Charcoal opinion poll

dlk7 · July 2013

Bad - chunks that are that big have to be broken up or the grid doesn't lay flat - just extra work.

nemo · July 2013

DavidL · July 2013

a bad thing

johann · July 2013

Vote for c) indifferent

volfan1 · July 2013

caliking · July 2013

mdozier said:
B. The more mid-sized and smaller pieces (discounting dust) gives more fuel per volume and thus longer burn times overall.

Is that true? The volume should be the same. The surface area changes.

mdozier · July 2013

My point was larger oddly shaped pieces will have more air gaps in a given volume leaving a less densly packed lump and less fuel. If you fill in with the smaller pieces that certainly helps equalize.

The Naked Whiz · July 2013

Ok, I think the pattern is evident. Most of you don't like getting a piece of charcoal that is 25% of the bag, or don't care because you can bust it up. Not too many actually like seeing this. Thanks for all the input. I'm basically trying to validate some of my assumptions regarding what makes a good bag of charcoal. I'll have another question about one more thing that I thought I should check on in a bit. Thanks again for all the input and letting me ask the question here.

EazyE · July 2013

I love the huge pieces. Like someone else mentioned, they are perfect for low and slows. Put those huge pieces at the bottom, and build up from there with the smaller pieces, and you will have a perfect fire for low and slows for many many hours!!

RLeeper · July 2013

jccbone62 · July 2013

fiver29 · July 2013

Bad. I don't want to have to break it up.

SandBilly · July 2013

nolaegghead · July 2013

Common sense dictates the ideal bag is one of medium sized uniform pieces for good air flow and the dynamic ability to burn low and slow or hot. The large lumps take forever to fully ignite. If you take the argument to the extreme - a bag is one 20 pound lump, trying to get a quick hot fire is impossible. Taking it to the other extreme, a bag of dust, airflow is a problem.

For low and slows, you can burn just about anything. An egg full of dust or a single lump will fuel a low n slow.

Ergo, large lump (the 20 pound single lump) may be reduced to any size. Maximum flexibility. However, takes work. So the correct answer, considering the ideal bag is between dust and a single lump, is B. If you have an answer other than that, Please elaborate.

boatbum · July 2013

Been gone while this thread was building - but have to chime in at the end. I believe for Low and Slow - the selection of the charcoal is paramount. When your cooking at 350 and up for an hour or two - most any charcoal will work.

I don't panic with a big piece of charcoal in a bag - back when I was a WGWW fan - would get some big pieces - just bust them up.

Given the alternative - I can bust a big piece apart - cant glue small pieces back together.

I don't want all large - or all small. A slow cook with big pieces only is probably going to core at 3 in the morning.

I want a mixture, larger pieces with some medium size to fill in the gaps and give me bulk. If you load only larger pieces, you will not have as much charcoal. A good charcoal should give me a 20 hour cook if I set it up correctly.

just my thoughts ( though clouded still from the weekend in Napa)