Briquettes or Lump

[Wolf0503]

First let me apologize but I couldn't find a thread on this. Maybe my Search-FU was lacking. Or I'm just blind but I couldn't find one. Now before I get Flamed right outta here please cut me some slack, I'm new.

I saw many pictures of briquettes being used. That's fine but I use Lump Charcoal. To me it just tastes better. You get more wood flavor. That's what were all after right?  To me briquettes just has that glued together pressed sawdust taste.  Yes I realise you can get 40 lbs of Kingsford for less than an Andrew Jackson.  But I'll pay a little more for taste in my food.

[TheDude]

They each have their place IMO. I do stock KBB, when it's on sale. I use the charcoal baskets for most cooks. Let the coals get fully lit and they em part no taste. A small chunk of smoke wood on the grate will do wonders, if you want a little smoke. KBB is my go to for most cooks. Lump burns hot and fast. I use it mostly to sear steaks.

[Darko]

I prefer lump, but briquettes have their use. I like them when I'm smoking. But I use Maple Leaf briquettes which are basically ground up maple leaf charcoal held together with wheat starch for a binder. What I don't like about briquettes is the amount of ash. 
As far as Kingsford... well my opinion is that if they paid me, I wouldn't use it.

[Wahoo95]

I actually prefer the consistency of briquettes and really like the Kingsford Professional/Competition as it doesn't put off any odd odors or taste like KBB.

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[Yendor]

Lump all the way. I can control its heat as well as any other person can control briqs. Why mess with a good thing. Even a bad lump is better than a great briq, IMHO.

[Davescprktl]

I prefer lump, but briquettes have their use. I like them when I'm smoking. But I use Maple Leaf briquettes which are basically ground up maple leaf charcoal held together with wheat starch for a binder. What I don't like about briquettes is the amount of ash. 
As far as Kingsford... well my opinion is that if they paid me, I wouldn't use it.

I agree about the amount of ash in briquettes.  I did a 10 hr cook on my CB stacker.  The amount of ash from KBB was surreal.  I had to clear ot the ashes with the one touch system part way through the cook because the vent holes on the bottom were so clogged up the temp dropped out.  Never had that problem with lump.  I have used lump for long cooks for years.

[Wolf0503]

I refuse to use Cowboy Brand Charcoal. I don't like their pieces. I realise that it all burn the same but when I pull out some Crown Molding piece it's like WTF?

[Travis]

Each have their own pro's and con's in my opinion.

I don't get any sort of off flavor from briquettes, but that maybe just my palate compared to others. If lump is processed correctly from the plant, it's not going to give you a wood flavor or anything. It's carbonized. That being said, if some of the pieces are not processed correctly, you can end up with a piece that is not fully carbonized and will give wood smoke.

Problem I have with lump is the the tiny, air choking pieces in the bag that can't be used. I'll work out of a couple bags, using the the small stuff by the handful so it doesn't get wasted. I don't care for that. The main problem with briquettes is the ash. So much ash.

I think if I could find a really good lump that had deals like kbb did, I would go with that. Until then I mostly use kbb. May not be the best, but I'm not getting a lot of complaints from the customers either




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[Yendor]

I refuse to use Cowboy Brand Charcoal. I don't like their pieces. I realise that it all burn the same but when I pull out some Crown Molding piece it's like WTF?

Mill end pieces are just part of the game. Those crown molding pieces were cut off before any treatment or coatings were used. I would not worry about it. Its a way that a molding manufacturer can reuse what they would normally send to a pellet manufacturer. As long as its untreated its good to go. With that being said, I do like to see a chunk that resembles a limb or something like that.

[Big Dawg]

I'm like Travis.  My family and I are fine with KBB.  Food always tastes great coming off my kettles and WSMs.

If others have a sensitivity to it, I fully understand using other brands of briquettes and/or lump. 

Oh, I also prefer scotch to beer, anything clear, and even other whiskeys.  Especially the ones with a bit of peat in their flavor profile.

To each his/her own, right? 





BD

[MrHoss]

There's a place and time for each type.

[Titus]

I've not used lump much, only a few times at parks that supply it. It's also been a few years, but I remember it working perfect for steak.

I've been experimenting with different briquette brands, and for me? What I want is something I can keep going for quite a while.

[toolhead]

Use both....primairly use briquettes for the bottom of the chimeny given it burns the most during lighting process...cheap fuel...lump on top of the chimney...so end up mixing both in the kettles

[Troy]

not all briquettes are the same
just as not all lump is the same

there are some kickass briquettes that have great heat and great flavor without all the shitty fillers

and there are some terrible lumps


that said, i use coshell briquettes because they're better than any lump i've used.
if i didn't have access to them, i'd use royal oak lump

[DonoBBQ]

I grew up using charcoal and started using gas up until about a month ago.  So far I'm about a dozen cooks in and have went through a bag of royale oak hardwood lump and a bag of kbb.  I don't feel I have enough experience to share an opinion either way.

What's with the rocks in the lump? Is that Normal or did I get a bad bag? I  also was bothered by the amount of small pieces /Dust as well but I  can't imagine a way to avoid it from a manufacturer prospective.