I prefer lump hardwood
Charcoal?
- Thread starter azmark
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I tried some lump from Trader Joes. I think it was called Cowboy or something like that. Burned up way too fast for me. I'm happy with Kingsford Mesquite briquettes in a chimney - good burn, nice flavor.
Lump for most grilling, but I do use briquettes when smoking.
- Thread starter
- #24
I tried some lump yesterday with no food to compare how it burns. It definitely doesn't last as long but it does keep the temperature up higher than briquettes.
Just from doing one test I kind of get the feeling that what you cook and what you use to cook makes a difference. For instance, I have a WSM which is uninsulated of course, so I figure that using the lump would likely not be a wise use for everyday cooking.
The WSM can not maintain temperature as easy as an insulated smoker so it expels heat a lot more. WhenI did my pork butts this weekend I had used about 3 heaping (about 18 lbs) chimney's for the cook and it lasted me almost exactly 12 hours. After reading about insulated smokers (Stumps and Backwoods Smokers) their capacity is about ~8lbs (smaller size model) of fuel but I read they last about 10-12 hours.
But what was nice about using the lump was that I was able to get the temperature to 475 degrees! I could not do that when I did my first tests with briquettes in the WSM.
So am I over thinking this
Just from doing one test I kind of get the feeling that what you cook and what you use to cook makes a difference. For instance, I have a WSM which is uninsulated of course, so I figure that using the lump would likely not be a wise use for everyday cooking.
The WSM can not maintain temperature as easy as an insulated smoker so it expels heat a lot more. WhenI did my pork butts this weekend I had used about 3 heaping (about 18 lbs) chimney's for the cook and it lasted me almost exactly 12 hours. After reading about insulated smokers (Stumps and Backwoods Smokers) their capacity is about ~8lbs (smaller size model) of fuel but I read they last about 10-12 hours.
But what was nice about using the lump was that I was able to get the temperature to 475 degrees! I could not do that when I did my first tests with briquettes in the WSM.
So am I over thinking this
i've always been a big fan of Walmarts Royal Oak, its made by the same people that make the 'big green egg' brand lump, but much more affordable.
I use briquettes very rarely. Only when I use my cooker as a oven in the summer when I don't want to use the one inside. That means when the meat is not exposed to the smoke by using dutch oven or something of the kind.
When I start a pile of briquettes, it smells like burned cardboard for a good 20-30 min. When I start a pile of lump, it smells like wood is burning. I don't want the burned cardboard taste or whatever it is in my food. This is especially true with the minion method as you can't wait for the white ash to cover every briquettes when you use that method.
That being said, I only tried the cheapos briquettes, like the regular Kingfords and the royal oak in the red bag iirc. Maybe the more expensive type, like competition briquettes don't have that burning cardboard taste, but I probably will never know.
When I start a pile of briquettes, it smells like burned cardboard for a good 20-30 min. When I start a pile of lump, it smells like wood is burning. I don't want the burned cardboard taste or whatever it is in my food. This is especially true with the minion method as you can't wait for the white ash to cover every briquettes when you use that method.
That being said, I only tried the cheapos briquettes, like the regular Kingfords and the royal oak in the red bag iirc. Maybe the more expensive type, like competition briquettes don't have that burning cardboard taste, but I probably will never know.
Lump burns faster and hotter, perfect for steaks. Briquettes do last longer, probably better for chicken and chops. But since I can control the burn by controlling available air through the vents I opt for the lump when I can get it. For briquettes I prefer Kingsford and Royal Oak. Cheap briquettes have a scent I just don't like.
garyg
B&B membership has its percs
That's the same word that I got from the owner of the BGE store. The downside is having to enter Wal-mart every couple months
I'm no expert, but use lump now after years of using briquets. The lump starts faster. It is easy to add more to an existing fire.
The disadvantage is that it pops and throws sparks. If I have the lid on my Weber, it is not a problem. I just wear my smoking jacket when the lid is off.
The disadvantage is that it pops and throws sparks. If I have the lid on my Weber, it is not a problem. I just wear my smoking jacket when the lid is off.
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- #32
Does Stubbs burn as an equal weight as the blue bag? Would a chimney of Kingsford be equal to Stubbs?
Lump is made from chunks of wood with nothing added.
Briquettes are made from sawdust, cornstarch and other nasties.
Briquettes burn slower and cooler, and leave a lot of ash. They give off an odor that some find objectionable. However they are quite consistent. I know the Boy Scouts have a formula of so many briquettes to get a particular temperature inside the dutch oven.
I like lump because I find the odor does not taint the meat so I get a better end product. I control the temp with vents and a thermometer.
It is not like one is bad and one is good. One is good and the other is better. Sometimes good is good enough.
A chimney of one will not give the same performance as a chimney of the other.
Briquettes are made from sawdust, cornstarch and other nasties.
Briquettes burn slower and cooler, and leave a lot of ash. They give off an odor that some find objectionable. However they are quite consistent. I know the Boy Scouts have a formula of so many briquettes to get a particular temperature inside the dutch oven.
I like lump because I find the odor does not taint the meat so I get a better end product. I control the temp with vents and a thermometer.
It is not like one is bad and one is good. One is good and the other is better. Sometimes good is good enough.
A chimney of one will not give the same performance as a chimney of the other.
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Stubbs here too. I really don't care to use lump in the WSM. Briquettes gives a much more even burn.
simon1
Self Ignored by Vista
I usually use Royal Oak lump, but I've heard that Kroger store brand briquettes are good...they're not supposed to have the filler and other stuff that Kingsford has. I've also heard that Kroger is what some competition cooks use for this very reason.
Are sawdust and cornstarch really nasties? Doesn't bother me.
Despite the difference in smell between briquettes and lump I've never noticed a difference in taste. I don't think most people, if anyone, does.
From this website- http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumpfaq.htm#whichisbetter
"Well, this FAQ is about lump charcoal, so we aren't going to wax eloquent about briquettes. But admit it. You really want to know what is in Kingsford briquettes, don't you? Well, according to Kingsford, here is what is in their briquettes and what each ingredient is used for: wood char (heat source), mineral char (heat source), mineral carbon (heat source), limestone (uniform visual ashing), starch (binder), borax (press release), sodium nitrate (ignition aid), sawdust (ignition aid). If you hang out on any of the barbecue forums on the internet, you will find lots of folks complaining about the borax and coal and limestone. You don't often hear of people complaining about the mineral char. What is mineral char? "A soft, brownish-black coal in which the alteration of vegetable matter has proceeded further than in peat but not as far as in bituminous coal. Also called brown coal. Has empyreumatic smell." What is an empyreumatic smell? "The peculiar smell and taste arising from products of decomposition of animal or vegetable substances when burnt in close vessels." Nuff said?"
Most people use canned goo and cartridge razors, too. If that works for them, awesome. Everyone is entitled to their opinions.
I tend to look for what works best, which is often at odds with what everyone else does.
I only got my Weber kettle this summer and have only used lump, smoking roasting and grilling, I have never had a problem and the food comes out tasting great.
Cool thread! Lump works well for high-heat purposes (charred rare steak) but the size inconsistencies bug me. You might fill the lighting chimney with a bunch of pencil and briquette sized chunks and then one falls in as big as your fist. Also, as others have noted, they burn out fast and won't work for an actual barbecue where you need a few hours of indirect heat. I like the Kingsford Competition briquettes at Costco; they light fast in a chimney. I love the Kingsford Hickory briquettes as well. Kingsford products may be like "canned goo" for some but I do like their predictability - I know what temps & flavors I'm going to get and I can knock out a quick meal after work in between smooching wife & playing w/ kids.
I use lump because of all the above . . . that being said . . . so long as there is no lighting fluid or other chemical starters I would never turn down a steak or burger done on briquettes. Truthfully I can't taste the difference.
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