used lump vs. new

stevesails · May 2011

I did ribs yesterday and it took 30 minutes for it to get to 275 and then another 30 for clear smoke. I cooked a couple burgers for lunch today, shut it down and did chicken for dinner. all on the same lump. the temp got up to 350-400 degrees and even approaching 500 very quickly. as in 10 minutes or less.

is this consistant with used lump vs new?

wondering if I should always add new lump and stir it up to get the temp up to cooking temp faster and less white smoke (shorter time put on the meat)

an interesting observation.

Austin Egger · May 2011

I always like to just re-lite the old lump because as you stated, it takes a lot less time to cook because it tends not to burn the white smoke as much. If I have enough in my fire box to complete a cook then I don't add any to it. B) I think my favorite part about using the already burnt lump is the fact that it doesn't hardly pop when I'm lighting it with my weed burner, unlike when it is fresh.

RU Eggsperienced · May 2011

Used Lump is awesome!

PFSmith · May 2011

I had a problem recently with new charcoal taking a long time to come up to temp and clear smoke, with no problems when I reused it. I thought maybe it was the charcoal - some brands are just harder to light than others. I finally came to the conclusion that I had been working with damp charcoal - a bag that got left out overnight or in a short shower.

Could be, maybe, what you're experiencing.

Pat

PhilsGrill · May 2011

Used lump sucks, it's all ash! :whistle:

icemncmth · May 2011

Carbon is carbon..

Shiff · May 2011

It is very likely that your fire grate holes were plugged during your first cook. I always use a wiggle rod before lighting to make sure the holes are clear. I use it again during a cook if the temperature doesn't rise quickly enough.

You can make or buy one - see:

http://thirdeyebbq.com/WiggleRods.aspx

stike · May 2011

i don't see much difference between old and new lunp, but i always top off the old with a little new, just so that the egg is pretty much always full to about the same level, and so that everything's pretty typical from cook to cook.

new lump lights faster and gets to a higher temp faster, but then you stand around drumming fingers waiting for the VOCs to burn off.

the old lump lights maybe a bit less slowly, but is good to go without waiting for the foul smoke to clear.

i don't keep track, because so many other things affect cook time (like, prep, beer consumption, jawing with guests), it feels like six of one and half a dozen of another

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used lump vs. new

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