Rocks? WTF?!?!

EggHeadinFlorida · April 2014

This is completely on unacceptable!
This entire pile came from one 20 pound bag of cowboy lump. I'm sure realistically I probably got 18 1/2 to 19 pounds of lump, rather than the 20 pounds that I actually pay for. Has anyone contacted any of these manufacturers with the same issues, if so what have they done about it?

NPHuskerFL · April 2014

@EggHeadinFlorida‌...my Malinois/ eggin friend this is unacceptable. Sadly it is pretty much par for the course with them. My last 6 20# bags from them each had what you have pictured + plastic, rubber and a couple of pieces of metal. After the 1st piece of plastic ruined a Spatchcock I started hand stacking (won't give them anymore of my business). I have been real happy with WGWW.
But, to be fair a rock here and there isn't completely unheard of. But, plastic or rubber :-q

EggHeadinFlorida · April 2014

I've had a few pieces of plastic and a rock every now and then but nothing like the crap you see in the picture!
I think I might email them to see what they have to say about this.

plumbfir01 · April 2014

Rocks and clay are common. I'd prefer those over non-organic objects like plastics

The Naked Whiz · April 2014

If you contact the manufacturer they will do nothing. Lump charcoal isn't a pretty business. Stuff happens. This bag does seem a bit excessive, though. They might send you a coupon, but they won't do anything about their process.

EggHeadinFlorida · April 2014

^^^
So refreshing to know I'll be wasting my time then lol.

The Naked Whiz · April 2014

I found a piece of plywood in a bag many many years ago. It took 3 emails to get a response, and their only response was send the piece to us. Probably so they could destroy the evidence, lol!

EggHeadinFlorida · April 2014

Now it makes me wonder why my local Lowe's store no longer carries cowboy lump!

Gator_Man · April 2014

I have found many a Moon Rocks over the last 8 years in Royal Oak!!! for me it's like a box of Crackerjacks a prize in every bag!!!! I only by Royal Oak, #1 can easily be found around the country, #2 price is reasonable, #3 it gets the job done....... I keep an eye out for impurity's (plastic, insulation, non carbonized wood) when dumping in the egg. I have bought 1 bag of Cowboy it sparked a lot and it was all could get at the time, do have to say it did the job. G M =D>

tarheelmatt · April 2014

Don't take this the wrong way for what I am about to type, but I think you're over reacting. It is wood that is burnt. No one is hand picking this crap up and placing in a bag for you. Are you that worried about a couple ounces?

Gator_Man · April 2014

tarheelmatt said:

Don't take this the wrong way for what I am about to type, but I think you're over reacting. It is wood that is burnt. No one is hand picking this crap up and placing in a bag for you. Are you that worried about a couple ounces?

I agree with ya!

EggHeadinFlorida · April 2014

I'm not taking it the wrong way with your comment I understand what you're saying. I've probably been through 30 or 40 bags of lump in my entire egg career lol. In alot of the bags I've had, I've had a rock or two in them but nothing compared to what you have seen in the picture coming out of one bag.. Have I been lucky all this time because of my one or two rock surprise and the norm is what you see in the picture?

SmokeyPitt · April 2014

I'm not that worried about it price wise, but it is a little scary that they don't do a better job with some quality control. I'm concerned I might not notice and dump some of that into the egg. I don't care too much about the rocks as long as they don't explode, but I don't want to burn a hunk of unknown plastic.

These ribs taste unique- what types of smoking wood did you use?

I mixed apple, hickory, and polycarbonate tetramethylcyclobutanediol.

Skiddymarker · April 2014

Check the weight of the bag before you open it. I've never found an underweight bag, I've seen some close to 20# when the bag says 17.6#. They overfill to make up for the rocks and other crap.

Lump manufacture is not an exact science.

@The_Naked_Whiz - when you folks do your much appreciated reviews, did you find the bags to contain more than labelled - my experience is only for a few brands.

tarheelmatt · April 2014

@SmokeyPitt Plastic or other types of harmful items I understand your concern, but the original post wasn't about that. Anytime something is mass produced like with lump charcoal "other" items will be induced. I don't care how much quality control one has. Something will get in the bag.

I think what you find in these bags are pretty good considering what the process to get that lump in that bag. I do not know the process, but I would think a large machinery is involved with lots of scooping and what not, which involves "other material".

SenecaTheYounger · April 2014

I get cowboy lump from a hardware store near my camp (I usually burn Royal Oak at home).

I swore that the bag seemed heavier than normally, or that my old man body was getting weak. I weighed it, and it was 22 pounds. Month later, a second bag also seemed heavy. Given the first bag's being overweight, I had a suspicion, and checked again. 24 pounds! In a 20 pound bag.

Don't get your undies in a knot over a few rocks. For one thing, the bag may have been overweight to begin with.

The other consideration is that this stuff is made in a rough and ready fashion. If you want guarantees that your charcoal will be sized perfectly, and rock-free, then you will end up paying a premium for a premium product.

It's a bit like taking umbrage that you found a worm in the tip of an ear of corn, from one in a dozen. It happens, it's not a conspriacy, and although it sucks, it doesn't warrant marching into the shop with a pitchfork demanding compensation. Cut it off, and toss it out, and move on, appreciating the fact that there are still some things which are natural product.s

Edit; They sell Extruded Coconut Lump by mail. Pricey, low smoke. That is always an option of you demand consistency from an otherwise natural product.

Jeremiah · April 2014

Didn't you pay like half of nothing for those bags because they were mismarked?

Guess you got what you paid for!

)

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1159884/deal-of-a-lifetime/p1

SenecaTheYounger · April 2014

And as a follow up, those aren't rocks, as far as I can tell. They appear to be the refractory lining of the retort, the kiln-like oven in which the charcoal is made. Either physical damage or high-heat damage

The Naked Whiz · April 2014

Skiddymarker said:

Check the weight of the bag before you open it. I've never found an underweight bag, I've seen some close to 20# when the bag says 17.6#. They overfill to make up for the rocks and other crap.
Lump manufacture is not an exact science.

@The_Naked_Whiz - when you folks do your much appreciated reviews, did you find the bags to contain more than labelled - my experience is only for a few brands.

Yep. Some brands are right on the edge, but most of them are 1/2 to 1 pound over.

The Naked Whiz · April 2014

SenecaTheYounger said:

And as a follow up, those aren't rocks, as far as I can tell. They appear to be the refractory lining of the retort, the kiln-like oven in which the charcoal is made. Either physical damage or high-heat damage

They look like dirt clods that got fired in a kiln to me. I find that kind of stuff all the time from many different brands. Some of these "kilns" are nothing more than 20' containers, lol!

The Naked Whiz · April 2014

SenecaTheYounger said:

Edit; They sell Extruded Coconut Lump by mail. Pricey, low smoke. That is always an option of you demand consistency from an otherwise natural product.

I assume you included that link strictly as an example as to my knowledge Kamado doesn't sell charcoal any more and what they did sell was some of the most disgusting stuff I've ever seen. There is also Afire, but they deliberately sold boxes 15% underweight, and the ash produced was enormous. Another is Coshell coconut briquettes but they produce the most ash of anything I've ever used. The only quality coconut charcoal I'm aware of currently is Komodo Kamado, and indeed it is pricey since it has to be shipped from the far east. You'd have to order a pallet to get the price down.

bicktrav · April 2014

I don't love finding rocks in my lump either, but if I found plastic that would be enough for me to never buy that lump again.

SenecaTheYounger · April 2014

I included the link for the exact reasons you elucidated, not despite them.

Some manufacturers DO make uniform consistent lump, free of rocks.

But whether it is any good, available, affordable, or performs well is debatable.

For me, I see no reason to stop buying overweight bags of charcoal, at a cheap price, with the occasional rock entrained in the mix.

The Naked Whiz · April 2014

SenecaTheYounger said:

I included the link for the exact reasons you elucidated, not despite them.

Some manufacturers DO make uniform consistent lump, free of rocks.

But whether it is any good, available, affordable, or performs well is debatable.

For me, I see no reason to stop buying overweight bags of charcoal, at a cheap price, with the occasional rock entrained in the mix.

I agree. Unless I saw a brand was consistently including a lot more rocks that other brands, I'm not bothered. Of course, not everyone has opened 100+ different brands of lump,

stevesails · April 2014

Dirty jobs showed making lump once. Dirty is an understatement

KenfromMI · April 2014

What a great scam cheat each customer out of one pound of charcoal X 1 million customers adds up LOL........Way off topic but we found and oil change place that we were getting our fleet cars changed at was using a shorter oil filter. Same circumference but a little shorter. Each car they changed they saved about 1/4 of a quart of oil. Doesn't seem like much but it adds up when they are using bulk oil drums.........Rocks I think I'd be o.k. with......plastic unacceptable for a cooking fuel.

stevesails · April 2014

but if you are getting 20 pounds of lump in a 17.5 pound bag and there is 8 ounces of rock.. who cares?

KenfromMI · April 2014

Probably no one but if u miss a piece of plastic or old tire and wreck an entire cook probably everyone lol

SenecaTheYounger · April 2014

I just don't get the umbrage and alarm. If you want premium products, you need to pay premium prices. Perhaps there are luxury lumps out there with perfect size and denisty and warranted to be free of inclusions.

It's messy stuff. I dump and stir, and have caught only a few things over the years. Even when I just dump it in (I no longer sort), I still inevitably flick the lump around when lighting it, to put a few pieces over the flames, or move smaller lump to the fire, bigger lump away. That allows me plenty of time, as well as when pouring, to catch anything odd.

[shrug]

ringkingpin · April 2014

just be glad you didn't find strands of polyethalene the way I did in Cowboy bags. I bought four bags, all four had that crap in them. Disgusting...

SenecaTheYounger · April 2014

You found it, though.

Pretty difficult to pour charcoal into the egg and not see something like that.

If we shun every manufacturer who includes a rock or plastic or chunk of uncarbonized wood, or has too many small pieces, or too many big pieces, we'd be SOL.

Rocks? WTF?!?!

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