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The BEST charcoal ?

I am going thru charcoal really fast is the (Green Egg Charcoal) the best one to use I would love to find bigger chunks so I wouldn't have to use soooo much
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Comments

  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
    In my experience the best charcoal is something that is available relatively locally, produced in smaller batches then most of the nationally available brands.  Wicked Good is very popular on the board, however I have yet to use it. 
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
  • flemster
    flemster Posts: 269
    I have not shopped around. I use the BGE charcoal. I bought Cowboy Lump once and was not impressed (rocks in it, looked like scrap lumber from a job site), but perhaps I had one bad bag. My BGE dealer is closer than Ace or Wal Mart for me.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Keywords: Gator, Nashvegas, LBGE, Looftlighter, Thermapen in Racing Green (faster than the red one!), PSWOO2, Spider with CI, IQ120
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,168

    Charcoal consumption is a function of the energy generating ability of the lump (or any other source) and how you use it-hot&fast or low& slow or anything in the mix. Many have side features, low sparks, ease of lighting etc that is of value to the consumer.  I won't buy from WW (personal crusade) but at the end of the day you are burning carbon so experiment and get comfortable with wherever you land.  FWIW-

    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
  • jccbone62
    jccbone62 Posts: 248
    I started out using only the BGE brand and recently tried the RO brand from walmart.  So far I've noticed that it burns slower, no different in smell and have more left over after all types of cooks.  So far it seems to be a better bargain.  I will try another brand down the line for comparison.
    XL owner in Wichita, KS
  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
    edited March 2013
    Cowboy is junk... just my opinion. I dislike going wally world as well @lousubcap, but unfortunately it is the only place around me that has Royal Oak standard.  Sometime in the next couple of weeks Menard's typically puts a version of Royal Oak on sale for 3.99 a 10 pound, now probably a 8.8 pound bag, when they do that I will buy at least 10 more often 20 bags. I just can't afford buying BGE charcoal at 22-25 bucks for a 20 pound bag when Royal Oak is available for 6 bucks or on sale 4 bucks,  for 9 pounds.
    :D
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
  • Tjcoley
    Tjcoley Posts: 3,551
    Bigger is not always better. I use a lot of Wicked Good, and always find a good amount of huge pieces. I break them down to about fist sized. No real need for any larger pieces.
    __________________________________________
    It's not a science, it's an art. And it's flawed.
    - Camp Hill, PA
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    The majority of coals are same lump different bag.  Royal Oak is a huge maker of charcoal and there are quiet a few different lumps with different names on them but made by RO.  I buy the 8 lbs bags of RO at wally world, its easy, its cheap, its reliable and so far consistent.  

    RO makes the BGE lump


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • tnbarbq
    tnbarbq Posts: 248
    You just had to ask..... :-O
    I use Best Choice, made by RO.  Actually RO makes so many "brands" they are hard to avoid.  But I like it.  I get fairly long cooks out of it and it is not too smokey.  I've tried Cowboy but didn't like it.  
    Scooter 
    Mid TN. Hangin' in the 'Boro. MIM Judge
  • tech284
    tech284 Posts: 34
    Okay thank god I'm not the only one out here , I knew good lump charcoal shouldn't cost 26.00 for 20 lbs. I found you can get 2 20 lbs bags of wicked good lump for 27.00 (SOLD)
  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
    @tech284 where did you find that at?
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
  • tech284
    tech284 Posts: 34
    wickedgoodcharcoal.com
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    how much is that shipping?? its killer to mississippi


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • jfarley
    jfarley Posts: 145
    I've only used the BGE brand and the Kroger brand from Ralph's. I've found the Kroger brand to work as well as the BGE at a lower cost.
    LBGE - July 2012
    Valencia, CA
  • Crispix49
    Crispix49 Posts: 191
    When you boil it all down, the type/brand of lump make very little difference in the grand scheme of things.  Sure, some burn a little hotter or longer marginally, but there is not a tremendous amount of difference IMHO...
    Atlanta suburbs
    Large & Mini owner
    UGA Alum - Go Dawgs!
  • tech284
    tech284 Posts: 34
    It's less than $4.00 to ship to me I'm in GA.
  • cortguitarman
    cortguitarman Posts: 2,061
    Humphrey
    Mark Annville, PA
  • Deckhand
    Deckhand Posts: 318
    Ozark Oak is popular... with those who can get it.
  • Wicked Good I found not only burns as well as BGE but a 32lb bag is priced same as 30lb BGE bag
    Charlotte, nc
  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
    Nature Glo. "Highly Recommended" on naked whiz site. Good stuff
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
  • Charlie tuna
    Charlie tuna Posts: 2,191

    This is a toss up like the "Ford - Chevy" arguement, or "what came first, the chicken or the egg"!  As you read "over and over" here about the "ya's and nay's" of lump charcoal brands, a few things enter into the picture.  There are limited supplies of certain brands in different areas of our country.  And Green Egg brand is probably the highest priced, but most consistant.  I have tried at least eight different brands, and a few of them were MUCH different than what i consider "standard".  And some brands i found inconsitant in their product.  Another problem with lump charcoal is year round availability causing consumers to "stockpile" it!!  For me it boils down to BGE and RO.  I'll have trained my local Walmart to maintain their stock of RO thru the Christmas holidays.  And RO will have some sparking, and some bags that are full of small pieces or large pieces -- but i'll take it over the $25.00 a bag of BGE lump.  Basically, it cost me about two bucks "a cook" using RO, and three bucks using BGE.  I'll take the RO..  

     

  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    tech284 said:

    It's less than $4.00 to ship to me I'm in GA.

    Damn dude. What scam do you have going with them? I presume they don't ship from Maine but shipping for me is 23 bucks for the same amount to Maryland.
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    I know @eggcelsior

    Shipping to MS is 50$ just for 2-3 bags


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • Plano_JJ
    Plano_JJ Posts: 448
    Deckhand said:
    Ozark Oak is popular... with those who can get it.
    This is my favorite, 2nd would be the BGE. I have been a little disappointed lately with the Ozark Oak. It seems like every bag I get, someone has beat it with a hammer. I dont know if this happens in shipping or if my dealer is doing this when they stack it. The BGE has hands down the biggest chunks I have seen so far.
  • Plano_JJ
    Plano_JJ Posts: 448
    The majority of coals are same lump different bag.  Royal Oak is a huge maker of charcoal and there are quiet a few different lumps with different names on them but made by RO.  I buy the 8 lbs bags of RO at wally world, its easy, its cheap, its reliable and so far consistent.  

    RO makes the BGE lump
    You dont happen to have a pic of the bag do you? I might try it if the local Wal Marts has it. Last time I looked at their charcoal, it was just briquettes.
  • Alton
    Alton Posts: 509
    Deckhand said:
    Ozark Oak is popular... with those who can get it.

    Deckhand said:
    Ozark Oak is popular... with those who can get it.

    I agree, it's very readily available. But I want to try some WW
    PROUD MEMBER OF THE WHO DAT NATION!!!!! Stuck in Dallas.......
  • GK59
    GK59 Posts: 501

    I've been using Wicked good. I have my local Ace bring it in for me. Had ordered enough over the past year they decided to start having it on the shelf to see how it sells to the Cowboy they had. Got my neighbor who uses a Weber now using it. About $20.

    It' the Ace in Essexville,MI

    Smitty's Kid's BBQ

    Bay City,MI

  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    By far the best I've used is Ozark.
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    RO in Canada is marketed as Star Grill in a blue bag. I'm close to the border and have brought some RO from a Washington state WallyWorld home, not much if any difference I could see, other than the large 8 Kg bags are a better mix than the smaller 4 Kg bags.
    I did have two 10# bags of RO dust and stones from a BC WallyWorld, never been back.


    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • So far I have tried wicked, bge, royal oak, and cowboy. Out of those I have to say wicked ww has been the best. BGE seems to burn really fast. Cowboy sucked. Dont like seeing old fooring as my wood.
  • scooter759
    scooter759 Posts: 257
    My everyday stuff is Menard's Royal oak in the green bag. IMO it is more consistent than the orange bags at WW. WGWW for butts and briskets.
    Extra Large, 2 Large, Medium, Mini Max, Weber Summit gasser, Weber Q. Mankato, MN