Charcoal Brands and Amounts

Roadkeel · April 2011

I am still trying to perfect my cooking skills on the BGE. I have had mine since Christmas and have cooked several chickens and 2 butts.

When I cook my butts they usually take around 18 hours and both have turned out very good. But the one problem I have had is my fire usually goes out with about 3 hours to go and I have to add charcoal and restart the fire. I have always used BGE charcoal. I am trying to maintain a cooking temp of 225 degrees.

Well yesterday I picked up a bag of the Wicked Good Weekend Warrior charcoal. As a test run I cooked some wings with the Warrior charcoal last night. First thing I noticed was the smoke smelled very different from BGE charcoal. The wings turned out great but the had a definite strong smokey taste to them and I did not include any wood chips.

So my 2 questions are:

1. Is this the norm when using Warrior charcoal? I have never noticed the strong smokey taste when using BGE charcoal, and the wife was not a fan of the smokey taste.

2. How much charcoal should go into the BGE when cooking for 18+ hours? I have only been filling to the top of the fire box? Should I go to the middle or top of the fire ring?

Have another butt going on tonight, so I am looking for suggestions.

Thanks

Shiff · April 2011

You should check out this web site for lots of info on various brands of charcoal:

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumpindexpage.htm?bag

I use Royal Oak (they also make BGE charcoal)as my main charcoal. I use Wicked Good when I am doing a long cook since it is more dense and lasts longer. There is also some Royal Oak left in the BGE when I refill with Wicked Good. I would say I normally use 2/3 Wicked Good and 1/3 Royal Oak.

I fill my BGE just over the bottom of the fire ring. On a low and slow cook, I have cooked for 27 hours without the charcoal being totally burned up.

I generally add some smoking wood like apple or hickory so I can't give you an opinion of the smell of Wicked Good by itself.

Wen you say your fire goes out, is there any charcoal left? If so, how many places do you light the charcoal. I generally light 3 or 4 places around a circle in the charcoal a few inches from the outside edge.

Do you let it burn for 20-30 minutes before putting the meat on? This gives the charcoal time to burn off the VOC (volatile organic compounds) which can add an acrid taste to your meat.

Roadkeel · April 2011

Thanks very much for the info. I may have not let the charcoal burn long enough last night before adding the wings. I really like the very large chunks that was in the bag.

When my fire goes out during long cooks there is very little charcoal left and what is left is scattered in the bottom of the fire box.

Also, like you, I like to use wood for smoke but so far have only been able to find wood chips. I am looking at ordering some Sugar Maple and Apple chunks.

The Naked Whiz · April 2011

Fill it almost to the top of the fire ring. You should never had to add charcoal for a butt cook.

Roadkeel · April 2011

Thanks for the info. I have not been starting the fire with enough charcoal. I thought that may have been the problem but I wanted an experienced answer.

jaydub58 · April 2011

I have only used Cowboy Brand lump. I haven't done longer than a 4-plus hour slow do on ribs, but certainly no problems with fire lasting or after-taste. Good stuff!

Shiff · April 2011

I only use wood chunks because I have found that the chips burn up too fast and don't give off much smoke.

I don't know where you are located, but I buy my chunks from Fred's BBQ and Music store in Shillington, PA (near Reading). I usually buy the brand shown at the web site below since they have a large selection of woods that are nice chunks without too much bark:

http://www.chuckssmokehouse.com/

Bobbareeno · April 2011

I've done many low and slow cooks and always fill to the top of the fire ring. I've never run out of charcoal, not even close. Even after a 16 hour cook I normally have over half my charcoal left in the egg. I have an XL....not sure if size makes a difference. Grill size that is!

Bob

NC-CDN · April 2011

You can always up your cooking temp to around 250. IF you are trying to get the meat up to 200, then at 225 give or take, this is going to just plain take longer. I still haven't seen wicked lump. Would love to try it. Royal oak and a few others is all I seem to be able to find.

Scotty's Inferno · April 2011

It looks like your questions have been answered, but I would like to suggest that you are probably cooking your butts at too low temps. Whatever you have been doing, add 25 degrees of temp next time and see how that works out for you. I have done butts in 9 hours and could not tell a difference in those that took 14 hours. Scott

hikingham · April 2014

did a turbo cook today two seven lb butts took six hours and they were GREAT.. filled with BGE charcoal to top of fire ring .. cooked at 350 injected with apple juice and apple cider vinegar... fed to ten guys . they all said it was awesome

Charcoal Brands and Amounts

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