Lump Apple wood as charcoal?

humbleprisoner

So I was going through loses the other night and saw that they sell lump apple wood charcoal. I wasn't 110 on it since I thought that apple wood and other such woods are used for smoke flavor only. Can this be used as lump charcoal? Or will it be something super overpowering and make my food taste like absolute death? Will try to find a picture of the product and post. 

humbleprisoner

Here is the brand that I was talking about. The right picture is the lump bag, and the left is the chips. The one I saw is on the right. 

buzd504

I would try it.

Edit: Picture posted after I posted.  I agree that that's smoke wood and not lump.

TexanOfTheNorth

To me it just looks like chips vs. chunks. I mostly use wood chunks mixed in with my lump (as opposed to chips). Not sure it is intended to be used in place of lump.

fishlessman

neither is lump. handful of chips or a chunk or two for flavor

Kruegs

Pretty sure that is not charcoal.  It is just chunks of apple wood instead of chips.  I have never used chips in my BGE and always use chunks as you will get a more sustained smoke compared to chips.

Chris_Wang

Get the chunks and mix a couple in with your lump.

NPHuskerFL

+1 neither of these are lump. The one on the left Apple wood chips and to the right Apple wood chunks. Me personally any wood I use to add smoke I prefer chunks when they are available. Apple wood is a real mild smoke nice on poultry, fish, beef, etc. But, you need to be burning LUMP and then if you want "extra" smoke you would add in your chunks or chips of wood. Whether it be Apple, Cherry, Pecan, Mesquite, Oak, etc (there are many to choose from).

The Naked Whiz

To answer your original question, yes, lump charcoal made from apple wood is fine to use.  I believe Real Montana makes it.  Like all charcoal, the amount of smoke/flavor you get depends primarily on the temperature to which they take the charcoal during the charcoal-making process.  The hotter they take it, the more "stuff" is cooked out and the less smoke/flavor the charcoal will produce. The Real Montana Apple charcoal has a lot of smokiness to it, and that is by design.  You wouldn't want to add any smoking chunks to it. 

SmokeyPitt

Agreed- chunks are definitely different than lump charcoal.  As others stated, chunks and chips are just different cuts of wood and meant to be added to the lump charcoal for additional flavor.  Lump charcoal goes through a process where it is basically partially burned (heated under controlled conditions) so that what is left is mostly carbon.