# Royal Oak - Red Bag



## herkysprings (May 7, 2010)

So I finally saw some Royal Oak Charcoal in Walmart last week. Normally all I can get is Cowboy Lump or King's bricks.

Is this the good stuff? If so I may need to stock up, so I can mix it up with Kings.


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## silverwolf636 (May 7, 2010)

Here ya go Herky. Check out this site:
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumpindexpage.htm?bag
It's a good site if you are unsure. 

--ray--
(0||||0)


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## herkysprings (May 7, 2010)

Perfect! Apparently I will need to stock up, if this is a seasonal item!


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## jirodriguez (May 7, 2010)

Yup! Good stuff if you can get it! Here is OR it is very hit or miss....


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## herkysprings (May 7, 2010)

Yeah this is the first time I've seen it in the Walmart in Eugene. I'm going to have to ask them to notify me when they are going to stop stocking it!


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## rickw (May 8, 2010)

Get all ya can, good stuff.


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## silverhawx (May 8, 2010)

I got my first bag today. Can't wait to try it.


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## chisoxjim (May 8, 2010)

the RO is pretty much all i use.  my Super Walmart pretty much always has it though i prefer to buy the 17.6 lb. bags @ Restaurant depot for $8 when i can.


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## chicagochris (May 8, 2010)

Love this stuff, but it looks like the WalMart in Niles might be phasing it out.  Stopped in last weekend to stock up, and none was on the sales floor.  I found about half a pallet hidden by the potting soil and fertilizer.   Looks like I will have to find a new source.   I like buying the 40 lb. bags at Berger Bros, but they have such limited hours it is hard for me to get down there with my current work schedule.  The Menards by me doesn't sell the red bag lump (at least last summer); they only carry the green bags, which I did not like as much.


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## chisoxjim (May 8, 2010)

ive heard good things about Berger Bros.  thought they are a little far for me to go simply to source lump.  maybe Ill pay a visit on a day when i am heading down to Peoria Meatpacking, and the meat district.


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## twomill (May 8, 2010)

Now you have me worrying, I have always been able to get it at Wallyworld here.  I usually buy several bags at a time so it dont have to make multiple trips.  I wonder if I was just getting lucky?


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## dirtman775 (May 8, 2010)

The absolute best charcoal....long burn times.


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## herkysprings (May 8, 2010)

I think its just a Pacific north west thing. They dont stock it during what everyone else considers "off" season. I was jsut excited to see it here.

If you get it normally it shouldnt be an issue. I just couldnt find Royal Oak between say... Oct - March :D


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## caveman (May 8, 2010)

Do you have a Lowe's up there?  I know they stock some lump.  Might be worth a look.


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## pandemonium (May 8, 2010)

well im confused now, it shows three different kind of royal oak and two have a crappy burn time and one is excellent , how do you tell which is what at the store will it say the country of origin on it?


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## pandemonium (May 8, 2010)

ok i see the pics of the upc codes i guess i would have to write it down to see which kind my store has


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## dick foster (May 8, 2010)

I think the country of origin is printed on the bag somewhere. You want the good ole USA stuff and that's all you want.

It's way better than Cowboy which is chock full of little bitty pieces of stuff. 
Cowboy is OK for preheating the smoker I guess and I suppose it's better than briquettes in a pinch. IMHO almost anything is better than char*COAL* briquettes except for maybe gas or lectricity.


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## mrblack947 (May 8, 2010)

I have been getting RO lump for about 3 months at our local wally world. It says made in USA. 

I like the way it burns and the minimal amount of ash for the amount burned is nice. It produces a nice flavor as well. 

It will be interesting to see if it is always the USA RO. To the best of my knowledge it has always been available there. Not a seasonal thing or run short.


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## jirodriguez (May 8, 2010)

I did find the mesquite Royal Oak briquets and the Royal Oak lump at Bi-Mart here in Oreogon.... and according to the guy I asked at the store they carry it year round. Hope that is the case, then we can at least get the RO lump year round.


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## silverwolf636 (May 9, 2010)

If you all get a chance, try Mali's.  I've been using that for a couple of years now and really like it. 

--ray--
(0||||0)


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## meateater (May 9, 2010)

I use to get RO at Kmart very cheap. Now they don't carry any charcoal at all. "confused"


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## outlaw44 (May 9, 2010)

Anyone know the best place to pick up RO around Kansas City?  I looked at my nearest super wally world yesterday actually and the only brand of charcoal I saw was Kingsford.  They did have 47 different variations/flavors, but I did not see any RO or lump at all.


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## ak1 (May 9, 2010)

Funny, here in my part of Canada, RO is everywhere.


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## 5lakes (May 9, 2010)

I just went to our Waly World. The RO there is Made in USA. They have it year round. 

I've tried it in the past with my Char Griller offset, but it never seems to bring it up to temp and doesn't last long. I really want to get it to work, though and am not giving up on it. I use it just like charcoal. Fill the basket, light some in the chimney, put the lit stuff on top. 

Is this wrong? Any help on it would be greatly appreciated.


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## rickw (May 9, 2010)

Try throwing on some wood splits every so often.


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## dick foster (May 9, 2010)

The cheapo offset I had was worthless for pretty much anything until I took it apart and did some fairly extensive modificatons to it. Mainly I added some sheet metal to give it some thickness and thermal mass to hold the heat in and moved the stack from the top to the side so the exit is at grill level. I also added the usual deflector plate and put some foil wrapped fire bricks in the bottom of the cooking chamber as tuning plates. The brick adds thermal mass too. It gets up to and holds temp with no problem now. 
Oh yes, I also built my own closed loop, digitally controlled, stoker fan. You can buy those if you're not the handy type. The stoker helps maintain a constant target temp without too much fuss, muss and constant tending and fiddling around with dampers and such on your part. The stick burning purist on here po po those but I'm a retired engineer and simply couldn't help myself and it hardly cost me anything. Maybe 40 or 50 bucks. Compared to the cost of meat that could get ruined, that's pretty cheap insurance in my book.


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## jdt (May 10, 2010)

You can go directly to the source! Walk around the building some and peak in the warehouse doors, you'll see whole pallets of RO red bag ready to be loaded onto trucks. They have a generic brand they sell to the public as well as wood chunks last time we were through there in 2007, 40lbs $11, you go up to a little window and order(cash or check only) and a guy will load it into your car for you(don't forget to tip).  

Berger Brothers Charcoal
1176 N Cherry Ave
Chicago, IL 60622


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## chicagochris (May 10, 2010)

The 40 lb. bags of lump at Berger Brothers are currently going for around $20.00.


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## smoke 2 geaux (May 10, 2010)

+1 on the R.O. lump.  I started using it when I sent girlfriends daughter to the store for some charcoal in an emergency.  She brought back the RO and I have been hooked ever since.  It's easy to get in South La. even the grocery stores have it.


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## hdsmoke (May 10, 2010)

My Walmart has had it since i started smoking...but they didnt get a new shipment this spring.  There new display is all briqs, and the remaining RO is in the outside (under tent thing) with the flowers/potting soil and stuff...been debating on buying the rest of it!  Im fearing they "deleted" it.  Seems like they do that to a lot of stuff that i buy!  Of course i think i was the ONLY person buying it all summer last year.


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## placebo (May 10, 2010)

I just got the last bag from my local wally world.
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






 I hope they re-stock soon!


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## chicagochris (May 10, 2010)

Same here.  A couple weeks ago it was half a pallet, but yesterday there was a full pallet there.   Otherwise, it is wall to wall Kingsford.


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## chisoxjim (May 10, 2010)

not bad,  about $.50/lb.

RD's works out to $.45/lb.


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## rickw (May 10, 2010)

GFS also has lump that is made by RO.


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## ncdodave (May 10, 2010)

Herky,
Im now down in medford and they carry it regularly. Back in february I bought 6 bags when i was in eugene
in april the super walmart in k falls had it in stock right now im burning hazel nut tree trimmings from the orchards in spfld


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## ak1 (May 28, 2010)

All the RO here is in a blue bag.


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## dick foster (May 28, 2010)

I went to one of the local Wall Marts yesterday and they were out. I'm down to a bag and a dribble and have just enough to get though the weekend. I sure hope one of the other local stores has it or they get it back in stock soon. Damn flakey buyers and inventory managers droppin the ball like like that. I don't what to have to resort to Cowboy again.


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## rickw (May 28, 2010)

AK1 said:


> All the RO here is in a blue bag.


 Royal Oak in a blue bag?


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## dick foster (May 29, 2010)

Red bag and check to see that the country of origin is the USA and not some other place. I think the blue bag is Asia or something.

Even the red bags can be from South America so you have to really look at the bag, not simply choose by the color of the bag alone.

This site has the whole story on lump charcoal. Most folks here who use lump go there to learn all about it.  http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lump.htm


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## pakak (Jun 3, 2010)

i know all smokers are different i havent try smoking all night yet. how long would a whole bag burn for?


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## dick foster (Jun 3, 2010)

That is going to depend entirely on your smoker concerning factors such as its size and its thermal efficiency and what temp you set for cooking. Even the weather enters into it.  Essentially there is no way for anyone here to give you an honest answer to that question unless they have a smoker like yours, the weather conditions are similar and you use the same temps. Only then you can be in the same ballpark or the same church if still not the same pew.


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## ncdodave (Jun 29, 2010)

Herky,

I just bought 10 bags from the Walmart in Medford. The manager told me 2 pallets are coming in next week.


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## ak1 (Jun 29, 2010)

RickW said:


> Royal Oak in a blue bag?


In Canada anyway. Red bag is briquettes.


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## hdsmoke (Jun 29, 2010)

Quote:


AK1 said:


> In Canada anyway. Red bag is briquettes.


We have both Lump and Briq in Red Bags around here...at Walmart its Lump, but Menards red bag RO was briqs and Green Bag RO was lump.  I bought 5 bags of the green stuff and will be putting it to use this weekend.  I normally use Red Bag...so i will see how it compares.


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## dick foster (Jun 30, 2010)

Listen folks, this ain't rocket science.

We're talkin bout Royal Oak lump charcoal, not briquettes or anything else. Not in any other color bag or made anywhere else but the USA.

The made in the USA Royal Oak lump charcoal comes in a red bag and it says that it is "Made In The USA" right on the back of the bag under the yellow patch in black ink on red and in fairly bold letters. You will not need your reading glasses to see it.

You have to stuff that comes in a red bag, one that says that it is 100% Natual Wood Charcoal in a few places on the bag both front and back and also has "Made In The USA" printed on the bag and the brand again is Royal Oak.

This is the good stuff, the only good stuff and the stuff that eveyone is talking about. Find it, buy it and stock up if you have to. It's the real deal and worth it. 

I don't care what else you may have, what color the bag is, where you are or who may have made it, it is not the stuff that we are talking about unless it meets all the critera above.

If you have Royal Oak briquettes, the word briquettes will appear on the bag regardless of color.  If it does, put it back on the shelf cause it ain't the stuff we're talkin bout.

Here it is again. Now repeat after me.

1. Royal Oak,

2. Red Bag,

3. 100% Natural Wood Charcoal (their term for what we call lump)

4. Made In The USA

Now that wasn't really all that hard, now was it?

From what the web site says, their lump in other color bags is made in other countries out of other kinds of wood species that is available in those countries. As such it does not have the same flavor etc. as the hardwoods found here.

My guess is that the lumps are probably also smaller due to the extra shipping and handling involved from the longer transportation distances involved.


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## meateater (Jun 30, 2010)

meateater said:


> I use to get RO at Kmart very cheap. Now they don't carry any charcoal at all. "confused"


UPDATE. Kmart in my area now has the RO Charcoal back in stock. I'm a happy camper and gonna stock up before they change there mind again.


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## bob1961 (Jun 30, 2010)

ok wallyworld has this RO 100% lump in PA....does it burn hotter then kings blue bag regular briquets....i've read bout RO being the best and gonna stock up....right now i use the home depot two 20# bags for 16 buck deal of the kingsford charcol.............bob

....


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## dick foster (Jul 1, 2010)

One of my local Wally Worlds ran out too and I almost ran out. A scary thought. It was a good thing that another local Wal-Mart had it. I got four bags. Maybe I should have got more but I have a space issue to deal with. 

I know of one other place to get it local but he is only open on the weekends and his prices are kinda steep as he is a BGE outlet too. That's kinda like buying the oil for changing the oil in your Chevy from a Ferrari dealership.


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