Sorry, another lump question...temp?

victor1

I know another lump question but here goes.  I like doing pizzas at about 700 degrees or more.  Lately I have all I can do
to get to 600 or 650.   I am using Rockwood now, and the higher temps may have been from Royal Oak, but I don't recall.  Do some lump brands burn hotter then others?   The bag was new, stored inside in a dry area so I don't think it was a humidity issue.  Just seems the RO burned a little faster and hotter.  Thanks in advance..

hoosier_egger

Sounds like a lump volume issue. Fill it up to the fire ring, daisy wheel off, and let 'er rip. Never had an issue reaching high temps with Rockwood 

Ozzie_Isaac

From personal experience, I can get similiar i.e. over 1000 deg temps in my XL with RO and RW.

I recommend cleaning out the ash, making sure the vent holes in the firebox are clear, and make sure opening is aligned with bottom vent.  Fill up to top of fire ring,  completely remove the DFMT, open the bottom vent, light fire in 3 spots, and let it burn.

If you have done all that, then check your thermo calibration.  If you have done that, tap the thermo when temp has stop climbing, sometimes they drag and will stick.

If you have done all that, then I am out of suggestions.

gdenby

I 2nd what Ozzie_Isaac said.

However, there are slight differences in the amount of heat different lump can give out. The higher the carbon content, the larger amount of heat it can produce. Japanese binchotan, which is super expensive, burns almost completely clean and is so close to pure carbon it looks like shiny grey sticks. Its very useful for searing at close ranges. There was some stuff being marketed by a Canadian firm 5 - 6 years ago that was made in Namibia from ?acaccia/eucalyptus? that was a step down from binchotan. Really hard to get started, but burnt hot and long.

Right now, I have some extruded compressed coconut shell  lump. Clinks like metal. I have to mix it w. generic Missouri hardwood lump to get it to burn. Once it gets going, I get dome temps at least 25F, sometimes 50F higher with the same vent settings as with all common hardwood lump. The extruded shapes have a hole running thru the centers so there is always good airflow, assuming I have it well kindled.

So, have you tried Cowboy? It appears to be made from red oak furniture and lumber scraps. The pieces are full of air holes. What I've had always burns hot, but doesn't last very long 'cause it isn't dense.

bgebrent

Rockwood is my vote having tried them all.  RO = BGE lump.  The food at Eggtoberfest is only ok because they're given BGE lump. Stick with Rockwood, for me it's the gold standard.

stlcharcoal

ColtsFan said:

Sounds like a lump volume issue. Fill it up to the fire ring, daisy wheel off, and let 'er rip. Never had an issue reaching high temps with Rockwood 

+1   Sounds like volume or airflow, not brand.  If you're below the fire ring, you're going to top out at 700 dome.  If you've cooked on it once before, maybe lower.  For pizzas, start with new lump (or mostly new lump), up the fire ring.  Otherwise if you do get to 1000+, it's only going to be a little while before you start losing temp (because the of all the lid-opening you do with pizzas.)