Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Hardwood Briquettes

Told my wife to get me charcoal. She came back with this. Hardwood Briquettes. I had no option so I'm using them. They say they are all natural. Only thing in them is corn starch. Anyone ever use these before? They produce a bit of smoky flavor, which is nice if you want smoke. I just prefers to add my own smoke flavor.

Comments

  • No, but awhile back I posted the question of using them and got responces that it was ok to use for short cooks but for long cooks they would make to much ash. I asked this question because I can get 40 lbs bags of royal oak chefs select briquettes for $15. Also I like the flavor of them a lot. It will be interesting so see some other opinions on this topic.
  • I've used the TJ brand before.  Too much ash and it didn't get as hot as lump to give me a satisfactory sear on my steaks.  The problem I find with briquettes--this and Kingsford--is that they get a thick ash layer on the briquettes and that seems to really insulate them.  I had to constantly knock them around with a poker to get the ash to fall off.  I also found that out when doing a whole pig on the spit.  Spent a lot of time knocking ash off the briquettes.
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    For Egg use, they are OK in a pinch. I had to use some once when I was out of lump. Full fire box, and a 2 hour cook, and half the box was filled w. ash. Later, I mistakenly ordered some Wicked Good briquettes (thought I had selected Weekend Warrior lump.) It burned slightly better than whatever brand I had used earlier, but not enough to use them for anything but extenders along w. used lump.

    They mostly sat in their bags for a couple years, and when I got around to trying to use them up, I found they had begun to crumble into dust.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,667
    have used them, they work fine for regular grilling temps. what ive done is put a grid under the fire ring, load and light a pile of briquettes on that, then spread them out and put the cooking grill on top of the ring for the cook
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    have used them, they work fine for regular grilling temps. what ive done is put a grid under the fire ring, load and light a pile of briquettes on that, then spread them out and put the cooking grill on top of the ring for the cook
    Ceramic Weber, I like that.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,667
    have used them, they work fine for regular grilling temps. what ive done is put a grid under the fire ring, load and light a pile of briquettes on that, then spread them out and put the cooking grill on top of the ring for the cook
    Ceramic Weber, I like that.
    the reason i bought my first egg is because it looked to be an improved webber kettle grill
    :D had no idea
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • When I used to use my weber, I only used the royal oak chef select brickets.  I loved them.  They were super consistent and easy to use.  Everyone says not to use them on an egg because of the "ash".  Why is the ash an issue on the egg but not a weber?
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,667
    busmania said:
    When I used to use my weber, I only used the royal oak chef select brickets.  I loved them.  They were super consistent and easy to use.  Everyone says not to use them on an egg because of the "ash".  Why is the ash an issue on the egg but not a weber?
    with the weber the briquettes are more spread out so ash buildup doesnt effect airflow. witht the egg the briguetts are more vertical and the ash builds up over long low and slows and cuts off air flow
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Makes sense.  thanks!
  • You are also getting less heat per bag, so a $15 of briquettes may not be a better value than a $20 bag of lump. I think briquettes where marketed as more convenient and predictable than lump but they sell you a lot clay, sand or in this case starch non of which create heat. Gerhard
  • @busmania like I said earlier we buy RO chefs select by the palet for our chicken and beef cooks at the fire house. At $15 for 40 lbs its a great deal. I plan to try them in the egg soon. We will see how it works out. Because I have an extra large there should be plenty of room for the ash to go. I plan to just try it on short cooks, I have plenty of lump for my low and slow cooks.
  • @Firemanyz - that's the method, use briquettes for short cooks and all is good, for long low and slows, use lump. 
    I think lump gets hotter, however I usually grill at <500º so super high heat is not an issue. I've used Kingsford in a pinch. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!