What type of fuel do you prefer?

[Eapples]

Thanks.  I went to that website.  It would be nice if he could dispense with the eastern music and all the nonessential garbage, and get right to the heart of the matter.  Still, I did manage to learn a few things.

[Bonar]

I use Kingsford in my Smokey Joe but prefer lump. I use the Big Green Egg fire starters now with the Smokey Joe, prefer it to Weber cubes or chimney starter.

[jcnaz]

Tried something different tonight. Bought a bag of Royal Oak Lump (USA) at Walmart. Used it for a large batch of wings. Had no difficulties. It is obviously mill scrap, but burned clean and smelled good.

[wyd]

Since I just started in April I used whatwas easily available and that is Kingsford blue.  I burned 100 plus pounds of it so far.  Never had a problem with it.  This week I just bought Humphrey's briquettes to try.  Its made in Pa about 3 hours from me what the heck.  I like briquettes for the consistent size and burn for me.

I have also tried Wicked Good lump charcoal and it worked great and when I shut my grill down I can relight my lump charcoal for a second burn.  Just add a little more and I'm good to go.  Burns hot and little harder to control my temps.  Just not use to it but I could figure it out.

I use my Weder chimney and light it right off my Platinum with gas assist. 

[HankB]

This thread needs some pictures!

This is what I found when I opened a bag of Cowboy lump today.



The pieces would be too big except that they can be broken down with a hatchet or hammer and chisel or screwdriver.

[Thin Blue Smoke]

Maybe I'm an idiot but I like kingsford blue. I think lump is a pain. I could be convinced to use other briquettes but I am not about to go on a search and destroy mission to locate some I like and can reliably get at a good price.

I'll stick with my KBB for now.

[HankB]

Maybe I'm an idiot but I like kingsford blue. I think lump is a pain. I could be convinced to use other briquettes but I am not about to go on a search and destroy mission to locate some I like and can reliably get at a good price.

I'll stick with my KBB for now.

I've moved beyond obsessing about cooker temperature. I didn't even fire up my electronic remote reading thermos for either of my cooks today.

I'm now obsessing about fuel. 

Seriously... There are differences between various fuels. During my first cook on my 14 WSM the ash from the Royal Oak briquettes smothered the fire. Tonight I'm using Cowboy lump and the fire has been steady for over four hours. But in a way this is an extreme case. For most of my cooks and on other smokers it probably matters little what charcoal I use. I've used plenty of KBB and never felt that anything else would have been significantly better.

[Johnpv]

I've used plenty of KBB and never felt that anything else would have been significantly better.

Let me preface this by saying I'm not saying anything to you Hank (or anyone else here for that matter), specially since that paragraph talks about trying other stuff.  I just hate this attitude in general with regards to anything.  I run into so many people who say Product Y is the best, and you ask them what other brands or versions they've used and you find out they've only ever used that.  I just don't get how anyone can say this is the best with out having used or tried or experimented with at least a few others. 

 

[dazzo]

For me, I'll be sticking with the KBB for a few reasons.

I've been successful with it, and it's easy and cheap enough (for me) to get when it's on sale - especially when you can get a $6.88/40# price match     

I tried the Cowboy lump when it was recently on sale for a couple bucks a bag. I really like how it handled, but, my wife is sensitive to the smoke and picked up on the change in fuel when I did a whole chicken.

Although, the guys at work liked it when I grilled some chicken breasts and hamburgers, so I'll still be able to use it   

But I also have a couple bags of K-Comp that came w/ a red kettle that I still need to play with.

(I was going to say that I have a couple bags of K-Comp that came w/ a redhead that I still need to play with. But I knew that would be taken the wrong way with this crowd.)