a nice HW Lump briquette and so does Humpreys. Been using RO lately for rotie and WSM starts with good results. HW lump remains the main fuel though.
Only thing I've used K for is when I am treating my cast iron cookware.
Only thing I've used K for is when I am treating my cast iron cookware.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by r benash:
Only thing I've used K for is when I am treating my cast iron cookware. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I use it to light the coal stove up in winter.
I'm a Lump snob myself.
Only thing I've used K for is when I am treating my cast iron cookware. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I use it to light the coal stove up in winter.
I too use briq's for starting my cooks as I find it's less mess (fewer sparks) and I can CONSISTENTLY know how much I'm starting with. By this I mean that I know pretty darn well how fast my temps will come up with 12-16 briq's as opposed to the odd shapes and densities that lump can come in. I have also used a handful of briqs on the bottom of my charcoal as well to fill some of the gaps on the charcoal grate.
Make sure you find a GOOD all natural hardwood Briq though... I have some that I purchased a while ago and I really enjoy the smell they produce as well... it's ALMOST like lump.
As for filling a your charcoal ring with lump, make sure you either arrange the bottom to minimize fall thru or do one of the many mods. If you don't have too much fall thru, it's easy to keep shaking down the small bits to fill the ring and give you a better load.
Make sure you find a GOOD all natural hardwood Briq though... I have some that I purchased a while ago and I really enjoy the smell they produce as well... it's ALMOST like lump.
As for filling a your charcoal ring with lump, make sure you either arrange the bottom to minimize fall thru or do one of the many mods. If you don't have too much fall thru, it's easy to keep shaking down the small bits to fill the ring and give you a better load.
Alan D
TVWBB Super Fan
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Scooter B:
I have also used a handful of briqs on the bottom of my charcoal as well to fill some of the gaps on the charcoal grate. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That sounds useful for briquettes, I hadn't thought of that...but don't you stand a chance of those briquettes burning?
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Scooter B:
Make sure you find a GOOD all natural hardwood Briq though... I have some that I purchased a while ago and I really enjoy the smell they produce as well... it's ALMOST like lump. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
What do you mean by "ALMOST like lump"?
Isn't that like baloney being almost like skirt steak? *gd&r*
I have also used a handful of briqs on the bottom of my charcoal as well to fill some of the gaps on the charcoal grate. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That sounds useful for briquettes, I hadn't thought of that...but don't you stand a chance of those briquettes burning?
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Scooter B:
Make sure you find a GOOD all natural hardwood Briq though... I have some that I purchased a while ago and I really enjoy the smell they produce as well... it's ALMOST like lump. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
What do you mean by "ALMOST like lump"?
Isn't that like baloney being almost like skirt steak? *gd&r*
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Alan D:
That sounds useful for briquettes, I hadn't thought of that...but don't you stand a chance of those briquettes burning?
What do you mean by "ALMOST like lump"?
Isn't that like baloney being almost like skirt steak? *gd&r* </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
The Briq's will definately light up as the burn continues... and honestly I don't have a huge problem with that. Keep in mind that I'm using good quality "natural hardwood" briq's. My main goal with using them in this manner is to assure I don't have a bunch of my lump end up in the ash pile.
As for the "almost like lump"... notice I emphasized the ALMOST portion. I would say it's less like Baloney to skirt steak... and more like back ribs to side ribs... both can be good or bad and everyone has an opinion on which is better!! haha
That sounds useful for briquettes, I hadn't thought of that...but don't you stand a chance of those briquettes burning?
What do you mean by "ALMOST like lump"?
Isn't that like baloney being almost like skirt steak? *gd&r* </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
The Briq's will definately light up as the burn continues... and honestly I don't have a huge problem with that. Keep in mind that I'm using good quality "natural hardwood" briq's. My main goal with using them in this manner is to assure I don't have a bunch of my lump end up in the ash pile.
As for the "almost like lump"... notice I emphasized the ALMOST portion. I would say it's less like Baloney to skirt steak... and more like back ribs to side ribs... both can be good or bad and everyone has an opinion on which is better!! haha