Do you mix lump and briquets?

preston897

Smoke Blower

Original poster

Oct 30, 2013

105

13

Weatherford Tx.

• Jun 10, 2014

• #1

Last smoke i did on my uds i was having so e temp issues. If i left my ball valve at half closed or less my temps would drop. Open it any more then half it would raise. I did some reading and saw sombody say that if you do a mix of lump and briquets it helps close air pockets in your badket due to the even size and shape of most briquets. Thus helping your temps stay more even for longer. Im curious how many people do this or have tried it and what their results were. Currently i use RO lump for my charcoal.

 

bluewhisper

Master of the Pit

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Apr 1, 2014

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Columbus Ohio

• Jun 10, 2014

• #2

I've been mixing them in the offset. Specifically, I load the lump in the bottom of the basket where (I suppose) it's the last to ignite. I put a layer of briquettes over that, then kindling on top.

The hoped-for effect is that the briquettes will ignite first, and burn to gray, losing their start-up aroma. Later the lump ignites more cleanly. Not sure if it actually makes much difference, though.

 

noboundaries

Epic Pitmaster

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Sep 7, 2013

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Roseville, CA, a suburb of Sacramento

• Jun 10, 2014

• #3

I don't have a UDS but I mix KBB and lump in my WSM to prevent the smaller pieces of lump from falling through the grate.  I'll put down a layer of KBB, then the wood, then the lump, then dump hot KBB from the chimney on top.  Work great for me and I don't end up with unburned pieces of lump in my ash bowl. 

 

preston897

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Thread starter

Oct 30, 2013

105

13

Weatherford Tx.

• Jun 13, 2014

• #4

I tried mixing royal oak and stubbs last night. It actually came out well. Ill definatly keep playing around with the mixture to get it right

 

cpl0313

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Apr 30, 2014

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Paulding County Georgia

• Jun 16, 2014

• #5

I got a pallet of lump last fall at Home Depot on clearance, I mix it with Kingsford in layers. Lump first and Kingsford on top. Works well. The lump pops and sparks a lot sending ash onto the food if I have to add while cooking.

 

jirodriguez

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Jun 5, 2009

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Portland, OR

• Jun 17, 2014

• #6

I like to toss a few big pieces of lump in with my KBB on long smokes (12+ hrs), the lump gives the fire a little kick in the pants when it gets going. Really helps to keep the temps up and steady over the long haul.

 

5oclocksomewher

Smoking Fanatic

Mar 30, 2014

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Dickson City, PA (Scranton, PA)

• Jun 19, 2014

• #7

Last smoke I did I started out with 2 lit chimneys of kingsford competition briquettes. It got my offset smoker upto 275 really quick(much quicker than lump). As the smoke went on I added lit chimneys of royal oak lump. It worked out really well.

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• 5oclocksomewher
• Jun 10, 2014

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• 5oclocksomewher
• Jun 10, 2014

 

preston897

Smoke Blower

Original poster

Thread starter

Oct 30, 2013

105

13

Weatherford Tx.

• Jun 19, 2014

• #8

Whenever i get my offset ill have to try that! Im also planning on playing with all wood fires

 

venture

Smoking Guru

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Aug 1, 2008

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Central California

• Jun 19, 2014

• #9

First of all, I am an offset guy at this point.

I don't mix them.

I use briquettes to bring the smoker up to temp and get the grates cleaned and "sterilized".  Only because briquettes are cheaper than lump.

I use a chimney of lump when the meat goes on and more for the rest of the smoke.

Many opinions on this.  Just what I do?

If I was an upright user?  Maybe that would be different.  And again maybe it wouldn't?

Good luck and good smoking.

 

preston897

Smoke Blower

Original poster

Thread starter

Oct 30, 2013

105

13

Weatherford Tx.

• Jun 19, 2014

• #10

Im in the process of trying new things. Thats what its all about right? Playing and coming up with new things. I use a uds now. Its just a pain to add mid smoke.

 

papadon

Meat Mopper

Jan 20, 2014

203

24

Outside Chicago, Illinois

• Jun 19, 2014

• #11

I tried lump recently since I've always been a Kingsford guy. I liked the taste of the food but hated the predictability. I then started mixing and got the best of both, So yes, I do mix.
One more point. The lump falls through the grates and it messed up my "one touch" cleaning system on my 26" Weber. Weber did replace the blades though. On long smokes I still mix.

 

preston897

Smoke Blower

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Oct 30, 2013

105

13

Weatherford Tx.

• Jun 19, 2014

• #12

How did the small pieces mess the blades up? And i do have issues with it falling through the grate on my coal basket. Then my dogs eat the coal...so less mess is always nice

 

papadon

Meat Mopper

Jan 20, 2014

203

24

Outside Chicago, Illinois

• Jun 19, 2014

• #13

With the 26" the blades are longer. The small pieces of charcoal got under the blades and bent them up. I then couldn't control the air flow.
BTW, I like royal oak better than cowboy lump. (These are the only two I've tried.)

 

caribou89

Smoke Blower

Jun 10, 2014

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DFW,TX

• Jun 19, 2014

• #14

preston897 said:

Im in the process of trying new things. Thats what its all about right? Playing and coming up with new things. I use a uds now. Its just a pain to add mid smoke.

Click to expand...

You shouldn't be needing to add charcoal mid smoke in an UDS. If you are, your fire basket is too small. Unless you are doing a marathon smoke of 24 hours. My UDS will hold temp for 18+ hours with one single basket of lump

 

Last edited: Jun 19, 2014

palladini

Smoking Fanatic

May 23, 2013

903

41

Ding A Ling, Ontario, Canada On the banks of the

• Jun 20, 2014

• #15

Yes I do Mix Lump and briquette, I put more briquette in my chimney than anything else, light it up and BBQ away!

 

preston897

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Original poster

Thread starter

Oct 30, 2013

105

13

Weatherford Tx.

• Jun 20, 2014

• #16

So far ive never had to had tonthe uds since i fixed my air flow issues. I was just referring to how difficult it would be to add coals as venture explained.