Managing smaller pieces of lump coal


 
MichaelM

MichaelM

TVWBB Super Fan
How do you manage the smaller pieces of lump that easily, and readily fall through the bottom of the chimney?

These 1.5" - 2" and smaller pieces are totally burnable, but tend to just fall through the chimney either when pouring out of the bag or lighting, and never make it to grill.

What's your technique?
 
When using the WSM I always light the chimney in my kettle, so anything that falls through is at least contained there. My bigger problem has been the pieces that stick in the bottom of the chimney only to fall out after you've dumped it. After they are lit, the tiny ones can also fall through the gaps between your deck boards and into the dry leaves that have collected below. 😨
 
Thanks Timothy... Tried that. Once the bottom briquettes ignite they shift and all the little pieces fall through...
 
I pour chunks out of the bag (34lb bag at costco) into a disposable tinfoil pan, and then add the big chunks to the chimney, or to the charcoal grid directly. ( I use an electric wand starter, and typically use the charcoal chimney as a big measuring cup). The smaller chunks in the pan I just add to the lit pile of coals in the kettle or WSM. Learning from the experts on these forums, I have added a trimmed piece of expanded metal to the charcoal grid so it keeps smaller pieces from falling thru.
 
MichaelM said:
How do you manage the smaller pieces of lump that easily, and readily fall through the bottom of the chimney?
Click to expand...
I manage them by not putting them in the chimney to begin with. ;)

I use the 90 degree double grate method, so the little pieces often wind up being laid in as a base. But when I burn lump I usually put a layer of briquettes in the chimney, add the lump and then finish with another layer of briquettes for Spark Reduction Purposes.
 
I have had the same problem in the past as well. The lump pieces fit into the chimney but once they have lit the fall out the bottom. I have found a few large size lump pieces (bigger the my fist) in my bag next time I am going to use 1 or 2 in my chimney and all the tiny pieces to fill in the space in my smoker.
 
MichaelM said:
How do you manage the smaller pieces of lump that easily, and readily fall through the bottom of the chimney?

These 1.5" - 2" and smaller pieces are totally burnable, but tend to just fall through the chimney either when pouring out of the bag or lighting, and never make it to grill.

What's your technique?
Click to expand...
MichaelM said:
How do you manage the smaller pieces of lump that easily, and readily fall through the bottom of the chimney?

These 1.5" - 2" and smaller pieces are totally burnable, but tend to just fall through the chimney either when pouring out of the bag or lighting, and never make it to grill.

What's your technique?
Click to expand...
I rarely use lump, unless cooking steak. If you’re going to use lump, then you need to get a better grate.
 
I start with feeling the bag and rotating it to try to get a bag with fewer small pieces. Then I dump the charcoal out and use the larger pieces. I only need the larger pieces because of using it with the kbb.
 
I tip my lump out into a large plastic box that I store it that has a lid. That way I can cherry pick the size of charcoal that I want for the cook. For a steak I'll use the small stuff along with the 90 degree 2 charcoal grate set up
 
I dump my lump into a small bucket and load the big pieces first then the mediums and smalls last on top. if they still fall through I figure they were too small to be useful.
 
Press a sheet of chicken wire in the chimney, it will last a long time and you won't lose the small pieces.

For the grate, I cut expanded metal to fit the bottom so small pieces don't drop. Also used the "2 grates at 90 degrees" on the old WSM.
 
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