Charcoal Choice

Begger

I just went to ACE Hardware site and searched 'Rockwood Charcoal'.

None of the 5 nearest stores (30 miles) carry it.    I'll bet a dollar to a donut that they CAN'T get it.   

What most persons don't know is that we, in Southern California are at the absolute MERCY of the SCAQMD.    Yep.   The South Coast Air Quality Managment District.     
These guys are the law with regard to many things.    They even would take my Gas LawnMower away from me IF they could figure out HOW.
I might be able to get some IF I pay 'carbon tax' or enter the Exchange or leave a HUGE $$$ deposit.   Scams of that nature always come down to MONEY.

I'll be real surprised IF I can get some and post back.    I'm not holding my breath.

HeavyG

Only one of the half dozen stores in my area keepss any in stock but they can all get it for you to pickup if you order it.

CPFC1905

For any Brits, I go here;  
https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/ever_burning_charcoal?_trksid=p2047675.l2559  

Close to a £1 / kg and delivered inside three days.  Very pleased with price and quality,  half way through second 15 kgs bag.

I have been gifted some smaller 'artisan' bags of charcoal from family/friends.  I can't really tell the difference in terms of heating or food taste. 

Begger

20lb of Rockwood is 27$ or 1.35$ per pound.     It better be REAL good for roughly 2x the price of RO

bgebrent

There’s always Cowboy..,

mEGG_My_Day

Begger said:

20lb of Rockwood is 27$ or 1.35$ per pound.     It better be REAL good for roughly 2x the price of RO

Join the Ace rewards program - you will get a slew of coupons.  I average less than $20 per bag for Rockwood if I plan properly (full retail where I live is about $25 per 20lb bag)

mEGG_My_Day

Oops duplicate comment 

stlcharcoal

Begger said:

I just went to ACE Hardware site and searched 'Rockwood Charcoal'.

None of the 5 nearest stores (30 miles) carry it.    I'll bet a dollar to a donut that they CAN'T get it.   

Any Ace can order it and have it in a few days.  It's Prop 65 compliant since 11/1/17.  We don't fall under South Coast.

Like another said, sign up for the rewards program.....you'll never pay full price if they send out coupons like they do here in STL.

Stubby

I bought Rockwood from ACE but I have RO.to burn through..

lousubcap

@Stubby- nothing says you have to manage your lump inventory like a meat locker FIFO project.  I use RO for strictly hot&fast burns where all I want are BTU's: paella is the most frequent winner along with getting the cast iron ready for a quick sear.  Rockwood for all L&S and most everything else.  FWIW-

TEXASBGE2018

Stubby said:

I bought Rockwood from ACE but I have RO.to burn through..

Look at your rockwood like you would a top shelf whiskey. It’s great for those cooks where you want neutral flavoring from the lump and like a clean burning fuel. RO is like Jack Daniels Old No. 7 it just works,it’s reliable but ain’t nobody gonna tell ya its as good as a 50 year old single malt.

logchief

TEXASBGE2018 said:

Stubby said:

I bought Rockwood from ACE but I have RO.to burn through..

Look at your rockwood like you would a top shelf whiskey. It’s great for those cooks where you want neutral flavoring from the lump and like a clean burning fuel. RO is like Jack Daniels Old No. 7 it just works,it’s reliable but ain’t nobody gonna tell ya its as good as a 50 year old single malt.

Well put.  Guess I'm going to have to pickup some Rockwood for my next  Brisket from the freezer, even though I have a couple of bags of RO left.  Been waiting for it in CA and its about 10 mi. away

Begger

First 'try' with Rockwood is an unqualified success.    Just purchasing a random bag with NO selection, I got some pieces as large as my forearm and small amounts of stuff which I'd just as 'too small'.
Very good stuff, clean with a good flavor profile on the few cooks I've made so far.
I might JUST be forced to sign up for Ace Rewards.    

And while I'm not a particular fan of 'Old No. 7', I get it.   I feel the same way about a few Single Malts and even a few beers should be saved for that 'right' time and when in the mood.....Like Chemay, for example.  

cookingdude555

I buy what is on sale, and stock up for about a years worth of grilling/smoking.  I haven't found any charcoal that doesn't burn when I light it.  Even the dust burns.  Not having a stock BGE floor drain as the charcoal holder has eliminated picky charcoal selection routines for me.

SemolinaPilchard

+1 on going with a non BGE charcoal grate. Why do they still sell eggs with that kind of grate is a head scratcher.

AmericanFlannel

Rock wood has been the most consistent for me as well. Plus I grew up in the orzarks so I feel a tug of the soul when I read the label. 

nolaegghead

"Smoking (meat and fish and veggies) is another type of cooking involving mainly the process of cooking the food by exposing it to smoke from a burning material, most of the time wood."

--from https://brobbq.com/smoking-times-temperatures-chart/

bgebrent

nolaegghead said:

"Smoking (meat and fish and veggies) is another type of cooking involving mainly the process of cooking the food by exposing it to smoke from a burning material, most of the time wood."

--from https://brobbq.com/smoking-times-temperatures-chart/

Sums it up eh?

nolaegghead

bgebrent said:

nolaegghead said:

"Smoking (meat and fish and veggies) is another type of cooking involving mainly the process of cooking the food by exposing it to smoke from a burning material, most of the time wood."

--from https://brobbq.com/smoking-times-temperatures-chart/

Sums it up eh?

Brilliant!  Who woulda thunk it?!

Mickey

Biggreenpharmacist said:

Im back to buying ozark oak from harps. 20lbs was $11.99. 

Am I missing somthing here? Ozark Oak back for sale?  Information please.

SemolinaPilchard

@Mickey Recently someone mentioned they had found some OO, but that it was simply old stuff. My guess is that is what this is as well.

Mickey

SemolinaPilchard said:

@Mickey Recently someone mentioned they had found some OO, but that it was simply old stuff. My guess is that is what this is as well.

Crap..... I now miss OO and @henapple. 

baychilla

It's interesting to me to see the flavor of the month change on BBQ forums.  Back in the day (OK back when I got my Egg) it was all about BGE lump (which was allegedly the top pickings of Royal Oak American) and Dizzy Pig.  Now it's other things.

The last few bags of BGE lump imparted what I thought was an ash tray flavor on my food.  I special ordered the Rockwood through my local Ace.  I found out my local gets three deliveries a week.  Yay.  Downside the online special order was $26.99/bag and in store/national sales didn't apply.  BOO.

Still I had to know.  I ordered the bag, received it and it was virgin.  If it was a bride and my receiving it was it's wedding night there would've been no wink wink nudge nudge to it wearing all white.  I've never seen a more pristine condition bag of charcoal.

I tried it.  My food no longer tasted like it came off an ashtray (to be fair - with the old BGE lump it didn't either - just the last several years).  I've burned through most of that original bag.  Being somewhat lazy I asked someone at the local Ace if they could just stock it and save me the effort of having to order it online.  They agreed (she mentioned they'd already had one request for them to stock it).  Three days later they had a palette in store.  It's cheaper in store ($24.99 v. $26.99) and now its subject to their special sales and their 15% off every Sunday sale.  Compare that to the (at last purchase) $28.99/bag for the BGE brand stuff.  Apparently after it was brought in word spread as they'd received several calls asking if it was true that it was in stock and ready for pickup.

SemolinaPilchard

@ baychilla So Dizzy Pig is no longer the go to rub? I didn't get the memo.

Mikee

Size of the lump is not that big of a deal. I would not like a complete bag of dime size pieces nor those big pieces where I have to borrow the neighbors chainsaw and log splitter. Charcoal lump in between those sizes is fine. My favorite brand is ready to cook on in about 5-10 minutes; its by far the cleanest burning lump on the market. It never sparks and is the most neutral in regards to flavoring; There isn't anything close to it. After about 15-20 cooks on a new large egg the inside of the egg was still white inside almost new looking. Its downside is that it doses not impart any smoky flavor to the cook. The past cooks I've been adding Western lump( under $10 for 30lbs). It has more larger pieces and needs to burn longer for it to burn 'clean'. It does impart a flavor which is why I use it. I have used about 10 different brands of lump over the past 10+ years. Buying bags/boxes of them over a period of time will be more of a true reflection of the brand. I had great bags of RO, as far as size vs dust, versus some bags that seemed to be crushed.  The way it burned was more consistent than the size of the pieces. Depending on what you are cooking may reflect on the lump you are going to use. If being pressed for time, you may want a lump that is glowing red hot and clear in 5-10 minutes versus a lump that takes 30 minutes. 

baychilla

SemolinaPilchard said:

@ baychilla So Dizzy Pig is no longer the go to rub? I didn't get the memo.

It could be for a lot of people - I'm just not seeing it mentioned the way it used to be.

Spence2swim

Third bag, and price dropped $1 to $14.99.  I am a fan either way.  Consistent size, like the time to catch and the overall the burn for hot or slow.  2-2-1's being done today

Matt86m

FWIW I ordered 2 bags of Rockwood from ACE in Costa Mesa, CA. just got them. Haven't opened them yet but I bought them online, no hassle or problems to get them.

DMW

Matt86m said:

FWIW I ordered 2 bags of Rockwood from ACE in Costa Mesa, CA. just got them. Haven't opened them yet but I bought them online, no hassle or problems to get them.

Your life will be changed.

THEBuckeye

DMW said:

BGE lump is re-branded Royal Oak. That would match your findings.

I've seen this now for the handful of years I've had my Egg. Is this actually documented somewhere, or, is it more of an urban legend?