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Lump coal Vrs Charcoal Briquets

Mr. D
Mr. D Posts: 32
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I have 2 bags of Briquets that needs to get out of my garage.

Who has experience using briquets instead of Lump Coal?

I'm told that with Briquets you have no control over the heat

Comments

  • Zippylip
    Zippylip Posts: 4,768
    Mr. D. I always have a bag of briquets on hand, but only for use in the Webber Kettle; I have never tried them in the egg, but if you have an old metal grill it is probably best to use them in it. There is no sense in wasting them, they are good, & although I use the egg for most cooks, I still like the old kettle/kingsford combination from time to time
    happy in the hut
    West Chester Pennsylvania
  • NJ-GrEGG
    NJ-GrEGG Posts: 171
    I used briquets before with no problem. Just DONT USE LIGHTER FLUID!! Make sure these briquests are not the easy light varity also! No Fluid!

    You will have a lot more ash when you are done. I don't remember how it performed for low and slow, but for shorter cooks like chicken, steaks, burgers, dogs etc. you should be fine.
  • ZIPPY!! OMG!!

    BACK AWAY FROM THE METAL THINGY!!


    :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:
  • golffer
    golffer Posts: 144
    Just to test I added couple of briquettes to start some lump. It was the "easy" start kind. After the lump got going good cooked couple of ribeyes and could not tell they had been in there.
  • Jupiter Jim
    Jupiter Jim Posts: 3,351
    Zippy I new it was just a matter time before you were chastised :laugh:

    I'm only hungry when I'm awake!

    Okeechobee FL. Winter

    West Jefferson NC Summer

  • Zippylip
    Zippylip Posts: 4,768
    I just can't, too much sentimental attachment from the 70's, pouring 1/2 a bottle of lighter fluid on the coals when dad wasn't lookin... there she is hiding on the side of my shelves full of egg stuff:

    005.jpg
    happy in the hut
    West Chester Pennsylvania
  • Sundown
    Sundown Posts: 2,980
    From all I've ever learned Kingsford is not what you want to cook with in your Egg. They contain a lot of binders that leaves a lot of 'ash'. I wouldn't use them.

    Now, that said, Wicked Good makes some briquettes that are great. Dense, long burning and hot burning. The only slight drawback I find is a little more ash. Not a lot but, some.

    I've used the WG in regular cooks and low 'n' slo cooks and had very good results with them. Always keep a couple of bags around.
  • jeffinsgf
    jeffinsgf Posts: 1,259
    Zippy,

    I'm with you. My Weber Kettle is disassembled and in a box, but I can't bring myself to get rid of it. Sometimes, it's just the right thing to do. However, when I do the Kettle, I do it with lump. A lump fire in a Kettle is a beautiful thing.
  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,676
    I'm with you Marc, just too many memories from when the kids were growing up to just toss it but use it so little (maybe twice a year) that cleaning the rust off the grate is a pain. Now the gassers, thats another story. Don't think I ever had one long enough to get attached to it.

    101_1997.jpg

    PBM found a good use for his briquet burner

    101_2073.jpg
  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    Direct from Weber. 22" stainless hinged grate.
    Under $20.00. Rust problem under control.
    Yours looks like the newer model preformer. At least you should have a vintage kettle. The basic 22" kettle is hard to match at $70.00. Food cooked well tastes great off any grill.
    Last Easter cook away from home.
    Darian
    EasterFood_009.jpg
    EasterFood_011.jpg
    EasterFood_024.jpg
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    I've used several natural type of briquettes, such as RO and WG. Those at least work just fine, but... they generate a lot more ash, and in one use the ash actually smothered the fire after about 12 hours. I would expect the same thing standard briquettes. I imagine you might need to use different vent adjustments than used for lump, as the standard type often have a bit of coal in it for a hotter burn.
  • For short cooks you can use briquettes. Just don't use lighter fluid in the egg. They've bailed me out o few times, but that old Kingsford taste will be back...along with more ash than most lump coal.
  • You can use briquettes and you can control the temperature. However, briquettes produce a lot of ash. Even the best briquettes like Wicked Good Charcoal produce a lot of ash. If you can deal with the ash, the only other thing would be that briquettes will not produce the highest temperatures like a fire built from fresh lump will produce. And of course, like everyone says, no lighter fluid. I'd start them in a chimney and then dump them in.
    The Naked Whiz
  • Cpt'n Cook
    Cpt'n Cook Posts: 1,917
    I have been trying to use up a few bags of "Rancher" all natural briquettes that I bought at Home Depot. They work OK and there is no problem controlling temps. I TRexed a couple of weeks ago and had no trouble getting to 700 deg. They are really messy to re-use. Tons of ashes.
  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 11,458
    I saved a bag for cold-smoking cheese in the egg, you only need five or six pieces to keep temp below 100*.
    canuckland