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Lumpwood Charcoal Recommendations?

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Comments

  • Squeezy
    Squeezy Posts: 1,102
    I used nothing but BGE lump in the past. 
    Then my buddy David and his wife brought by some lump called Dragon Breath. 
    I have been using this ever since. It holds a great temp over long cooks and doesn't break the bank. 
    Locally, I can purchase for $15.99 a bag vice 25.00 for BGE. 
    It also has good reviews on Naked Whiz.  
    I bought one bag of Dragon's Breath and it sparks like the 4th of July, otherwise OK
    Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
  • I've been using the lump from GFS Market Place with good luck it runs about $12-13 a 20 lb bag. As a side note I've heard on the forum many times that BGE lump was from Royal Oak, but I've also heard 2 BGEreps say it was from Kingsford. Who knows? Ether way it's over priced.
  • BOWHUNR
    BOWHUNR Posts: 1,487
    I buy the Ozark Oak 12 bags at a time from Grillstuff and get the free shipping.  Here's a link. http://www.grillstuff.com/ozark-oak-natural-lump-charcoal-10lb.html?productid=4441

    Mike
    Omaha, NE

    I'm ashamed what I did for a Klondike Bar!!

    Omaha, NE
  • I'm in Wisconsin as well and I use the Grove Charcoal, and have been for years in my old Weber Kettle.  Come to think of it my father used it all the time as well, so I guess that's about 15-20 years of Grove.  Burns great, food tastes great! 

    However I will admit a small conflict of interest, The company is owned by the father of a friend of mine. So I may have a bit of a bias.  I believe all the charcoal is made in Canada now (blame the EPA and OSHA), but the company is located in Cedar Grove, about 40 minutes drive north of Milwaukee.

    Interesting about the Canada production, didn't know that.
    I called them in Cedar Grove about a year ago to see if they would give me a discount on a large quantity.  They said that their sales only goes through retailers.  Anyway, love the product and will continue to use it.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

  • I'm in Wisconsin as well and I use the Grove Charcoal, and have been for years in my old Weber Kettle.  Come to think of it my father used it all the time as well, so I guess that's about 15-20 years of Grove.  Burns great, food tastes great! 

    However I will admit a small conflict of interest, The company is owned by the father of a friend of mine. So I may have a bit of a bias.  I believe all the charcoal is made in Canada now (blame the EPA and OSHA), but the company is located in Cedar Grove, about 40 minutes drive north of Milwaukee.

    Interesting about the Canada production, didn't know that.
    I called them in Cedar Grove about a year ago to see if they would give me a discount on a large quantity.  They said that their sales only goes through retailers.  Anyway, love the product and will continue to use it.
    Score!!!  I saw this brand at a Piggly Wiggly in Pardeeville a couple months ago, and thought nothing of it.  Read up on it, and picked some up while driving to the farm last weekend.  This is great stuff!
    XL BGE - Large BGE - Small BGE - Traeger Lil' Tex Elite - Weber Smokey Joe
  • Go with OZARK OAK! It is the best lump Everrrrr...
  • Squeezy
    Squeezy Posts: 1,102

    Not available in Canada ... send me some OK?

    Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
  • I am very satisfied with ozark oak, get it online.  Nice size lumps, very little dust. Get it from grillstuff like bowhunr, 12 bags delivered to my door, free shipping.
  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053

    Grillstuff.com raised their price per bag to $10.95. My parents have a place in Northern Arkansas right by where it is made and they picked me some up on their way back to Florida and they said they are bigger than the 10lb bags I gave them and they were just over $4 a bag. When I run out I will still be tempted to buy 10 bags from grillstuff.com and get the free shipping as Ozark Oak is by far superior to Royal Oak. I never realized how many small pieces are in Royal Oak until I ran out of the Ozark. I will keep a bag of Royal Oak around for my mini.

  • Hmmm. I think the jury is still out on the Grove lump. Taste was great, but I had a hard time keeping it going for an 11lb butt this past weekend. It held 250 for at least 10 hours, but was almost extinguished by 6 a.m. All went well with the cook, but I thought this strange. I'll use it again, but will be weary about it for the next couple overnighters. There was ample lump remaining after 22 hours. Not sure what happened. Maybe it's time for a DigiQ.
    XL BGE - Large BGE - Small BGE - Traeger Lil' Tex Elite - Weber Smokey Joe
  • Hmmm. I think the jury is still out on the Grove lump. Taste was great, but I had a hard time keeping it going for an 11lb butt this past weekend. It held 250 for at least 10 hours, but was almost extinguished by 6 a.m. All went well with the cook, but I thought this strange. I'll use it again, but will be weary about it for the next couple overnighters. There was ample lump remaining after 22 hours. Not sure what happened. Maybe it's time for a DigiQ.
    I think you have a bad supplier or just got a bad bag.  I've gone through dozens of 20# bags of this stuff and haven't had any problems or found anything as good as this stuff yet.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

  • The bag was in good shape, with no sign of water damage.  Maybe it was just a fluke.  I really like that it's a local product, so I'll definitely use it again.  I'll just get up at an earlier hour for the next couple overnighters.  The stuff seams to last forever.  Only half of it was used after a 22 hour cook.  Do you know of any suppliers other than the pig in the Dane county or Green Lake county areas?
    XL BGE - Large BGE - Small BGE - Traeger Lil' Tex Elite - Weber Smokey Joe

  • Do you know of any suppliers other than the pig in the Dane county or Green Lake county areas?
    I live in Oshkosh.  I get mine from a local restaurant supply store.  $12.50 for 20 lb. bag.  Best price I've seen anywhere.  Sorry, can't help with Dane or Green Lake counties.

    Not sure why you're stuff went out.  It's never happened to me but I've heard quite a few people report over the years that sometime their fire simply goes out based on the way the charcoal burns down.  It was probably just a fluke thing.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

  • The egg is at the farmette, where I reside on weekends.  I'll take a
    look at the burn pattern when I return this weekend.  Seems like it was
    burning downward rather than outward if I remember correctly.  Kind of
    looked like a nest of charcoal when done.  I'll try an overnight cook
    again this weekend.  Got some friends to cook a butt for.  Figure I'll
    try to take it off the egg right before I head back to Middleton for the
    week.  I also made an accidental find of Grove Charcoal tonight while
    picking up some spirits for next week.  A local liquor store happens to
    sell it for $13-something per 20 lb bag, and the bags look to be in
    great shape.
    XL BGE - Large BGE - Small BGE - Traeger Lil' Tex Elite - Weber Smokey Joe
  • $13 something is not bad at all.  I've seen it 2-3 bucks higher than that at most places.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

  • divr71
    divr71 Posts: 82
    Has anybody tried lump from Trader Joes?
  • I personally like Mali's
    BGE'er since 1996 Large BGE 1996, Small BGE 1996, Mini BGE 1997
  • jerryp
    jerryp Posts: 232

    I like Royal Oak american. The stuff from south america isn't good at all.  Royal Oak is readily available if you have a walmart close by(and everybody does). It's also cheap.

     

  • The Grove lump worked perfectly this time around. Amazing how much lump is remaining after a 20-hour cook.
    XL BGE - Large BGE - Small BGE - Traeger Lil' Tex Elite - Weber Smokey Joe
  • The Grove lump worked perfectly this time around. Amazing how much lump is remaining after a 20-hour cook.
    Glad to hear.  The stuff is really good and long lasting.
    Packerland, Wisconsin

  • Grabbed 40 more pounds of Grove today, for about $26.00. That's only a couple more $ than one 20 lb bag of bge. It's good to be a sconnie these days.
    XL BGE - Large BGE - Small BGE - Traeger Lil' Tex Elite - Weber Smokey Joe
  • I live in Indiana, is there a website I can purchase Grove Lump Charcoal?
  • I live in Indiana, is there a website I can purchase Grove Lump Charcoal?
    Not that I know of.  I called the company a while back to see if I could get a deal on a pallet of the stuff.  They said they only sell to distributors.
    Packerland, Wisconsin