Royal Oak sale at Home Depot finally hits mid-West

RRP

I know this has occurred elsewhere in the country earlier but not here until now. Sale runs through 5-10 at $9.88 for 17.6 # lump

Langner91

Thanks!

Byl

Price is right I picked up four bags this afternoon 

Ozzie_Isaac

Ron did you leave me some?

Also any big plans for the 15k post?

RRP

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Ron did you leave me some?

Also any big plans for the 15k post?

My post was just a heads up kind of post. At last count I still have over 600 pounds of lump consisting of Royal Oak, Ozark Oak, Rockwood and one TRUE 20 pounder of a lump called Chicago Charcoal which I know is at least 15 years old. Not sure that bag is like wine, bourbon or whatever, but who knows...it MAY wind up on Antique Road Show some time in the future! If you want to buy it now before the bidding process starts at a reputable auction house out East please contact your financial advisor as I will only be accepting payment in gold bullion! 

Chowman

I bought some RO today!  I am wondering how much charcoal is the norm to have on hand?  How much do most of you eggers use in a year?  

Skiddymarker

Chowman said:

I bought some RO today!  I am wondering how much charcoal is the norm to have on hand?  How much do most of you eggers use in a year?  

Hard to say, but I'd guess around 300 to 400 pounds is average for usage with at least 150 pounds on hand, as @lousubcap says YMMV. Like Ron I have a number of different varieties laying around, nothing as spectacular as vintage Chicago, but still well over 300 pounds. As I see it on sale, I grab some and try to rotate the stock. 

Squirrels have nothing on us lump whores. 

Chowman

Ok I need to buy more!  About at 200 lb now and my wife already thinks I'm crazy.  

fruitguy

same price in WNY.  Picked up a dozen bags

Ozzie_Isaac

200lbs here.  Don't feel safe with that little.

blukat

About 100lbs here

GK59

I cleaned the Bay City store out of their last four bags. 100# in the garage should hold me for the summer.  Egg On !

lousubcap

Above RO sale also running in the L'ville area.  Must be a Derby deal:)

clifkincaid

Not here in Olympia Washington.  13.99

ryantt

Thanks @RRP heading there today, they have 10bags, and they are all mine. 

cookingdude555

picked up 5 today.  thanks.

Fred19Flintstone

Snagged five.  Thanks Ron!

Begger

Royal Oak is the BEST?    I've had mediocre luck.
First bag from HD, on sale, was MOSTLY mid to small pieces, though low in dust.   A couple un-charcoaled pieces, too.

I suspect California gets 'what little John shot at' since the powers-that-be want everyone cooking with gas and conforming to California's Foreign Policy of globalism.  

Working on the 2nd bag NOW, but no more impressed than I was with the FIRST.  

In DE-ASHING / CLEANING today I found 2 chunks of what appear to be rock or cement or some kind of chunks of Ceramic.   My grill is Perfectly Intact.

Jury will remain out until I have more data and experience.  

RRP

Begger said:

Royal Oak is the BEST?    I've had mediocre luck.
First bag from HD, on sale, was MOSTLY mid to small pieces, though low in dust.   A couple un-charcoaled pieces, too.

 

Are you open to suggestions? It is possible that you might have gotten a bag with the dredges but most likely it was roughly handled in transit clear to CA. Here's what I do when I can - I avoid any bags that have been restacked on the shelves in the stores. I prefer to pick up up off the pallet as they were stacked at the kiln. Also pick up the bag and give it a shake. It should have a crisp sound of clinking of the large piece hitting against each other. Also the bag should feel full and hard without a lot of air space at the top. Lastly when shaken then small pieces in damaged bags will have a sliding sound. Practice makes perfect, but your best bet is lifting it off the pallet! 

stompbox

I need to get over there today.  Thanks for the heads up!

Roadpuke0

Picked up 5 bags in northern illinois. Will work for my wok cooks at that price.

SmokyBear

Picked up a couple of bags last night..still have some OO (!!), WW, Fogo and Rockwood.  Plus some Hasty Bake (OO) that I bought from Amazon after the great "OO is going out of biz" panic of 2015.

I've had real hit and miss (more miss) experience with RO.  LOTS of small (unsable) scrap and dust. 

I pulled the 2 bags off of a palette and felt both for "firmness".  Shook them a bit and didn't hear a lot of rattling - so am HOPING I got decent bags, but with RO it's always "lump lottery" as to whether you're going to get a usable bag or will wind up throwing half+ of it out.

Hoping these 2 bags are better than the junk I bought at WW one year.  That was 60+% dust and tiny almost crushed pieces.

PS: I checked the price online before going and it was $9.88 (or whatever pennies).  Got to the store and it was showing full price.  Had to have a HD guy mark the "right" price on the bags after showing him the website - but rang up right at the register anyway, so YMMV.

stompbox

I figure I will mix it in half and half with rockwood.

Plus there are some cooks that just don't matter as much with type of wood.

Shiff

They have it here in Pennsylvania. Just bought 5 bags to last me while I decide which charcoal I want to try next. They still had some left but don't know how many.

Skiddymarker

@Begger RO is far from the best, it is an inexpensive mediocre brand of lump. There are some worse and some better, but for the value it is often hard to beat - like in the sale RRP points out. If you have time to let the VOCs clear it will preform just fine with a touch of its own wood smoke. Some of the more expensive brands have better quality and are much more neutral with respect to smoke - but then they are more expensive. Family actually likes RO for pizza, nice wood fire taste.  

UrbanForestTurnings

Picked up 10. Walmart had it I think for $7.99 last year

Cowdogs

No sale price in FL Home Depots.  Oh well.

RRP

Cowdogs said:

No sale price in FL Home Depots.  Oh well.

I think the FL sale at HD was maybe a month ago.

henapple

@stompbox ...dont mix the two. It'd be like watering down jet fuel.
A while back I had the "chance" to cook with RO. It blows. It took forever to burn off. If you have to, order Rockwood off of Fire craft. 
RO vs RW. Sure the price is better, maybe half but look at the number of cooks you'll get with RW. Probably twice as many. I've done l&s with RO and have had to add lump. The same cook with Rockwood and have enough left over for a Spatchcock and another for burgers. For the same money per cook you're getting quicker egg startup but mainly a really clean lump without a bunch of chit in it. The only thing I've found in Rockwood are solid and clean cooks. Jmho, ymmv, I'll stfu.

Mattman3969

henapple said:

 Jmho, ymmv, I'll stfu.

Yeah right!! LOL.   

Couldn't agree more with @henapple entire post.  Don't water down the jet fuel!!! 

lousubcap

I find RO and it's private brand brand knock-offs to be good for any hot&fast cook where the temperature/heat from the lump is all you are looking for.  A paella or wok cook comes to mind as a way to run the lump and get decent mileage out of a lower grade fuel.  
However, if it is what you choose to use across the board then you will do fine as long as you know the performance characteristics going in.  Just an opinion on a very sensitive subject in these parts