How often do you cook on the same lump?

Unknown

For low temp cooking like a pork shoulder picnic or boston butt I sometimes just add more lump to my "old" lump and it works well. But If I am doing a steak and need a real high temp, new lump seems to work best. Is this everyone's finding? Also, is there a shortcut to changing the lump? That is probably the most time consuming part of the process imo.

WessB

Chopped Pork Plate,
I have never "changed" lump...no matter what I`m cooking I just stir out the ash and refill to the top of the firebox with new lump...never had any problem getting up to steak temps...HTH[p]Wess

Unknown

Chopped Pork Plate, in my opinion you NEVER replace lump. Just add more as needed. Works for me.[p]Van

The Naked Whiz

Chopped Pork Plate,
Yes, fresh lump will produce a hotter fire than old lump because the volatile organic compounds in the fresh lump will burn with a flame at a very high temp. However, I've never had trouble getting to 750 that required replacing all the lump with new lump. If you add some new lump to the top of your old lump, you should be fine. If you are finding that you have to replace all the lump, I'd suspect you have an airflow problem with chips and ash perhaps clogging the grate, and cleaning all the lump out solves this problem. [p]TNW

Unknown

The Naked Whiz,
Thanks for the reply by you and others. Good to know what others are doing.

Pakak

Here's the way I've been doing it. I can get up top high heats with no problem.[p]First, stir up the lump, letting the smaller pieces and ash fall through the grate. When the old lump is "clean" push it to the outside, leaving the grate openings clear. Clean out the ash from below, through the lower vent.[p]
[p]
Next, add new lump in the center. Make sure you have plenty of airspace around the pieces and don't block off the grate. It depends on how large the pieces are for me to take the trouble to actually stack them. I usually dump, unless the bag is close to empty. I've added Green Heat in the center of this, then briefly hit three places with my MAPP.[p]
[p]
Ten minutes later, this is what I had. The temp was 650.[p]

Unknown

Pakak,
Thanks!

jwitheld

The Naked Whiz,
i decided to purify my grill and opened the vents 100%. later i found that i had left the aluminum pan i use for indirect inside.
the aluminum skillet is now a blob which indicates temps over 1000? and it was lump after a low and slow.

Unknown

jwitheld, Some alum's melt as low as 1220 !!