BBQ Lump coal choices!

[dragoneggs]

Okay, I have gotten a little obsessed since moving back from gas grilling to charcoal. I've read some reviews and decided to try out several for myself. Wondering what you folks are liking?

I've tried four so far (lump not briquettes) and this is my somewhat quick assessment.



First I tried Royal Oak. Not so impressed due to the small 'lumps' some being so small they fall through my chimney starter and if not then, through the grate on my grill way too early in the burn. Smoke taste is fine. Cheapest charcoal and easy to find at Home Depot at $0.84/lb.

Second, tried the B&B Premium XL Championship Blend. They aren't kidding, lumps are huge. Some too big for my modest BBQ. They light easy and burn clean with a nice smoke smell and taste. Better than Royal Oak. Expensive at $1.54/lb. Probably best for bigger offset smokers.

Third, FOGO... also large 'all Oak' lumps maybe not quite as big as the B&B XL. Smoke smell was great... best yet. Only issue was the crackling during the lighting using the chimney. Would put on quite a show at night but the sparks were not fun to be around and I cook on my wooden deck. After 5 to 10minutes it suddenly stopped popping. Even more expensive than the B&B XL coming in at $1.82/lb!

Fourth, the one I wanted to buy first but couldn't find it anywhere and sold out online except for a couple scalper sites, the B&B premium blend w/Oak. This one as medium sized lumps, no huge ones and pretty consistent although more sliver pieces than I hoped. $0.85/lb is only a penny more than the Royal Oak but smoke smell and lumps make this an easy choice between the two.

I haven't gotten to the bottom of the bags yet to see the 'crumbs' and will post an update hopefully but I am already disappointed with the Royal Oak 2/3rds of the way through. Hoping the B&B will be better.

I think I have confirmed why the B&B premium blend is so popular among professionals... at least serious YouTube BBQ folks on normal sized grills. That said the B&B XL burn a lot longer and I can recycle (burn) them two or three times if doing chicken, steaks, etc. where I'm not going for a slow smoke. So for the money... B&B as it stands now.

PS... I posted this here on TBN vs. a serious BBQ forum or making a YouTube vid because I figure I am talking to more of my kind of crowd albeit I am probably being a little too **** but oh well. :laughing:

 

[oosik]

Mark - for a moment there you had me spooked. Based upon your title. I thought you were BBQing with real coal. I now see you mean charcoal.

Anyhow - I've used real apple wood and mesquite charcoal. Like them both.

 

[dragoneggs]

Mark - for a moment there you had me spooked. Based upon your title. I thought you were BBQing with real coal. I now see you mean charcoal.

Anyhow - I've used real apple wood and mesquite charcoal. Like them both.

Sorry bout that... yeah charring your own 'sweet' wood is the best! If I can ever retire I could see it as yet another time consuming hobby! Hope you are faring well these smoky days. We are getting just about enough smoke in the air here that I don't need to use my Traeger!

 

[oosik]

The reason it- "coal" -hit a nerve so hard - a good friend in AK smoked an entire load of fresh caught silver salmon using local, native black spruce. 35# of the finest fresh caught salmon ended up tasting like your shop rag. After you wiped out the sludge on the bottom of your oil pan. His wife NEVER forgave him for that mistake.

Anyhow - as predicted - the weather has returned to normal. For a week or so the wind came out of the NE and we saw no smoke. Yesterday the winds began coming out of the SW and now it's REALLY nasty outside. I swear to God - I can see a coat of ash & smut all over the Taco Wagon. Fortunately - I didn't have the windows open and the fans on here at the house. So....for now, the air inside here is good.

After all these years of wildfires in CA - it's hard to believe that there is anything left to burn.

About five years ago I cut down the remaining six apple trees out in my orchard. It's all stacked up in a large pile out there. I have enough apple wood to smoke anything for the next hundred years.

Stay safe and be careful with your air quality. These smoky conditions can be a real bugger for folks with compromised immune systems - like me.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Thanks for this post. I have used Royal Oak for years, and needless to say, have always liked it. Haven't been able to find it here lately, so last time I bought the B&B Premium with Hickory. I noticed the large chunks, which gave me some concern, but in the long run, it burns better and gets hotter quicker than the Royal Oak. I light mine in the Weber chimney thingy, and it was not a problem.

I was having a little difficulty with the Royal Oak temperature going down slowly; not so with the B&B. Have only used it once, but looks like a good choice. I like to add my own smoking wood...Mesquite, Pecan and Black Jack Oak...to get the flavor I like.

 

[om21braz]

Yes the FOGO is quite full of spark, far more so than a grocery store brand lump I have used. I'll have to try some B&B. Another I have not tried yet, but here is some that is quite different from what I read.

Komodo Kamado CoConut Shell Charcoal - KomodoKamado

 

[dragoneggs]

Yes the FOGO is quite full of spark, far more so than a grocery store brand lump I have used. I'll have to try some B&B. Another I have not tried yet, but here is some that is quite different from what I read.

Komodo Kamado CoConut Shell Charcoal - KomodoKamado

That's interesting... I see also a coffee charcoal. Would be fun to try these as well if I come across them.

Since at least a few seem interested, I will continue posting my charcoal experiences and impressions. I haven't tried Cowboy brand yet as it didn't get great reviews but I suppose I owe it myself to personally assess. I can hear my better half now, 'how many bags of charcoal do you NEED? :laughing: And it is her birthday today... I told I would cook... yep more BBQ.

 

[3Ts]

I much prefer a wood fire, but I've only got a small smoker. 1 rack of ribs is all that I can put on it, and the firebox is small as well - to small to maintain the proper size wood fire. So, I supplement the wood with charcoal to keep the fire going. Not terribly impressed with Royal Oak and since I only use charcoal to help keep the wood burning, I use Kingsford. I've tried the walmart brand and lots of sparks and no heat.

I'm hoping for a new smoker next year, but I have to have a porch built for it first.

 

[Tinhack]

If you're a meat man, nothing on this Earth beats a choice sirloin over a Mesquite wood fire. Let it burn down a little to get some coals going. Douse or spray the fire every few minutes with a little water to make steam and smoke. A few minutes on a hot grill will give you a steak to die for. Dang! I'm hungry!

Don't need no fancy pit. Build your fire between a couple of rocks. When it's ready, throw an expanded metal grill over it. Man, now that's a cookout.

No shortage of Mesquite here. The place is half covered with it. We leave the Oak.

 

[dragoneggs]

No Mesquite around here unless you find it in a speciality store in bags and then usually pellets.

On smoke it seems there is some debate over it... I recently learned that 'clean' or clearish blue is better than white billowing smoke for cooking.