BBQ Pitmasters - Charcoal choices

QingEsq · June 2015

Anyone watching this season? I enjoy the show, but I was surprised to see the choices of charcoal used. I know that Kingsford is a sponsor, but was still surprised to see one of the contestants using Kingsford's competition charcoal when it is not a requirement of the contest. I was even more surprised to see one of the contestant's using Frontier charcoal. They did not mention Frontier by name like they did with kingsford, but the bag was clear as day. I can't fathom that accomplished Q'ers that spend thousands to compete on the circuit, using top of the line cookers would use a charcoal that is not and really doesn't even pretend to be top of the line. Why leave anything to chance? Did anyone else catch this?

cookingdude555 · June 2015

Just like I don't think the BGE has a huge affect on the result, I don't think charcoal affects the result as much as we might think. I look at it like golf. An amazing golfer will improve their game a little bit with the best clubs available. But they will destroy the enthusiast that shows up with the most expensive gear, even while they might have the oldest clubs themselves. My dad destroyed people with the latest clubs while using his old wooden drivers and irons from the 70's.

QingEsq · June 2015

I hear you @cookingdude555 and thanks for your response. Of course, the pros in golf aren't using mid level clubs when they are on the tour. They are using the best equipment available because they are going against other pros. I acknowledge and agree that it's more about the cook than the gear, but when you are in a competition where everyone is also supposed to be top notch, you want every advantage. We eggers can usually tell a difference in our own cooks (at least we believe we do) when we use different coals and devote hundreds of posts about what is wrong with Royal Oak, which to me is comparable to Frontier and, imho, better than Kingsford because of the ash factor if nothing else, so it surprised me that pros on national TV trying to build a rep and going for some real money did not bring top of the line stuff. And for full disclosure, I use Frontier sometimes and even bought some today, but I would not use it for even a friendly neighborhood rib competition, much less on bbq pitmasters.

Or maybe we are all crazy and the charcoal just don't #$@?/ matter.

ChillyWillis · June 2015

Personally I think that quality lump is much more noticeable when used in a BGE as opposed to other cookers. I've found that a less than premium lump like RO will impart a sooty flavor in the (relatively) airtight confines of the egg, however I would use without hesitation in my webber smokey joe. Same to a lesser extent in other cookers like offsets ect.

Now ive never cooked on some of the massive (and I'm sure also air tight) units they use on that show, so I may be completely off base here, but that'd be my (slightly) educated guess

DoubleEgger · June 2015

Frontier could be sponsoring that guy....

SmokeyPitt · June 2015

I haven't watched it this season but it also depends what kind of cooker they are using. They may be using wood as the primary fuel source and the charcoal is just to get a fire going.

r8rs4lf · June 2015

I've been watching the all star shows and saw someone using an egg with those briquets. Here on this board, that would be no no, but not everyone is on this board and thinks like that.

If I had access to some of those "same as natural lump" type briquets, I'd try them out, but I'm not going to purchase a whole bag to do so.

Then again, all I use is RO so what do I know........

QingEsq · June 2015

@SmokeyPitt, one competitor did exactly what you suggested and just used kingsford to get the wood going, but if I recall correctly, there were still coal based smokers using kingsford and frontier. And I can believe the argument that the egg needs better fuel than most cookers because of the air control, but if I were the competitor, I would still be using the best fuel, even if I was using a leaky cooking vessel. The only explanation given that would change my mind if I were the competitor is if I was sponsored by a charcoal company. That raises the question of why a supposed bbq all star would need or want sponsorship from a product that is not top tier, but I guess all money is green when you don't have any.

Toxarch · June 2015

I've been to a couple of BBQ competitions. Bunch of people use Kingsford in the firebox to at least start it, some run it the whole time, and then add wood for smoke. It was kinda surprising.

GaBGE · June 2015

I just watched a Recorded episode this morning. One of the cooks they had to use Kingsford and only had 30 minutes to cook.

ads75 · June 2015

QingEsq said: The only explanation given that would change my mind if I were the competitor is if I was sponsored by a charcoal company. That raises the question of why a supposed bbq all star would need or want sponsorship from a product that is not top tier, but I guess all money is green when you don't have any.

If the sponsorship is free charcoal, that adds up, if you are cooking week in, week out, multiple times a week. The rigs most of the people on this show use have a lot more space that an Egg, the flavors may not concentrate as much in something that size.

BBQ Pitmasters - Charcoal choices

Comments

Categories