charcoal brand?

[Frank_Cox]

what brand of charcoal do you use and why?
I have used Kingsford blue bag mostly over the years. I have used other brands and even made my own as well. currently I am using Frontier Hardwood lump. I have never smelled lump charcoal that smelled this good! I still need to get some more time using it to give a complete review, but so far i like it! They also make a hickory lump and Jack Daniels lump which is made from jack daniels oak whisky barrels. I have not used either one yet but plan to soon.

[Gizmo]

mostly Kingsford blue bag over the years...
never used matchlight version
Kingsford's other flavors didn't show me much

recently Ridgeline Hardwood briquettes from Affiliated Food Grocery stores and it worked great at 18 cents a pound too.

Walmart's oversized briquettes I couldn't hardly get lit and I couldn't keep it going very well.

Didn't care much for Royal Oak lump - very inconsistent burn so it was hard to gauge how much was correct...

Heard good things about Cowboy but haven't tried it yet ...

[Smokeone]

I currently use royal oak lump. I have had good luck with it in the UDS. Cant say I noticed an inconsistent burn, but I have only used it 4 or 5 times now.

Before ROL, I used the standard blue bag. If all else fails, it is my go to.

I have used the Cowboy lump and it burns well and smells good. My complaint with it is the "crap" that is included. I have found rocks and other junk in it. The pieces are not very uniform. I have had pieces probably 4" to 6" long. Some looked like somebody just split some 2x4's with a hatchet.

I HAD TO CORRECT MY POST, I CONFUSED TWO DIFFERENT BRANDS. MY STATEMENT ABOUT COWBOY IS THE SAME. ORIGIN WAS FOR ANOTHER BRAND, I HAVE NOT USED!

SORRY!

[Frank_Cox]

at smokin on big creek competition this year, " hogs at the hilton bbq team" from KC won the GC using 60% cowboy lump. I noticed how bad it sparked when it was being lit so I asked him about it. he said he never seen it spark that bad before. I think it is just part of using lump.
Bagged in argentina?! well if that is what they are doing, I know they are not using 'Merican Wood!

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[The Czar]

KINGSFORD ALL THE WAY BABY!!!!!!!!!!!! Made in the USA!!!...........Only Russian lovers like Royal an Cowboy Lump.....

[Smokeone]

Royal oak lump= made in USA

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[Frank_Cox]

DC always has to stir the pot lol

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[The Czar]

Royal oak lump= made in USA

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That's what THEY want you to think....

[Frank_Cox]

actually, Kingsford, royal oak, and frontier are all made within 30 miles of my house.....

[Smokeone]

Thought that was true.

Note I made an oops in my earlier post, i have corrected it. Sorry I misspoke!

[Frank_Cox]

I currently use royal oak lump. I have had good luck with it in the UDS. Cant say I noticed an inconsistent burn, but I have only used it 4 or 5 times now.

Before ROL, I used the standard blue bag. If all else fails, it is my go to.

I have used the Cowboy lump and it burns well and smells good. My complaint with it is the "crap" that is included. I have found rocks and other junk in it. The pieces are not very uniform. I have had pieces probably 4" to 6" long. Some looked like somebody just split some 2x4's with a hatchet.

I HAD TO CORRECT MY POST, I CONFUSED TWO DIFFERENT BRANDS. MY STATEMENT ABOUT COWBOY IS THE SAME. ORIGIN WAS FOR ANOTHER BRAND, I HAVE NOT USED!

SORRY!

So which one is made in argentina?

[Smokeone]

Actually Royal Oak has some from there. I believe there are others that use South American woods, but I have not researched it.

MY BAD!

[The Czar]

......................... ......................

[alleyrat58]

It depends on the cooker - mine big guy burns better on Kingsford, mostly for the longevity I think. Nice and stable easy to use.

My little one likes the lump - usually use Royal Oak - but that Frontier is GREAT when I can find it. My biggest complaint about lump is finding a bag that hasn't been crushed to bit. If all the big pieces have been crushed into itty-bitty pieces the burn sucks.

Once or twice a year, Kingsford will go on sale for like $8 for the 22lb 2 packs. When that happens, I buy a pallet. Love the look on the Home Depot guys face when I tell him I want a pallet of charcoal

[Gizmo]

[Frank_Cox]

Haha, that look is more likely because he don't want to load it on the truck lol.

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[The Czar]

Or they didn't have a pallet.....freaking non stocking wibbie's.......

[SoloQue]

Once or twice a year, Kingsford will go on sale for like $8 for the 22lb 2 packs. When that happens, I buy a pallet. Love the look on the Home Depot guys face when I tell him I want a pallet of charcoal

The last time Lowes put Kingsford on sale for .40 a lb I went and found one of the float carts and started loading up. A floor manager walked up and told me they had more customers than me and that I should consider putting some back. I just grinned and asked him where another float was since the pick-up was empty and I liked the price. When I came back from hauling out my first load there was a sign on the pallet limiting to 5 sale items. If I hadn't already made a great bargain I would have spent the afternoon hauling out 5 bundles at a time. Anyway, for me it's Kingsford, fair amount of ash but I really like the crazy slow burns I can get. Maybe 1 bag in 20 will just seem sluggish and want to choke out. My neighbor usually ends up with the rest of that bag but at .40 a lb I just can't complain or worry about the occasional dud.

[TuscaloosaQ]

I am with you solo I went ot lowes last week got a little hassel they told me a customer could only get 2 2packs at a time so I said well I will do that but I am a new customer everytime I walk in the door made 10 trips in and out and left with 40 20# bags of charcoal. You can not play a player!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PvilleComp]

I've been using Original Charcoal Company Hardwood Lump. It's from South America, but it smells great, burns well and is only $9.99 for 10lbs at the local Food Lion (right next door to my shop). It too snaps and crackles when you lite it and who knows what shape the pieces will be, but it burns well once lit. I used a bag of Blue Bag over the weekend and it made Ash like crazy compared to the lump. So I'm done with the Blue Bag unless it's an emergency.

Here's a site that rates Lump Charcoal from a whole host of companies.
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumpindexpage.htm?bag

[Frank_Cox]

The wiz knows his charcoal for sure! that's where I learned to make my own kiln and charcoal....
homemade charcoal kiln
first time making charcoal

[summy]

So Cowboy good or Cowboy bad?? I bought a big ole bag of it and a bag of Kingsford Original Briquets (is that what you're talking about when you say Kingsford?). Do you blend? I saw in some of ya'lls youtube videos where you fill your charcoal basket up with lump and then hollow out the center (birds nest) and add a lit stack of briquets. Is that SOP?

[Smokeone]

Charcoal is a preference thing. You will get guys who like a brand and guys that don't. I cant complain about cowboy, but I have only used it a few times. I like to use lump charcoal, usually royal oak. I have started mixing the two tho, and like it. I take kingsford blue bag and mix in wood chips and a little lump. Then I light a chimney of lump. When the chimney is ready I dump it in my "birds nest." Briquettes seem to burn more evenly and are easier to control. Lump burns hotter, and is harder to control temp wise.

That's my .02 anyways.

[SmokinFF]

Hate to do it, but I have to agree.

[The Czar]

Hate to do it, but I have to agree.

OMG.....Hell just froze over....