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100% Hardwood briquettes from Trader Joe's

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gtk10583
gtk10583 Posts: 77
edited July 2012 in EggHead Forum
Anyone ever tried the hardwood charcoal briquettes from Trader Joe's?  They claim these brickett's contain only 2 ingredients:  100% hardwood charcoal and corn syrup (I think) as a binding agent.  Package claims "very low ash" and "longer lasting burn" than regular briquettes.
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  • Buckdodger
    Buckdodger Posts: 957
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    Have seen several threads asking about using briquettes in the BGE, not a single positive response. Have never heard of the brand you ask about. For my money...Royal Oak lump from wally world. The size of the lump differs from bag to bag but it is all usable. 

    Opelika, Alabama
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  • mrjwhit
    mrjwhit Posts: 83
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    I was tempted by the size of the bag and the price, but the word briquettes scared me away. I'd like to hear what others have to say. 
    Large BGE as of Father's day '12 http://www.jwhit.com
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  • ccpoulin1
    ccpoulin1 Posts: 390
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    I think your gt already gave you the right answer.....don't do it!

    "You are who you are when nobody is looking"

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  • Baysidebob
    Baysidebob Posts: 489
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    The other night I almost fired up "competition" briquettes on the BGE but I was too drunk to open the bag.
    My actuary says I'm dead.
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    edited July 2012
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    likely cornstarch, not syrup, as the binder. 

    people are convinced that all briquettes have nothing but evil inside them.  other than the ones that are impregnated with fuel, the rest are charcoal and binders (like cornstarch) to keep them together.

    the issue with briquettes isn't nefarious chemicals, it's that they are designed to burn at a fixed rate in an open (oxygen rich) environment.  means you can light a mound of them, and have them in an open grill without them taking off and rocketing to a bajillion degrees.  if you want a hotter fire, you add briquettes, not more oxygen.

    you don't need that in an egg, because you can control the fire. hotter fire? just add air.

    their downside in an egg is also the tremendous amount of ash, due to the amount of binder in them.

    a 20 pound bag of lump is 20 pounds of carbon.  a 20 pound bag of briquettes is less than that.  so you get less fuel, more ash, and a 'benefit' (fixed-rate burn) that doesn't  do anything for you in an egg.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • ccpoulin1
    ccpoulin1 Posts: 390
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    I MEANT GUT.....SORRY!

    "You are who you are when nobody is looking"

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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,967
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    The other night I almost fired up "competition" briquettes on the BGE but I was too drunk to open the bag.
    Now that is drunk.

    Looks like I have to add "party with BaysideBob" to my bucket list


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • mrjwhit
    mrjwhit Posts: 83
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    Leave it to Stike to bring the knowledge. I "knew" something wasn't right about briquettes, but you made it clear was day. Thanks for that. 
    Large BGE as of Father's day '12 http://www.jwhit.com
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  • Phoenix824
    Phoenix824 Posts: 243
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    Always and I mean always listen to stike.     Listen to Cen-Tex 90% of the time the other 10 he is drunk.   Now you just have to figure out when the 10% is
    Steve Van Wert, Ohio XL BGE
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,967
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    Always and I mean always listen to stike.     Listen to Cen-Tex 90% of the time the other 10 he is drunk.   Now you just have to figure out when the 10% is

    I can't beleive you would sell me short like that. I am drunk WAY more than 10% of the time. I don't have to take thsi sh*t frtom anyone. 10%.....what a joke
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • Phoenix824
    Phoenix824 Posts: 243
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    I can't beleive you would sell me short like that. I am drunk WAY more than 10% of the time. I don't have to take thsi sh*t frtom anyone. 10%.....what a joke

    My appologies sir,   I did not mean to sell you short.........
    Steve Van Wert, Ohio XL BGE
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,967
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    I can't beleive you would sell me short like that. I am drunk WAY more than 10% of the time. I don't have to take thsi sh*t frtom anyone. 10%.....what a joke

    My appologies sir,   I did not mean to sell you short.........

    apology accepted
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • Baysidebob
    Baysidebob Posts: 489
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    I can't beleive you would sell me short like that. I am drunk WAY more than 10% of the time. I don't have to take thsi sh*t frtom anyone. 10%.....what a joke

    10%?  That's way less than three hours a day.  Who could live like that?  It takes at least that much to allow the creative grilling juices to flow.
    My actuary says I'm dead.
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    percentages are correct.  categories are reversed though
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,967
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    percentages are correct.  categories are reversed though

    et tu, Stike? What does a guy have to do to get respect for his drinking habits around here? Getting warmer though :)
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • berndcrisp
    berndcrisp Posts: 1,166
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    I bought two bags of their briquette,
    NEVER AGAIN!!

    This my first post here, so I am a newbie to the forum. Have had my egg table nested for 9 months and can't get all I would like to out pf it due to work schedule. LOVE all I've done on it. Even the flub-ups!
    The Bern
    Hood Stars, Wrist Crowns and Obsession Dobs!


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