Where do you get your lumps

R3K

Hello.  My name is Robby, and I am an Egghead (said in the voice of someone at their first AA meeting)!  I'm brand spanking new to this BGE movement and I'm looking forward to learning from all the different Egghead Jedi's on these forums.  I warn you up front though, I'm GONNA have questions!!!  That being said, let's get down to it.  Where do you guys get your lump charcoal from, and do you stick with the BGE brand or do you use something different because it's cheaper or more flavorful?  The local place here in Las Vegas wants $33 (plus tax) for a 20lb bag.  Maybe I'm over doing it, but I've gone through half a bag already on just 4 cooks, and none of them were a slow and low.  I've only had my Egg for 2 weeks now, so it's entirely possible I'm wasting lump as I attempt to master the BGE learning curve.  Any and all suggestions are welcomed, and thanks in advance!!!

JohnInCarolina

I go with Wicked Good Weekend Warrior. It's usually a little more than $20 for a 20lb bag. Works just as well as the BGE brand, IMO, and not as expensive. My local hardware store sells it, and maybe Ace too.

bud812

Welcome. I use RO red bag from wally mart, just as good as BGE lump. I think last time I got a bunch it was $5.00 a bag. 8.8 lbs. Now grab a beer or 6 & go to it.

CAT Seller

Royal Oak hardwood lump here in the red bag. 17.6 lbs for $9.99 at Resturant Depot.

Kosko

All I use is royal oak red bag. I stocked up last spring when wal-mart had there sale at $9.99 for a 17.7 lb bag. I wish I could get my hands on some ozark oak though!

Fred19Flintstone

I get them from Bugs Bunny. 

 

Sometimes I make them myself.

 

Eggcelsior

I use Royal Oak from Wegmans and Rockwood. Royal Oak makes BGE's lump.

SmokinTiger81

It is fairly well known that BGE lump is made by Royal Oak.  The Royal Oak in the red bag at Walmart or Tractor Supply is usually the cheapest--unless you have a restaurant depot where you are--those who buy there quote some good prices.  While you might want to try something different down the road for a lo/slo, for starting out I would just stick with RO--no need to create too many different variables.  I pretty much just use RO with different wood chunks when I want more smoke flavor.  Good luck and welcome.

yzzi

Publix. Same price as RO but I like it much better--last much longer, better size pieces, smells good. For low/slow I've been using Wicked Good Weekend Warrior. Can't really find a place that carries it now, but I still have 2 bags left.

Tjcoley

Wegman's (RO) but they have stopped stocking in in Central PA. Good thing I stocked up and have 140 pounds in the shed, along with 70 pounds of ForrestLump. Both good. Also have a couple bags of WGWW left, so I'm good through Fall.

Acorn

I have Ace Hardware 2 miles from the house, they sell me BGE brand for $24.00 and seems to be very consistent.  I recently found RO red bag at restaurant depot (also 2 miles from the house) $8.99 for a 17.5lb bag so I stocked up. Get to know your egg and how it cooks, if you have lump left from a prior cook, just top it off for the quick cooks. Enjoy, this forum has been a great help to me and quite entertaining to boot.

Stay thirsty my friends……..

GreenhawK

I have been using B&B from Academy Sports.  I have had very good luck with it, and it's been about $12 a 20lb bag.  

onedbguru

don't just buy one bag at a time.  you will want to stock up for the winter as a lot of places only carry it during the summer/fall.  I have 16 bags and that may get me to Jan. We'll see. 

radamo

onedbguru said:

don't just buy one bag at a time.  you will want to stock up for the winter as a lot of places only carry it during the summer/fall.  I have 16 bags and that may get me to Jan. We'll see. 

Damn, I hadn't even considered that.  Will have to go stock up soon.

SmyrnaGA

I've only started using my LBGE in may and bought a few bags when it's on sale... Right now, I've got 3 17#RO, 2 20#BGE, 3 20#Cowboy, 11 34#Frontier, 5 20#Rockwood, and 1 28#Cowboy Gold.(600+# total?)

It's become an obsession. I still haven't decided which is my favorite... (I haven't tried the rockwood nor CB gold yet)

Frontier - bj's sale. 34# @$16.99 (ends 8/21)
RO - restaurant depot. 17# @$10 last weekend in ATL.
Cowboy from Ace.
Rockwood from group buy.
Cowboy Gold from BJs. 28# @24.99.

Big Ragu

I like the cowboy gold from BJ's for hight temp cooks. Lights fast, hot as hell and no ash. RO or frontier for slow n low.

R3K

Fred19Flintstone said:

I get them from Bugs Bunny. 

 

Sometimes I make them myself.

 

Nice.  They sure don't make em like these anymore. 

R3K

Awesome info fellas.  A few more questions (so far)

1.  So can I pretty much use ANY kind of lump charcoal?  Should I specifically look for "natural" hardwood lump?

2.  Why do some of you use one brand of lump for quick cooks and another for slo/lo cooks? 

dlk7

Check out the Naked Whiz's website for charcoal reviews.  Then get a couple of eggheads in your area to do a group buy of a pallet of Rockwood, Ozark Oak, or Dragon Breath.  You will never go back to Royal Oak.

Skiddymarker

I am a lump whore - have tried whatever is on sale. RO/Maple Leaf/Basques are the usual go tos but Cowboy, Duraflame, WGWW, BGE and Natures have all been used. 

Variety, the spice of life unless it is a real important cook. 

Tjcoley

In the end, all lump is Charcoal made by burning wood in the absence of oxygen, and lump charcoal is the product of that. There may be some fine differences, more sparking, more VOC's to burn off, size of the pieces, type of wood, but you can make it all work. Lots of personnel preferences but they all work. Find one you like and go with it. They all work. For the Hibachi I like Briquetes.

EggNorth

Costco - Buy one bag of Maple Leaf a week until it's gone in the fall - I think I'm at 14 bags in storage.   Skipped buying last week as all the bags where torn and looked liked they've been tossed around.

I use the same lump for short and long cooks, save the larger pieces for long cooks.

bettysnephew

R3K:

Are you anywhere near Chicago?  If so find Berger Bros. Charcoal and pick up Nature Glo in the 40 lb. bag for the price that most retailers sell a 20 lb.  Works very good and appears to be  a commercial version of RO used by restaurants.  If near St. Louis drop www.stlcharcoal.com a line.

Maizeandbrew18

Menard's in Michigan.  I buy Royal Oak there...$5.35 for a 8.8 lb bag, IIRC.

Maizeandbrew18

dlk7 said:

Check out the Naked Whiz's website for charcoal reviews.  Then get a couple of eggheads in your area to do a group buy of a pallet of Rockwood, Ozark Oak, or Dragon Breath.  You will never go back to Royal Oak.

I haven't tried those yet but I have tried a few other "highly recommended" brands of charcoal available here in Michigan and Royal Oak is hands down better than all of the others.  I think RO is undervalued - especially for the price.

dlk7

Maizeandbrew18 said:

show previous quotes

dlk7 said:

Check out the Naked Whiz's website for charcoal reviews.  Then get a couple of eggheads in your area to do a group buy of a pallet of Rockwood, Ozark Oak, or Dragon Breath.  You will never go back to Royal Oak.

I haven't tried those yet but I have tried a few other "highly recommended" brands of charcoal available here in Michigan and Royal Oak is hands down better than all of the others.  I think RO is undervalued - especially for the price.

Brings up many questions about what makes one lump better than another.  It depends on what characteristics of the lump are important to you - cost, taste, smokiness, amount of ash, ability to hold low and slow, ability to hit high temps quick, how long it lasts etc.  Since I cook every day on my eggs, I want a lump that will do all of those things really well so I don't have to use a different lump for different purposes or get inconsistant results.  Another way to help you determine which lump is better for you is to do side by side taste tests.  I've done most of my favorite recipes on two eggs at the same time with the different lumps.  Tasting the food side by side shows fairly large differences and for my taste buds, Rockwood, Ozark Oak, and Dragon Breath are the best for me.  I'm sure everyone's taste buds are different so you have to find what is best for you.

GreenhawK

R3K said:

Awesome info fellas.  A few more questions (so far)

1.  So can I pretty much use ANY kind of lump charcoal?  Should I specifically look for "natural" hardwood lump?

2.  Why do some of you use one brand of lump for quick cooks and another for slo/lo cooks? 

1) To my knowledge all lump charcoal should be natural hardwood lump.  I think it's probably just a labeling thing.  So yeah.  You should be able to burn any lump.  Just stay away from briquets.

2)  Different brands of lumps tend to have different burn characteristics.  Some burn hotter/faster, and some burn cooler and slower.  It can come from the specific type of wood that the companies use, or some geographical locations may tend to have a heavier wood.

That is part of the fun of playing with different brands.  They all will get what you want done, so don't get caught up in which lump for which cook.  That is something that will come to you over time.