Charcoal: Lump Issues vs. Brick Consistency

[jcnaz]

Hello all,
I have cooked on Kingsford charcoal for many years. I started buying the Competition Briquettes at Costco the last couple of summers and like them, not sure if they are really any different than the original though.
That being said, I do like cooking on mesquite coals. I usually have some around for the ECB, and would occasionally run it through the kettle. Recently I have purchased some bags of lump mesquite solely to use in the OTG and have enjoyed the flavor.
The problem that I have with the bags of lump charcoal (Cowboy and Best of the West) is the inconsistent size of the pieces. The last bag  had 2 pieces in it that were 9 or 10 inches long and 3 inches in diameter. They probably made up half of the bag's weight!  A lot of the remainder was golf ball size or smaller. The big chunks were adjusted with a BFH, but a lot of it was turned to very little pieces!
I guess that the purpose of my rambling is to ask all of you two things:

Do you have recommended brands of lump charcoal that are more consistent than others?
And...
How do you manage the small pieces that want to fall through the coal grate?

Thanks,
-JC

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[1911Ron]

For the small pieces you can use another charcoal grate rotated 90degs or get some expanded metal to put over the charcoal grate.

For best brand, sorry can't help you as i am just getting into lump.  I use the Kingsford Comp stuff and like it much better than the blue bag, they say it's all natural......

[jcnaz]

I think that I need to invest in some expanded metal. I picked up more Kingsford Competition yesterday. By October I usually have five or six bags in the garage for "winter"!

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[1911Ron]

I pick up the twin Bags of the K Comp at Costco, but other places have been carrying it now too.

[addicted-to-smoke]

Regarding inconsistent sizes of lump, don't stress over it. Either break it up beforehand, or once it's hot on the grate. A small-branch lopper will make them how you like ahead of time. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Fiskars-28-in-PowerLever-Bypass-Lopper-391381-1004/203273598?N=kx#.UbD--5Uijww Or once they're lit, your long tongs will break them up.

Either way, it'll burn hotter/shorter due to the greater surface area. For example, since lump cools down fast (but also heats/raises temps faster) use a "too large" piece to your advantage by breaking it up once you see temp fall a bit. You need access to the charcoal grate to do this, so the standard grilling grate might not be helpful here.

Another technique is to use (natural) hardwood briquets for your main fuel source for their better consistency and toss in some lump for quick temp increases as needed.

[Eastex]

The extra grate trick works well for me. I have settled on B&B lump, I use their Oak and their Mesquite, just depends on whats handy and what I'm cooking. Am I the only one who has shook a bag in the store to listen for lots of little pieces rattling around in the bottom? Also, I usually buy it at a local sporting goods store, Academy, because they seldom stack the bags on top of each other, they're usually in two or three deep rows between the grills. The bottom bag in a stack is more likely to have lots of crushed pieces.

[mikeinctown]

First, AVOID the two brands you use! They get average at best marks when people rate them. Royal Oak from WalMart gets much higher scores and the pieces are definitely more consistent, though you are dealing with pre-burned wood in it's natural state. It isn't broken into any specific size so you still get small pieces.

Certain areas of the country have more availability. In Cleveland the bags of mesquite and hickory are fairly pricey, while I can pick up a bag of hard maple hardwood for like $13 for a 15lb bag. The Royal Oak hardwood charcoal is a mix, but is like $13 for an 18lb bag. I've also found that if I want to smoke something, you really can't beat charcoal. It is consistent and burns at a lower temperature. 

[Bbqmiller]

Some good brands of lump with better size and burn properties (ones I have tried)

Humphrey's
Ozark
Dragon's Breath
Frontier

Currently using Frontier because of availability (34 lbs for 19.99 at BJ's). I can get some of the other brands at a place in Western PA (will schedule a road trip soon). I also use the second grate rotated 90 degrees with success. I  do use Rancher briquettes at times. Get them from Trader Joes - good natural wood briquettes. They burn hot, and I find they work well for grilling and smoking.

[addicted-to-smoke]

What's a decent price range for lump per pound? For hardwood briquets? I bought a bag of each so far (yay for me) but can't even say what I paid ... $5, $8 for smallish bags at the grocery store or Home Depot? The Royal Oak seems widely available and decent if you need a smaller bag.

I drove by a place near my home and they had a "lump charcoal" sign out front. It's possible they're making it there but I don't know yet, and regarding price would like to know what to expect before I show up to not waste a trip.

[CurtP]

How do you manage the small pieces that want to fall through the coal grate?

I had the same problem.  I ordered this from McMaster, which did the trick:
9319T803    Super-corrosion-resistant 316 Ss Wire Cloth, Woven, 3 X 3 Mesh, .047" Wire Dia, 12" X 12" Sheet

I ended up switching over to Stubb's natural briquets.  It's made by duraflame, who also make Cowboy lump.  I've been much happier with Stubb's.  I still have the screen in case I ever want to try lump again.

[Idahawk]

Cheap lump is just that and most of it comes from Mexico, giant slash piles are burned and they gather the char wood , thats why you get inconsistent pieces , rocks , nails , found a chunk of fence post with barbed wire still stuck in it , my understanding is there's no regulations down there , you could get painted, stained, pressure treated wood who knows in some of that stuff ?

[1buckie]

I'll use blue K's for a lot of things, but the off taste on a slow burn can be noticeable.....

For smoking, lomg burn I like Stubb's, but can't fimd it anywhere in town since Lowe's quit carrying it.....
Tried Trader Joe's brand &* it burns somewhat faster & I've found plastic / nylon / fiberous string moulded right into the briquettes....I really don't like to have to stop & check......
it does work fairly well, despite the above ^^^


Lump is a strange animal......the Naked Whiz  .com rates all different kinds, so you're sure to find something reasonable that's carried in your area.....all lump will end up with some small pieces, I just save them & scatter on top of briquettes to guarantee a good burn, higher heat or smoking.......

The two I use most are Groveland Orange Tree lump, which smells & tastes in the food, really nice...burns a little quick, but not too bad.....

The other is Wicked Good, which is WICKED GOOD.....it's also over a dollar a pound, but I say worth it....the pieces are usually of reasonable size & whatever wood they're using (Brazilian / Argentine non-endangered) Burns hot & VERY long......you can put a delicate smokey flavor on say, fish, with no wood at all.....these fuckers know HOW to make charcoal......


The Kingsford sale that just happened was @ 27cents a pound ....I would aim to not go over 50 cents on briquettes & over 75 cents on lump, if you can & unless you go Wicked high dollar....


these ones that Miller listed,
Humphrey's
Ozark
Frontier

I have tried at various times & are pretty good, esp. Humphrey's

[Duke]

I have a couple KB twins from the sale that I mainly use for slow cooks because of it's price and consistency. It also let's me decide what kind of smoke I want to add. I still prefer to grill over lump. The issue I have with Kcomp is the amount of smoke that billows from it.

Lately I have been using B&B oak like Eastex. It's very good, just pricey out here. My go to lump is Lazzari, it's very reasonable at 20 for 40 and plentiful. Besides the fact I love mesquite. They also sell natural briquettes and oak lump at the factory near SF, but the mesquite is everywhere. There are usually large chunks in the big bags, but I think that's what keeps the price down. I don't mind breaking it up a little. I usually use a sheetrock hammer because it has an axehead on it.

[addicted-to-smoke]

Getting a good education here guys, thanks. FWIW I just picked up a 20lb bag of Cowboy lump at Home Depot on sale for $11. Gotta try it somehow, right?

[Eastex]

B&B runs 12 to 13 for 20 pound sacks here, although I stocked up a bit when it was on sale for $10.99.


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