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Cowboy 100% hardwood lump

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njl
njl Posts: 1,123
in EggHead Forum
What's the story with this stuff?  I bought a 20lb bag at Lowes after reading the Naked Whiz review saying it was all lumber mill scrap.  What I got looks like mostly if not entirely tree parts (limb pieces with bark)...not scraps of milled wood.  It also looks enough like mesquite (and the Made in Mexico doesn't give me any warm fuzzies) that I'm afraid to use it.  We really dislike mesquite flavor, so I'm reluctant to cook anything of importance over it.

Seems like both here and on Amazon, the reviews for this stuff are pretty consistently horrible...to the point that I get the impression some people would rather cook their stakes in the oven if it's a choice between that or Cowboy.

For those who have used it recently (especially if you picked it up at Lowes), I'm curious what your take is on it?  Also, if anyone knows, is this mesquite or something else, I'd love to know.
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    Strange shape, not as bad for me as others might say. Depends on the area you are I think. Most swear by Royal Oak. I would use cowboy over RO any day if the week.
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,754
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    its perfectly good lump, naked whiz needs to update that page. its changed since the housing market took the plunge, the change had some bad bags for a while but they seem to have addressed those issues this year
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • njl
    njl Posts: 1,123
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    Any idea what species the wood is?
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,754
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    its not mesquite, but thats all i know about it
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • maximus1
    maximus1 Posts: 38
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    Since I recently have not been able to get Wicked Good, I have bought 2 bags of Cowboy, have been extremely pleased.  Easy to light, and burns well, its 11.00 a bag at my local Ace, which is half what WW costs too.  
      
    2 Large BGE, 1 Small.  
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  • lakewade
    lakewade Posts: 385
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    Cowboy has worked better for me lately.  I had a bad bag or two a year or so back but bought it recently out of necessity (only thing there) and it has worked fine.  

    -----------
    I feel a whole lot more like I do now than I did when I got here.
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  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
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    I'm almost intrigued enough to give it a try, used to be so bad I wouldn't even contemplate buying it unless there was snow on the ground it sparked so much.
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
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  • EggHeadinFlorida
    EggHeadinFlorida Posts: 892
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    I just recently picked up 10 bags of this stuff from Lowe's the other day. True value had it on sale for nine dollars a bag Lowe's price matched it then gave me 10% off plus another 5% off for using my credit card.

    I've probably gone through six or seven bags and never had any issues with any of them.
    XL bge, Mini max & 36 BS Griddle.
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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
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    Recently picked up a bag of DuraFlame at Home Depot to try it out, it is a Cowboy product. It appears to be all milled lumber, the label says Oak/Maple/Hickory. 
    It starts well, has good heat but does not last all that long. Ash is about normal compared to RO. 
    A few years ago tried a bag of Cowboy and it was very similar. Here in Canuckistan Lowe's carries Basque Sugar Maple and RO. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • Mama Roneck
    Mama Roneck Posts: 386
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    My local hardware store only stocks cowboy. I've tried RO and others but haven't seen what all the fuss is about. cowboy's perfectly good compared to the others and I've had less than great bags of most brands. Based on what I've read here, I suspect that this is a really regional business and a lot depends on how it's transported and stored. Just my 2¢ of course.
    Mamaroneck
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  • EggHeadinFlorida
    EggHeadinFlorida Posts: 892
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    I agree ^
    XL bge, Mini max & 36 BS Griddle.
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,754
    edited May 2013
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    this is cowboy lump
    :))  they use cowboys
    image
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • BigGreenBBQ
    BigGreenBBQ Posts: 109
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    I don't care for it but its just fine in a pinch. I would rather use RO (sold all over) or my fav WGWW. As far as what wood it is made from is somewhat irrelevant as long as it is hardwood.  From what I know and have read Lump charcoal will not impart a lot smoke flavor like regular wood chunks since most of that is burnt off in the carbonizing wood process aka  Pyrolysis...
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  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
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    I use cowboy all the time and its fine. Its better than royal oak in my opinion. I recently got alot of royal oak cause it was 8.99 for the 17 pound bags but cowboy has bigger pieces and lights and burns very similar to RO.
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  • njl
    njl Posts: 1,123
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    I bought a big bag of mesquite lump from Sam's Club a while back, figuring "it's lump, it won't have any mesquite flavor left in it."  I was so wrong, that even when I attempted to use some up by putting one or two pieces in with a load of Publix lump, we could taste the mesquite on the steaks.

    If the Cowboy stuff is not mesquite, that's all that's really critical.  I guess I'll give it a try next cook.
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  • BGEXL_Nick
    BGEXL_Nick Posts: 88
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    I recently opened my first bag of Cowboy that I got last fall.  It did have some scrap lumber in it but I was pleased overall.  It seems just as good as the Royal Oak I have been using. 
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  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
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    It's on sale right now at lowes somone just posted... I've been scared of it, but will buy a bag just for sale and finally see.

    some of yall like it more that RO and that's all I use, never been disappointed by it either.


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
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  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
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    Same here @MrCookingNurse, actually just discovered a somewhat regional store that is in my area gets their lump from RO and bought a bag of it last night and was pleasantly surprised I didn't have to go to Wally World to get lump.  But I will give Cowboy another go after hearing of others successes.
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
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  • beteez
    beteez Posts: 548
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    Got some at Lowes today to try
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  • njl
    njl Posts: 1,123
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    I used some Cowboy for the first time yesterday doing turbo beef back ribs.  I didn't have any problems with it.  Not a whole lot of ash.  No mesquite flavor.  It didn't light as quickly as Chigger Creek (though one oil soaked paper towel still got the job done).  I'd say it's a solid backup for when I'm out of / can't get CC.
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  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167
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    I used Cowboy for almost two years before RO became easily available in my area.

    I use both pretty much interchangeably (is that a word?). 

    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
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  • dweebs0r
    dweebs0r Posts: 539
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    I have purchased Cowboy 3 or 4 times from Lowes due to convenience (I was already in there buying something else and needed lump for a cook).  I didnt like it one bit.  Found it to be mostly coal dust and super large pieces.  Found out Royal Oak was available at my local Walmart and have switched to using it pretty much exclusively.  I wont buy Cowboy again even in a pinch.


       -Jody Newell (LBGE & a 36" Blackstone griddle).
    Location:  🍺🍺  The back porch, Munford, TN.  🍺🍺
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  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
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    I'm using it tomorrow for first time.


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
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    @MCN - if it is anything that my last experience get ready for the fireworks. Other than that it was fine

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • beteez
    beteez Posts: 548
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    Fireworks have been minimal compared to Royal Oak.
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  • milesbrown4
    milesbrown4 Posts: 314
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    Hit or miss - my first bag of Cowboy was garbage.  Since I had two bags, I opened the next one and it was excellent.  
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  • DIXIEDOG
    DIXIEDOG Posts: 109
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    Quite awhile back I bought a bag of Cowboy that was crap but I've bought a couple bags lately because it's what I could find.  The more recent stuff seems good, fair amount of ash but lights well and heats quick.   I got babied with the Wicked Good lump so everything seems to be second tier, the problem is it's tough to store a bunch of extra lump and nobody seems to stock it up here.   

    Cowboy was on sale for under $10 for 20 lbs at Lowes last night, for that price it's excellent lump.

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