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Popping lump

njl
njl Posts: 1,123
edited January 2012 in EggHead Forum
I did my first cook the other night since swapping out the original cracked fire grate for a Hi-Que.  I was T-Rex'ing some tenderloin steaks with Publix Greenwise lump (what I've mostly been using the past few years).  This was a new bag, and I guess it's a bad batch or something.  I had a little trouble getting it lit, but once it was going, there was so much popping and so many hot embers flying out the top vent, I actually pulled the egg further away from the house than usual, worried about melting/catching the screen patio on fire.  This is the first time I've had this problem with the Greenwise stuff, but I haven't been real happy with the amount of dust and tiny chips, not to mention the typical rock or two per bag...so I think I'm going to give Royal Oak from Wal-Mart another try.

Comments

  • Royal Oak is what I use and I haven't had any issues.  I am new to using it, I have only been through 3 bags but I am satisfied so far.
    Large BGE Dyersburg TN
  • hogaholic
    hogaholic Posts: 225
    Several brands of lump are bad about popping.  The cowboy brand at Loews and the lump carried by my local Kroger pops pretty bad.  When I have to use this stuff I wait longer before putting food on so all the charcoal can get burning and stop popping. 

    Never had a problem with Royal Oak
    Jackson, Tennessee. VFL (Vol for Life)
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    royal oak from south america was BAD.  ash over the food and constant sparking.  horrible stuff.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
    I agree with Hog. Cowboy brand is bad and I dont like using it, Royal Oak from wallyworld has been great. 
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Hogaholic - Kroger brand is the same as Royal oak which is the same as Big Green Egg brand.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    cowboy isn't 'bad'.  i've never seen any of that stuff that popped and spit ash.

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • walleyv
    walleyv Posts: 147

    Maybe the Publix Greenwise was a little to "green"....just sayin

     

    If the wood used to make the lump was pecan it will pop like crazy.

  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
    I have had some brutal bags over the years - Mali's gourmet comes to mind as a terrible bag for popping.  Had a spark jump and hit me in the eye once - felt it for days.  Not a big fan of cowboy either.
  • njl
    njl Posts: 1,123
    edited January 2012
    Hmm...lets see if this works.

    <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JJXERAo4ZMo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    Guess not...we can't seem to put html in here.  Anyway...after finishing my low temp pork loins cook, I opened the vents to get some "cleaning heat".  That's when this bad batch of lump really started to snap crackle and pop, the way it did last week when I was doing steaks.
  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
    edited January 2012
    Actually, there were three RO varieties from South America.  Not all were bad.

    I rated the Brazil variety as Recommended, the Argentina variety as Average and the Paraguay variety as below average.

    There was nothing to speak of relative to sparking on the Brazil Royal Oak.  There was some moderate sparking with the Argentina, but no popping, no flying gritty ash.  The only variety that was a problem was the Paraguay Royal Oak which did have some sparking and gritty ash issues.

    All in all the Brazil Royal Oak was a very good charcoal, burned forever and produced very little ash.  The only knock on it was that the bag was almost 70% pieces smaller than a golf ball. I would use it if it were available here.
    The Naked Whiz
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    I can tell you this is not what you want:
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.