# What kind of charcoal does everyone use



## ugaboz (Jun 13, 2010)

i use the competition charcoal by kingsford, should i change


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## 5lakes (Jun 13, 2010)

I use Kingsford in the blue bag. I keep trying Royal Oak lump, but haven't been successful with it, yet. It's getting better as I try different combinations of lit/unlit and patterns. Royal Oak will eventually replace the Kingsford for me.


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## cliffcarter (Jun 13, 2010)

I use Royal Oak lump for BBQ and Sam's Choice for grilling . I tried Comp K when it first came out and liked it, but it is too expensive for me to use regularly.

If you are grilling with Comp K you will be fine, the high heat that you get from it is excellent, If you are smoking with it you may get an isuue with ash build up choking off the fire on long cooks.


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## chefrob (Jun 13, 2010)

right now best of the west.........$15 for 40 lbs. "ONO" is my favorite next to "the good one"


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## lugnutz (Jun 13, 2010)

believe it or not I've been usin briqs from the local supermarket sold under Sur-Fine  its kinda like Best Choice and other store brands.  I've been very happy with it but I'm pretty easy to make happy.  I do have a bag of RO that I'm gonna try soon.


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## ugaboz (Jun 13, 2010)

what coals have the least amount of ash


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## ddave (Jun 14, 2010)

I use Kingsford Comp as well.  I think you will have a hard time finding a different charcoal that makes less ash without going to a lump.

Dave


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## smokinrossi's (Jun 14, 2010)

I only use lump charcoal usually "cowboy" brand little more expensive but very reliable in all weather conditions.


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## controlfade (Jun 14, 2010)

I use a brand called Wicked Good Charcoal it's a very dense lump that burns a long time . It's a little costly at $23 a bag but by far the best lump I have ever used.


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## bob1961 (Jun 14, 2010)

i use the regular kingsford that home depot carries with two 20 pound bags for 16 bucks..........bob

....


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## ak1 (Jun 14, 2010)

I use Basques lump charcoal. It's made from Sugar maple. Occasionally I'll use Maple Leaf which is a mix of Maple Birch and Beech, but I find that the bits can be rather small at times.


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## ricky b (Jun 16, 2010)

I use Ozard Oak that is made right here in Arkansas. I thing I pay 3.99 for 10lb sack. I use it for my green egg. On the big smoker back home I use good season oak with a burn barrel. Rick


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## smoke 2 geaux (Jun 16, 2010)

Royal Oak Lump - red bag


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## coffee_junkie (Jun 16, 2010)

Smoke 2 Geaux said:


> Royal Oak Lump - red bag


+1, I also use Kingsford Comp, I have better luck with the Royal Oak, less ash and burns longer in my UDS


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## silverwolf636 (Jun 16, 2010)

I'm a Malli's Lump Charcoal kinda person myself. It burns hot and long. I hardly ever find any foreign objects in it then it was a stone or two.

--ray--

(0||||0)


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## mballi3011 (Jun 16, 2010)

Propane out the white bottle.


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## timberjet (Jun 16, 2010)

I use A large coffee can in my gas converted ecb with the opening covered in foil with A few holes poked in it. I end up with perfect charcoal lump, usually apple in my neck of the woods. After A few smokes I have enough for the weber. It is the best coal I have ever used and creates very little ash.


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## tnbarbq (Jun 16, 2010)

I use Best Choice lump, which is made by RO.  Have also used Kroger lump.  Don't know who makes it but it's ok.  I avoid briquets due to the amount of ash produced.


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## meateater (Jun 16, 2010)

Right now it's RO or Blue bag for me, whatever is on sale. I tried the Brigford Comp and it's good and hot but expensive. I don't care about ash production I just sweep out my UDS before the next batch of smoked goodness.


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## richoso1 (Jun 16, 2010)

UGABOZ said:


> what coals have the least amount of ash


RO lump (American made) has produced the least amount of ash so far in my experience..


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## fliptetlow (Jun 20, 2010)

Royal Oak Lump for everything.


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## tom37 (Jun 20, 2010)

Kingsford charwood Lump and K blue bag as well

I like the lump in the UDS, as stated above there is very little ash vs burn time.


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## corn cob (Jun 20, 2010)

ricky b said:


> I use Ozard Oak that is made right here in Arkansas. I thing I pay 3.99 for 10lb sack. I use it for my green egg. On the big smoker back home I use good season oak with a burn barrel. Rick


I used Ozark Oak for years...Was buying 25-50 bags at a time from a friend through Affiliated Grocery..but they went belly up...and I can't find a local supplier, plus I think they have cut back on production due to the economy. It was/is a very uniform clean burning charcoal.....


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## Bearcarver (Jun 20, 2010)

mballi3011 said:


> Propane out the white bottle.


LOL----Good one Mark!

I prefer the electric out of the front porch GFI outlet.

Bearcarver


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## gtbrewer (Jun 20, 2010)

This is actually two questions wrapped up into one ... two variables, one problem.

When I bought my ECB last week, I bought a bag of the Kingsford charcoal briquettes with hickory in them.  I also bought a small bag of the regular Kingsford to use while curing the smoker.  For curing the smoker, I just filled the charcoal pan with the plain charcoal, added lighter fluid (yeah, I know...I'll be getting a chimney lighter when I get next month's disability deposit), and lit it, waiting 30 minutes before closing the vent and covering it with the lid.  The coals burned well, and looked like they were ready to burn on for many more hours.  I did not use the water pan, per the instructions.  The ECB's excuse for a thermometer was well into the HOT zone ... not good.

When I did my first (after a few years dealing with cancer, including chemo, triple brain surgery, and radiation wiped most of my smoker knowledge right out of my brain) barbecue (beef spareribs and a roasting chicken), I used a lot less charcoal, thinking that would help

with the temperature.  I DID get 225 deg. F on the first pass, but did not realize, at the time, that it was the water pan keeping the temps

down.  After the coals were nice and gray, I added more dry coals (fire looked TOO low) to bring it up to about half.  The fire kept it at

about 225F for about 4 hours, then the temps started to drop.  I added more charcoal, but there was no fire left to light it.

So here are the questions:

1) Does using more or less charcoal affect the temperature?  Or is it just the water pan keeping the temps down in the perfect 220--225F range?

2) Does using more or les charcoal affect how fast it burns down?  Or was that more related to the TYPE of charcoal (i.e., plain vs mix of charcoal and hickory)?

3) Should I even use the charcoal/hickory mix anymore?  Or should I just save that for the hamburgers?  :-)

Thanks,

   --jim


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