Just Asking -- Different Charcoal Brands, Types, And So On

[Eapples]

Hello:

Thank you one and all for your helpful advice, suggestions and encouragement as I continue my foray into charcoal grilling and barbecuing.

I live in the southeast.  The predominant brand of charcoal here is Kingsford, and the predominant type is the briquette.  As for lump charcoal, the predominant brand is Cowboy,

I've been reading different websites about different brands and types of charcoal.  As a practical matter, for someone who is just getting back into charcoal cooking, does it really make a difference what brand of charcoal I use, or what type of charcoal I use?  Most of you seem to have decades of experience grilling and barbecuing; so, you have a baseline against which to make a comparison.  For someone like me, with no baseline for comparison, except for cooking on my Weber Genesis 1000, should I even care?

I'm figuring that if I start out with Kingsford, which I am, and I adjust what I'm doing based on the charcoal I'm using, should I pay any attention to what others are saying about the differences among the different brands and types of charcoal?  For example, I've been running dry runs with Kingsford blue, and I'm doing what I'm doing based on my experience with these dry runs.  I've only done ribs and a brisket on my kettle, and both were ok but a little on the dry side, and both were done with Kingsford blue.

I already figured out what I did wrong with the ribs and the brisket; and I'm anxious to try again.  I appreciate your input.  Thanks again.

[Duke]

To me K-Blue is good stuff when bought at the sale prices. I find it difficult to pay full price for it, but having said that I also think it's very good. What I don't like is the high ash content and the added chemicals. I just would rather do without those than cook with them. I do still use it, but prefer to use lump. I average five days a week cooking on kettles and when you use them that much you can't be too picky about charcoal otherwise it will get extremely expensive.  I did take advantage of the Cowboy sale and I think there is still some left. It probably isn't the best lump out there, but the price is right and it doesn't have any additives.

[G$]

You will get a lot of input from others as well. A couple observations:

1) briquettes of any variety are more consistent than lump. kingsford is entirely predictable, and is the top selling charcoal fuel for a reason.
2) some prefer the flavor characteristics of lump over Kingsford.  Some prefer the flavor characteristics of lump over ANY briquette.
3) lump is more volatile, in general when it is ignited. In a chimney for example, it often sparks and pops.
4) due to variances in BOTH size and density, lump is slightly ever so more volatile and inconsistent in terms of temperature stabilty.
5) lump almost certainly will get "hotter" than your typical briquette

So, to net it out, yes, there are differences, but IMO they are not severe.  Fluctuations are more likely with lump. Lump runs a little hotter. Lump MAY produce less ash. lump MAY be favourable on taste.  Once you have briquettes dialed in, it should be No Problem to venture to other fuels.

For reasons of cost and convenience, 75% of my fuel is probably Kingsford Blue.  Today, I used almost none on my cooks.  You too will get to the point where you have a favorite....but will gladly use a variety.

[HankB]

No Matchlight!

Other than that, it is like deciding which oil is best for your car. Or any similar subject that is capable of consuming a forum.

They have different characteristics and what you go with is your choice.

Kingsford Blue Bag (KBB) is readily available and used in many competitions (perhaps because they sponsor?) Lump charcoal tends to burn hotter and faster and is favored by some. Cowboy used to be disparaged by many because it was mostly construction wood scraps (including plywood) but has gotten a lot better. Try some different ones out and see if they make a difference in your results.

Dry runs? The cooker will respond differently with food in it. Cook something!

If what you cook is not to your satisfaction, it is unlikely that the brand or type of charcoal is the reason. I suggest posting a description of a specific cook, what you did and where you feel it came up short and we can probably offer suggestions for improvement. With brisket, the most common reason it is dry is undercooking. That could be the problem with the ribs as well.

[mike.stavlund]

This is a great question, Eapples. 

I think what you'll find-- and have already seen-- is that this issue is all tied up with cost.  If folks find a great deal on less-than-ideal charcoal, they will adjust and use it.  Especially this time of year, as most of us are trying to stock up enough to make it through the winter to Memorial Day when the charcoal typically goes on sale again.  Paying full price for charcoal in March has an air of bitter defeat that is not soon forgotten. 

But to answer your question directly:  Kingsford blue (aka KB) is great stuff, and a wonderful place to start.  It's very consistent, widely available, and generally pretty affordable (especially if you buy it during holiday sales).  Cooking on kettles (and smokers) really isn't that difficult, but there are a lot of variables and you are wise to pick a charcoal that will measure consistently, with temps and burn times and effects that are quite predictable.  Kingsford blue is just that thing.  Get a bunch, and you won't be sorry. 

Having said all of that, there are some disclaimers:

1.  Taste.  My taste buds aren't super-premium, but I know folks who are super-tasters and they can definitely taste the additives in KB.  If you can, you might prefer to use lump or a natural briquette.

2. Additives.  There is conventional wisdom swirling around out there about carcinogens in charcoal.  I've not done extensive research, but I've done a little reading and found that the stuff I've read is mostly crap.  No distinction between the carbon in charcoal and the carbon on food (aka, burning your dinner, which is not good eats).  Little interest in the length of cooks, or the temps, or the effects of smoke.  So a lot of this chasing after 'pure' charcoal seems a little silly to me, at least based on current research. 

3.  Fillers.  KB and most other briquettes use some kind of mysterious substance to bind the bits of charcoal into those consistent briquettes.  I'm not sure what all of that stuff is, and there are valid questions about the health effects that burning and eating that stuff might have on us (though I haven't seen any decent answer to those questions as of yet).  But what I do know is that those fillers don't give off much heat, but they do give off a lot of ash.  Which can choke out your fire on really long sessions, which is a drag.  But what bugs me is that we buy charcoal of whatever type *by the pound*, and yet that isn't a fair predictor of the BTUs we get per pound.  So a chimney full of KB and lump produces roughly the same volume and duration of heat (at least in my experience), but that chimney of KB weighs way more than the chimney full of lump.  Which is a long way of saying that I don't like paying per pound for ashes that I need to carry away from the grill again.  I think I get more mileage from 20lbs of lump than I do from 20lbs of KB. 

4.  Brands.  Like I said above, my favorite charcoal choice is heavily related to price (kinda like my favorite kettle is prolly the one I paid the least for), but I've indulged in some premium brands to check them out too.  My favorite is Frontier, which is about 50 cents/lb when it's on sale at my store.  It's consistent and works well for high and low heat.  I've also tried Wicked Good, which is north of $1, and haven't liked it as much-- too smoky, and too many huge pieces.  And I just loaded up on Cowboy when it was down to 34 cents/lb. at Home Depot recently.  I've used about 30 pounds of it so far, and while I don't like it quite as much as Frontier, I can adjust a little and I love the price.  I HATE Trader Joes 'natural' briquettes (don't get me started), and yes, I've even used the legendary Lazzari mesquite lump and loved it (no idea what it costs, though).  I also happened upon a couple of small bags of Frontier mesquite this summer, and while I couldn't taste a big difference, I did notice it runs a bit hotter.  I've also got about 80 pounds of KB in the shed, and like to mix it with lump in the smoker for overnight cooks. 

5.  Srsly?  I prolly sound like a snob, but I'm not.  If you have me over, I'm not going to kick your bag of charcoal.  If you cook with grocery store brand charcoal, I will eat your pork shoulder and love it.  If you cook with Matchlite, I will paste a grin on my face and eat it anyway. ;-)  And if the winter is cold and the charcoal supply in the shed runs low, I'll happily use the KB for everything and I doubt anyone-- including me-- will notice a difference. 

[1911Ron]

I like Kingsford Compition myself, i have tried lump and i will get the hang of yet!

[tattooedant]

everyone touched on many of the differences, but the biggest one for me is what G$ says about the taste. I can definitely tell the difference in smokey taste when using the lump...Chicken is one of those meats that if you prepare it the same way, but cook it over lump vs KB, you can taste that difference distinctly. That is what makes BBQ so awesome, is you can really control how your food turns out in so many different ways. Once you nail that perfect cook, you'll be able to do it with your eyes closed every time.

[Chasing_smoke]

I agree with everything said so far. KBB is about as consistent as you can get in charcoal.  Use it, get a feel for how much in the chimney lit gives you what temp.  For me a 1/2 chimney ashed over kbb will give me 350 on the lid temp.  A full chimney ashed over will give me 550.  If I want low and slow I build the snake method a 2 coals on the bottom with one on top gives me right around 225.  Add another layer to the bottom 2x2x1 and your looking around 275.

Lump is a rather new animal I am trying to learn myself. I love lump for a bit extra flavor and how clean it burns with little ash. I'm really liking the True Que mesquite I bought on clearance at home depot last week.

I think the most useful thing you can do is buy an electronic instant read thermometer.  Heat only determines how fast something cooks.  A thermometer will give you exact readings on what your food is doing. It will give you the upper hand on recreating good results every time.

Here is my thought process on how I cook let's say chicken thighs:

What flavor base am I in the mood for? I lean towards chili spices a lot with this cut of meat.   I then prepare the rub I want to use.   Next I decide what temperature I want to cook at. A lot of the time I am in a rush so I cook at higher temps.  So I fire up the chimney with it 3/4 full to get me into the 400+ range.  When its ready i build a two zone fire so I have direct and indirect zones to cook with.  I would then sear the chicken to get the crust going and move to the indirect side to finish cooking.  I would check the temp after about the first 15 minutes to gauge how my kettle is running and how long until they are ready.  Check the thickest one farthest away from the fire when it hits 163 or so I pull them and let it rest.  Carry over cooking will bring it up to 165 and it will be ready in a few minutes. 

Next after I eat dinner and everyone is happy I would think about what I liked and didn't like.  Write it down if it is something you don't cook often say Brisket or Ribs or long cooks that yield a bunch of meat.  I think about the cook as well, did the kettle run hot, too cool or just right?  What was your setup and did you make any adjustments during the cook.  Writing it down sounds crazy but what your doing is 1. Making a note to remember next summer if you take a break or if the item you cooked is seasonal.  2. It will help you remember on the next cook because your committing it to memory in a subconscious way.  Something will click and make your remember an idea you had the next time you cook that item.  3. Your building a journal of mistakes and successes for reference guide in the future.  Ever cook that delicious meal, made a rub on the fly and just winged it?  But it was perfect and now the family wants it again?  If you write it down your going to be able to do it again.   Another thing that helps me remember and give a reference too is posting your cooks here.  It allows us to see your awesome cook and praise you.  But it also allows us to help trouble shoot if something didn't turn out as planned.

This is my theory on cooking and getting consistent results:  the more you do it the easier it gets and the less you need to rely on a thermometer.  So tell me this, most people can cook a hamburger or hotdog without thinking right?  Well why is that?  It's because you have cooked it so many times it is ingrained in your head.  You know the way it should look, feel and taste.  What you want to do is build upon that and add new items to your list of killer cooks.  Repetition is key, but often as a family griller it is tough to develop this skill on certain items.  A professional cook will grill a chicken breast multiple times a day, they know how hot the grill should be and where the hotspots are.  They develop a mental timer, flip now and move to this part of the grill.  Ok it is done plate and serve to the customer.  We can't do that at home(without driving the family crazy) so keeping a journal is my way of developing this skill.  When your cooking and it is done and you know it's done because you used your thermometer right??  Look at how the item is cooked. Did you leave it on the hot side too long because it is a tad charred?  Make a note of that.  Take your tongs and press on it, how firm is the meat?  Make a note of it.  If you start to do this each time, before you know it you'll forget about the cook itself and enjoy everything going on.  It will also allow you to multitask much easier because you mentally know that your meat is fine. 

What this long winded post is trying to say is cook! Write your results down and learn from your mistakes.  It gets easier every time you fire up the kettle I promise!     

[Aawa]

The only reason I use KBB is because it is cheap.  Buying during Memorial Day and Labor day sales, I always have a stock pile of it .  It gives a very consistent and reliable burn, but it gives off a ton of ash.  I picked up 2 bags of Kingsford

I prefer to use lump and the ones I have tried are Royal Oak, Cowboy and Wicked Good Weekend Warrior. 

I started with Royal Oak as it was readily available and at a very good price.  Royal Oak runs hot and doesn't have a long burn time.  It started with good quality pieces, but I stopped using it because I was finding lots of foreign debris such as rocks and insulation in it, and the pieces were clearly scrap wood that was turned into charcoal.

I then moved to Wicked Good Weekend Warrior.  It used to be available at the Ace Hardwares but it is $20 for 22lb bag.  It is more expensive upfront but  in the back end it paid the difference between the price difference of Royal Oak.  I would get 3-4 times the length of burn times with Wicked Good Weekend Warrior than I would with Royal Oak.  The pieces of charocal ranged from huge (that need to be broken down) to chips.  A majority of the pieces are managable medium/small piece.  The coals are very dense which is why it gets such a long burn time.  All the pieces are clearly wood/branches and not scrap wood.

When Cowboy lump went on sale at Tru-Value I gave them a shot.  I was skeptical at first because before their quality was terrible.  Cowboy is readily available and they have upped their quality quite a bit.  The pieces are clearly natural wood and not scrap wood.  The density of the pieces are between the denisity of Royal Oak and Wicked Good and the burn times are between the 2 as well.  I would rather pick up a bag of Cowboy Lump over Royal Oak without blinking an eye.

I still have 3 bags of Wicked Good Weekend Warrior to go through before I buy some lump.  But Ace quit carrying WG, and started carrying Kamado Joe lump charcoal.  I plan on giving them a try since it is the same price as WG, and supposedly just as good quality wise as WG.

[Big Al]

Mike Stavlund hits on a major point that a lot of people overlook when comparing cost or briquettes versus lump - measuring by weight versus volume. The bags are priced by weight yet we used them by volume (the chimney full, etc). If you compare how many full chimneys you get out of a bag of lump versus briquettes, I think you would be suprised at how close in cost per use they are. Additionally, lump is lot easier and better in terms of reusing previously lit coals comapred to briquettes.

I would go through 2 -3 bags of Kingsford a month whereas a 20 lb bag of lump lasts me a month or more. I gave up briquettes long ago and don't miss them one bit. Lump has a cleaner flavor, cleaner burn, quicker start up time to being able to cook over, less ash, and no chemical binders.

[Ethang]

I have only tried one bag of the Royal oak but I noticed a large number of pieces were too small for both my chimney and my stock grate. I lost a bunch that just fell through. I got the last two bags of Cowboy at HD this weekend but havnt used it yet.

[saxart]

Lots of great info here!   I've written off 'lump' in the past just because I've really only worked with Royal Oak, and I agree that a lot of the pieces are really small and fall through the grate, and it tends to burn up pretty fast.   This thread has made me think that perhaps I should give lump a retry via another brand.

Also, now I'm thinking it might be fun to put this to rest in my own household, and fire up two SJs with a bunch of chicken thighs.  One SJ with briquettes and the other with lump.

Mike S-
My new fall/winter tag-line....

"Paying full price for charcoal in March has an air of bitter defeat that is not soon forgotten."   

[Eapples]

This is a great question, Eapples. 

I think what you'll find-- and have already seen-- is that this issue is all tied up with cost.  If folks find a great deal on less-than-ideal charcoal, they will adjust and use it.  Especially this time of year, as most of us are trying to stock up enough to make it through the winter to Memorial Day when the charcoal typically goes on sale again.  Paying full price for charcoal in March has an air of bitter defeat that is not soon forgotten. 

But to answer your question directly:  Kingsford blue (aka KB) is great stuff, and a wonderful place to start.  It's very consistent, widely available, and generally pretty affordable (especially if you buy it during holiday sales).  Cooking on kettles (and smokers) really isn't that difficult, but there are a lot of variables and you are wise to pick a charcoal that will measure consistently, with temps and burn times and effects that are quite predictable.  Kingsford blue is just that thing.  Get a bunch, and you won't be sorry. 

Having said all of that, there are some disclaimers:

1.  Taste.  My taste buds aren't super-premium, but I know folks who are super-tasters and they can definitely taste the additives in KB.  If you can, you might prefer to use lump or a natural briquette.

2. Additives.  There is conventional wisdom swirling around out there about carcinogens in charcoal.  I've not done extensive research, but I've done a little reading and found that the stuff I've read is mostly crap.  No distinction between the carbon in charcoal and the carbon on food (aka, burning your dinner, which is not good eats).  Little interest in the length of cooks, or the temps, or the effects of smoke.  So a lot of this chasing after 'pure' charcoal seems a little silly to me, at least based on current research. 

3.  Fillers.  KB and most other briquettes use some kind of mysterious substance to bind the bits of charcoal into those consistent briquettes.  I'm not sure what all of that stuff is, and there are valid questions about the health effects that burning and eating that stuff might have on us (though I haven't seen any decent answer to those questions as of yet).  But what I do know is that those fillers don't give off much heat, but they do give off a lot of ash.  Which can choke out your fire on really long sessions, which is a drag.  But what bugs me is that we buy charcoal of whatever type *by the pound*, and yet that isn't a fair predictor of the BTUs we get per pound.  So a chimney full of KB and lump produces roughly the same volume and duration of heat (at least in my experience), but that chimney of KB weighs way more than the chimney full of lump.  Which is a long way of saying that I don't like paying per pound for ashes that I need to carry away from the grill again.  I think I get more mileage from 20lbs of lump than I do from 20lbs of KB. 

4.  Brands.  Like I said above, my favorite charcoal choice is heavily related to price (kinda like my favorite kettle is prolly the one I paid the least for), but I've indulged in some premium brands to check them out too.  My favorite is Frontier, which is about 50 cents/lb when it's on sale at my store.  It's consistent and works well for high and low heat.  I've also tried Wicked Good, which is north of $1, and haven't liked it as much-- too smoky, and too many huge pieces.  And I just loaded up on Cowboy when it was down to 34 cents/lb. at Home Depot recently.  I've used about 30 pounds of it so far, and while I don't like it quite as much as Frontier, I can adjust a little and I love the price.  I HATE Trader Joes 'natural' briquettes (don't get me started), and yes, I've even used the legendary Lazzari mesquite lump and loved it (no idea what it costs, though).  I also happened upon a couple of small bags of Frontier mesquite this summer, and while I couldn't taste a big difference, I did notice it runs a bit hotter.  I've also got about 80 pounds of KB in the shed, and like to mix it with lump in the smoker for overnight cooks. 

5.  Srsly?  I prolly sound like a snob, but I'm not.  If you have me over, I'm not going to kick your bag of charcoal.  If you cook with grocery store brand charcoal, I will eat your pork shoulder and love it.  If you cook with Matchlite, I will paste a grin on my face and eat it anyway. ;-)  And if the winter is cold and the charcoal supply in the shed runs low, I'll happily use the KB for everything and I doubt anyone-- including me-- will notice a difference.

You have addressed directly my inner geek with your response.  Precisely the kind of advice I am seeking -- thorough, detailed, and to the point.  I kinda figured that the differences were due more to personal preference of the chef rather than any real differences in the product itself, i.e. what we prefer is what we prefer, and we give reasons why we prefer it.

As an aside, I went to Lowes yesterday to pick up a few bags of KBB, and they're already setting out the Christmas decorations in the location where the charcoal display used to be.  NOW I understand the wisdom of stocking up when it goes on sale.

Thanks again for your insight.

[Eapples]

I agree with everything said so far. KBB is about as consistent as you can get in charcoal.  Use it, get a feel for how much in the chimney lit gives you what temp.  For me a 1/2 chimney ashed over kbb will give me 350 on the lid temp.  A full chimney ashed over will give me 550.  If I want low and slow I build the snake method a 2 coals on the bottom with one on top gives me right around 225.  Add another layer to the bottom 2x2x1 and your looking around 275.

Lump is a rather new animal I am trying to learn myself. I love lump for a bit extra flavor and how clean it burns with little ash. I'm really liking the True Que mesquite I bought on clearance at home depot last week.

I think the most useful thing you can do is buy an electronic instant read thermometer.  Heat only determines how fast something cooks.  A thermometer will give you exact readings on what your food is doing. It will give you the upper hand on recreating good results every time.

Here is my thought process on how I cook let's say chicken thighs:

What flavor base am I in the mood for? I lean towards chili spices a lot with this cut of meat.   I then prepare the rub I want to use.   Next I decide what temperature I want to cook at. A lot of the time I am in a rush so I cook at higher temps.  So I fire up the chimney with it 3/4 full to get me into the 400+ range.  When its ready i build a two zone fire so I have direct and indirect zones to cook with.  I would then sear the chicken to get the crust going and move to the indirect side to finish cooking.  I would check the temp after about the first 15 minutes to gauge how my kettle is running and how long until they are ready.  Check the thickest one farthest away from the fire when it hits 163 or so I pull them and let it rest.  Carry over cooking will bring it up to 165 and it will be ready in a few minutes. 

Next after I eat dinner and everyone is happy I would think about what I liked and didn't like.  Write it down if it is something you don't cook often say Brisket or Ribs or long cooks that yield a bunch of meat.  I think about the cook as well, did the kettle run hot, too cool or just right?  What was your setup and did you make any adjustments during the cook.  Writing it down sounds crazy but what your doing is 1. Making a note to remember next summer if you take a break or if the item you cooked is seasonal.  2. It will help you remember on the next cook because your committing it to memory in a subconscious way.  Something will click and make your remember an idea you had the next time you cook that item.  3. Your building a journal of mistakes and successes for reference guide in the future.  Ever cook that delicious meal, made a rub on the fly and just winged it?  But it was perfect and now the family wants it again?  If you write it down your going to be able to do it again.   Another thing that helps me remember and give a reference too is posting your cooks here.  It allows us to see your awesome cook and praise you.  But it also allows us to help trouble shoot if something didn't turn out as planned.

This is my theory on cooking and getting consistent results:  the more you do it the easier it gets and the less you need to rely on a thermometer.  So tell me this, most people can cook a hamburger or hotdog without thinking right?  Well why is that?  It's because you have cooked it so many times it is ingrained in your head.  You know the way it should look, feel and taste.  What you want to do is build upon that and add new items to your list of killer cooks.  Repetition is key, but often as a family griller it is tough to develop this skill on certain items.  A professional cook will grill a chicken breast multiple times a day, they know how hot the grill should be and where the hotspots are.  They develop a mental timer, flip now and move to this part of the grill.  Ok it is done plate and serve to the customer.  We can't do that at home(without driving the family crazy) so keeping a journal is my way of developing this skill.  When your cooking and it is done and you know it's done because you used your thermometer right??  Look at how the item is cooked. Did you leave it on the hot side too long because it is a tad charred?  Make a note of that.  Take your tongs and press on it, how firm is the meat?  Make a note of it.  If you start to do this each time, before you know it you'll forget about the cook itself and enjoy everything going on.  It will also allow you to multitask much easier because you mentally know that your meat is fine. 

What this long winded post is trying to say is cook! Write your results down and learn from your mistakes.  It gets easier every time you fire up the kettle I promise!   

 "For me a 1/2 chimney ashed over kbb will give me 350 on the lid temp.  A full chimney ashed over will give me 550."  We are kindred spirits -- that's almost exactly what happened to me when I ran tests learning how to use the chimney starter.

"buy an electronic instant read thermometer." -- I did that about a month ago, and it works perfectly so far, which makes all the negative comments on Amazon.com sound like bulls***.

I'm doing the journal routine mentally, i.e. for the few items I've done on the kettle I made mental notes of what/when/how.  I have my written notes more for grill setup than for cooking procedure.

Again, someone has spoken to my inner geek.  Another detailed and thorough response.  ALL the responses I've been getting have been really interesting.  I guess that I'm the kind of person who doesn't mind being told what as long as you explain to me why.

[Eapples]

Lots of great info here!   I've written off 'lump' in the past just because I've really only worked with Royal Oak, and I agree that a lot of the pieces are really small and fall through the grate, and it tends to burn up pretty fast.   This thread has made me think that perhaps I should give lump a retry via another brand.

Also, now I'm thinking it might be fun to put this to rest in my own household, and fire up two SJs with a bunch of chicken thighs.  One SJ with briquettes and the other with lump.

Mike S-
My new fall/winter tag-line....

"Paying full price for charcoal in March has an air of bitter defeat that is not soon forgotten."   

I think I found a new hero -- "Also, now I'm thinking it might be fun to put this to rest in my own household, and fire up two SJs with a bunch of chicken thighs.  One SJ with briquettes and the other with lump." Setting up TWO grills just to test a theory?  I bow to the master.

Unfortunately for my, my wife has already made a face when I bought my Weber Performer Silver, and when I said that I wanted to buy a WSM, until I told her I would keep the WSM in the shed when I wasn't using it.  She seems to think that having a slew of grills arranged around the back yard is a bit much.  I have to introduce her to the "re-education chamber."