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Carbon Del Sol @ RD

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kwdickert
kwdickert Posts: 308
edited March 2016 in EggHead Forum
Seems like most folks say this stuff sucks but the bag I got was great! Big pieces, the charcoal burn off period seemed shorter than Royal Oak/Kroger Brand, and it overall worked great for me. I usually buy the half bags of Kroger brand when i'm buying groceries but I think i'll stick with this stuff as long as i'm buying a few bags at a time. Anyone else enjoy their experience with it?
Memphis TN - Large Green Egg
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Comments

  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,400
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    @YukonRon has had some good experiences with it I believe.  Hopefully he will be along.
    Regardless, if it works for you, go with it.
    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.
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  • GregW
    GregW Posts: 2,677
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    I have used it and it was good.
    If I recall correctly I believe it sparked and popped a good bit, but otherwise it worked ok.
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
    edited March 2016
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    CDS is kept in my house as a backup to Rockwood. RW is my preferred lump.
    The CDS bags are full of large and medium size lump, with very little waste in small, fines and dust. It gets to temp fast, burns well, burns long and is easy to control.
    It takes about 10-15 mins longer to get to "good" smoke, and if you are willing to wait that long, you will have very little or no smoke taste.
    CDS is a bargain at RD. It is my opinion that it performs better than RO and it's other labels, Cowboy and others.
    For the money, IMO, it is very hard to beat. I have yet to have a bad bag, or debris.

    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • Earshots
    Earshots Posts: 110
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    Agreed I have had great results with it although RD just raised it from $8.99 to $11.99 still a good deal 
    Tallmadge Ohio, XL and S eggs 
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  • XLentEGG
    XLentEGG Posts: 436
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    I use it whenever I'm waiting for Royal Oak to go on sale.... Which is this week at my local walmart. :-) Good stuff, though I still trust my long low and slows to RO.
    More meat please !! :-)
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  • shucker
    shucker Posts: 483
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    My RD only carries royal oak.   Curious what parts of the country carry CDS.

    Shucker
    Eastern North Carolina
    Go Pirates!

    http://facebook.com/oldcolonysmokehouse

    https://www.instagram.com/oldcolonysmokehouse/

    L & MM BGE/Blackstone 36" Griddle/Pit Barrel Cooker/QDS/Shirley Fab 50" Patio/BQ Grills Hog Cooker/Stump's Classic/Weber 22" OTG


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  • Earshots
    Earshots Posts: 110
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    Akron Ohio here
    Tallmadge Ohio, XL and S eggs 
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  • GregW
    GregW Posts: 2,677
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    Birmingham AL has CDS
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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
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    Louisville
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
    edited March 2016
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    I got a few 8.99 bags at RD, RW is my fav but I have had good luck with Carbon del sol as well.

                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
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  • tonkaegger
    tonkaegger Posts: 35
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    I don't remember anyone saying it sucks.  I bought some because of the great reviews, and I really like it.
    Twin Cities, Minn. XL BGE, cheap barrel smoker and old Weber kettle

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  • XLentEGG
    XLentEGG Posts: 436
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    shucker said:
    My RD only carries royal oak.   Curious what parts of the country carry CDS.
    Jacksonville FL. 
    More meat please !! :-)
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  • tonkaegger
    tonkaegger Posts: 35
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    Minneapolis, MN. is one RD store that carries it. 
    Twin Cities, Minn. XL BGE, cheap barrel smoker and old Weber kettle

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  • kwdickert
    kwdickert Posts: 308
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    tonkaegger said:
    I don't remember anyone saying it sucks.  I bought some because of the great reviews, and I really like it.
    You know, I swear when I first found it, I searched google for "carbon del sol charcoal" and found folks hating on it. Now I tried that again and I can only find one person who post multiple times hating on it. I'm pretty sure that my kroger brand is Royal Oak. This CDS seems to be more neutral flavored than the Kroger stuff. 

    Earshots said:
    Agreed I have had great results with it although RD just raised it from $8.99 to $11.99 still a good deal 
    I basically got a KCBS card so I could get day passes and get $9 charcoal only to find out it was higher! Still worth it to me though!
    Memphis TN - Large Green Egg
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  • Jupiter Jim
    Jupiter Jim Posts: 3,351
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    I have been using it for several years and like it very much. I have purchased it in Charlotte NC and Riviera Beach FL restaurant depots. At both stores they have had Royal Oak and Carbon-Del-Sir.

    I'm only hungry when I'm awake!

    Okeechobee FL. Winter

    West Jefferson NC Summer

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  • tonkaegger
    tonkaegger Posts: 35
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    kwdickert said:
    tonkaegger said:
    I don't remember anyone saying it sucks.  I bought some because of the great reviews, and I really like it.
    You know, I swear when I first found it, I searched google for "carbon del sol charcoal" and found folks hating on it. Now I tried that again and I can only find one person who post multiple times hating on it. I'm pretty sure that my kroger brand is Royal Oak. This CDS seems to be more neutral flavored than the Kroger stuff. 

    Earshots said:
    Agreed I have had great results with it although RD just raised it from $8.99 to $11.99 still a good deal 
    I basically got a KCBS card so I could get day passes and get $9 charcoal only to find out it was higher! Still worth it to me though!
    Carbon Del Sur is good lump charcoal.  Not huge pieces, but very little dust, and it burns hot and long.  Cost at RD is the same or less than RO.
    Twin Cities, Minn. XL BGE, cheap barrel smoker and old Weber kettle

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  • EagleIII
    EagleIII Posts: 415
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    I have been using CDS since I got my KCBS Card in order to get into Restaurant Depot and I really like the stuff.  Many big pieces in each bag, way more so than RO which I had been using for years.  I had also been using the RW for a long while and like that also, but $22 a bag is little pricier than I'd like.  My local RD puts the CDS on sale for $8.99 and when they do, I buy 6 or 8 bags or so.  I have no issue lighting it, little sparking, good burn, not a lot of ash and mild smoke....all the things you'd want I'd think.  I did ask Naked Whiz if he had ever tried it and he advised he had heard of it but at the time I had emailed him, he had not yet tried it.
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  • kwdickert
    kwdickert Posts: 308
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    I'd love for him to do a review. @nakedwhiz add it to the list!
    Memphis TN - Large Green Egg
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  • kwdickert
    kwdickert Posts: 308
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    Just realized that it's actually Carbon del SURRRRR which is why my googling didn't result in much the second time. Either way, good good stuff. Used it with my new Kick Ash basket for a 11hr cook for a butt and ribs and it went off without a hitch!
    Memphis TN - Large Green Egg
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  • GregW
    GregW Posts: 2,677
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    I picked up two bags this weekend. I cooked with it Saturday night, I like it a lot.
    It is a high density charcoal that does have a tendency to spark a little, however it hasn't really been a problem for me.

    I will definitely buy it again.

     
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  • GATABITES
    GATABITES Posts: 1,260
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    I bought a bag and it seemed be very high in VOC's. From time to time it smelled like the bad smoke hasnt burnt off when it had been burning for quite some time before putting meat on. I will try another bag, but I didnt like this one. 
    XL BGE 
    Joe JR 
    Baltimore, MD
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  • Jupiter Jim
    Jupiter Jim Posts: 3,351
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    GATABITES, it most likely had a piece of lump that was not completely carbonized and you can get that in any brand of lump, I find it a lot in Royal Oak and much less with CDS. I have found some very large pieces of CDS that are very heavy because they are still more raw wood so I don't use those and you will also notice that a large amount of smoke coming from a bad piece of lump, when I see that I pull it out with a pair of tongs.

    I'm only hungry when I'm awake!

    Okeechobee FL. Winter

    West Jefferson NC Summer

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