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Charcoal
Retiredairforce
Posts: 2
My wife does not like smoke meat. So I'm trying to keep peace in the family. What happens if I use charcoal in the Big Green Egg? I know I can't use lighter fluid and I know I will get more ashes and I know the fire will not be as hot. Please help. Thanks
Large BGE Wellington, Fl
Comments
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Charcoal briquettes will work. They will burn quicker and temps might be harder to control. What type of lump are you using? Might try switching brands with a less smokey lump"The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan
Minnesota -
I've posted similar comments before, but here you go. Tons of people cook bread, cakes, cookies and such on their egg. The lump charcoal will burn virtually clean as long as you build a proper fire and do NOT add smoking wood or ANIMAL FAT. The delicate cooks would be totally over powered by smoke flavor if the coal was smokey at all. Don't add wood and keep your egg clean of fat drippings from meat and you will not have smokey food. Fill a new egg with lump and light it, let the fire build to @ 350 and close the lid. The exhaust will be virtually clear.
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lump burns cleaner than briquettes. what lump are you using and are you waiting for it to burn smoke free, smelling it to make sure there is a clean burning fire.
fukahwee maineyou can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it -
First up welcome aboard and enjoy the journey. And what @WeberWho? said about lump charcoal and the relative smoke profiles.
About the most smoke neutral lump I have found is Rockwood or Wicked Good Weekend Warrior. You can get Rockwood thru here http://www.firecraft.com/category/hardwood-charcoal (Free shipping above $99) or you may have local access.
Even thou is was with the USAF, thanks for your service.
Retired USN here. Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. Life is too short for light/lite beer! Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint. -
@Retiredairforce - welcome to the fray!
I bake all the time in my egg - definitely stuff that you don't want to be smokey! I start with a clean firebox and new lump. I like the more neutral-smoke lumps like Rockwood, Carbon Del Sur, Forest Lumps to name a few. Get em burning and let the smoke clear out all those nasty VOC's. I use the smell test - hold my hand for 5 seconds over the open top vent in the exhaust and then smell my hand. If it smells good, its ready to go. If its nasty, I let it run a few more minutes and check again.
My wife is kinds the same way, if its not supposed to be smoked, she doesn't like the smokey flavor given by some lumps.
I would suggest trying a different lump, one that is more neutral in its profile. check out Doug's list; use the google and look up The Naked Whiz. He has tested just about all the lumps out there.
Lump is a contentious subject here. You can also get in touch with Jonathan, @stlcharcoal. He runs the place that makes Rockwood. Got in the business because the family liked to BBQ and got tired of finding a good lump/charcoal only to have it disappear when they tried to find it again. One day, I'm going to make it over to his place and check out the factory!LBGE since 2014
Griffin, GA
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Also, look at the Rockwood Charcoal website at retailers. I'm not sure about Wellington, FL, but I know that Wassi's up in the Melbourne area sells it. they are a great resource!
LBGE since 2014
Griffin, GA
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To answer your question--yes you can use them. No problem. Nothing different happens besides more ash and maybe not reaching 800 degree temps.Retiredairforce said:My wife does not like smoke meat. So I'm trying to keep peace in the family. What happens if I use charcoal in the Big Green Egg? I know I can't use lighter fluid and I know I will get more ashes and I know the fire will not be as hot. Please help. Thanks
I I bought some briquettes on clearance and tried them out last weekend. Did a low and slow for 7 hours on them for beef ribs. I shut the grill down and then reused them thre next night for a 1.5 hour cook at 400 degrees---and I still have some usable briquettes.
Yes there is a lot more ash but it takes virtually no more effort to scrape the ashes out. I still prefer lump but at the cost I picked up the briquettes--they worked great.Augusta, GA
#BGETEAMGREEN member
MiniMax, Large, XL BGE
Featured on Man Fire Food Season 7 -
DaveRichardson said:Also, look at the Rockwood Charcoal website at retailers. I'm not sure about Wellington, FL, but I know that Wassi's up in the Melbourne area sells it. they are a great resource!
Any Ace Hardware in FL can order it, just have them look up 8400772 on their computer if it's not on the shelf. Since you're south of I-10 it will have to change trucks in Tampa after leaving the Loxley, AL warehouse. Then it will show up at your store will the rest of their weekly delivery......so give it a week or so. -
I am in Boynton Beach (a few miles south of the OP's hometown of Wellington). @stlcharcoal, FYI my local ACE gets it a lot faster than than "a week or so". So things may be working better than you think. Last week placed an order on Tuesday and was delivered on their normal Saturday restock day.Southeast Florida - LBGE
In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’ Dare to think for yourself. -
jtcBoynton said:I am in Boynton Beach (a few miles south of the OP's hometown of Wellington). @stlcharcoal, FYI my local ACE gets it a lot faster than than "a week or so". So things may be working better than you think. Last week placed an order on Tuesday and was delivered on their normal Saturday restock day.
Cool. Had you ordered it on a Wed, Thurs, of Friday, you probably would have had to wait until the following Saturday though. All depends on the restock day. My local Ace restocks on Monday morning at 0700.....so if you want anything special order, you better have your order in on the Thursday afternoon. -
@stlcharcoal do you have any retailers around chicago? I asked my local Ace and they weren't able to get it.Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
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Our store is a ways west of Chicago. If you're in the western burbs? We're in Sterling ILblind99 said:@stlcharcoal do you have any retailers around chicago? I asked my local Ace and they weren't able to get it. -
Rockwood.....Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN
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I use Royal ok lump almost all the time because where I live I don't have a lot of options, If you are using Royal Oak many times it has pieces that are not carbonized into coal and they will burn and make some very bad smoke and it gets into the food. I now look for pieces of lump while dumping in the egg that are brown in color as they are the smokers and toss them out, after lighting if there is a lot of smoke coming from a particular area I dig it out and toss it because it's wood and not lump. I have found this in Big Green Egg lump also. I'm sure this is why so many Eggers hate Royal Oak lump and if I could get a better option where I live at a reasonable cost I would.
Like others have said you need to let the fire burn until all the white smoke is gone, I usually let the fire burn for 30 minutes before I put food on the egg and I always wave my hand over the top of the egg and smell it. We bake apple cakes all the time in the Egg and they never taste of smoke at all.
I'm only hungry when I'm awake!
Okeechobee FL. Winter
West Jefferson NC Summer
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My ACE actually gets two trucks a week - Wednesday and Saturday. They say they need only 2-3 day lead time to get it delivered. I have always ordered 3-4 days ahead without a problem. Works well for me.stlcharcoal said:jtcBoynton said:I am in Boynton Beach (a few miles south of the OP's hometown of Wellington). @stlcharcoal, FYI my local ACE gets it a lot faster than than "a week or so". So things may be working better than you think. Last week placed an order on Tuesday and was delivered on their normal Saturday restock day.
Cool. Had you ordered it on a Wed, Thurs, of Friday, you probably would have had to wait until the following Saturday though. All depends on the restock day. My local Ace restocks on Monday morning at 0700.....so if you want anything special order, you better have your order in on the Thursday afternoon.Southeast Florida - LBGE
In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’ Dare to think for yourself. -
To the OP my wife is the same way. Rockwood solved the problem for me. You can believe all the good reviews you read on here bout RW and keep in mind while reading most of the complaints were about the lump getting busted up during shipping. I hear that problem is fixed now.
Another major plus to using a smoke neutral lump is when you do decide to add wood you will be getting the flavor profile you are looking for & not competing with the already smokey taste of the lump.-----------------------------------------analyze adapt overcome2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky. -
+ a bunch
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@pgprescott unfortunately you're a good two hours away. But if I ever drive out that way I will certainly stop in. Your store looks wonderful!Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
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blind99 said:@stlcharcoal do you have any retailers around chicago? I asked my local Ace and they weren't able to get it.
Hofherr Meats in Northbrook. Might have another coming soon. -
The same thing that happens when you use lump. Your food will cook. I use briquettes exclusively for grilling on my mini. I save the lump for long low and slow cooks. At $9.99 for 40 pounds, briquettes are hard to beat for high temp direct grilling.Retiredairforce said:What happens if I use charcoal in the Big Green Egg?
Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.
Status- Standing by.
The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. -
have used the briquettes in the large but never thought to use them in my little mini knockoff, thats alot nicer than picking out small pieces of lump for use in the mini. definitely going to do that.SGH said:
The same thing that happens when you use lump. Your food will cook. I use briquettes exclusively for grilling on my mini. I save the lump for long low and slow cooks. At $9.99 for 40 pounds, briquettes are hard to beat for high temp direct grilling.Retiredairforce said:What happens if I use charcoal in the Big Green Egg?
fukahwee maineyou can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it -
stlcharcoal said:DaveRichardson said:Also, look at the Rockwood Charcoal website at retailers. I'm not sure about Wellington, FL, but I know that Wassi's up in the Melbourne area sells it. they are a great resource!
Any Ace Hardware in FL can order it, just have them look up 8400772 on their computer if it's not on the shelf. Since you're south of I-10 it will have to change trucks in Tampa after leaving the Loxley, AL warehouse. Then it will show up at your store will the rest of their weekly delivery......so give it a week or so.
Can Ace hardware in Kentucky order Rockwood using the same product code?"Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber
XL and MM
Louisville, Kentucky -
@YukonRon - They should be able to order....just give the item code # that Jonathan gave
LBGE since 2014
Griffin, GA
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DaveRichardson said:@YukonRon - They should be able to order....just give the item code # that Jonathangave
No, they can't. They pull out of a different warehouse. See our website for more info -
Interesting. I always thought my ACE in 30907 could order Rockwood but they don't come up in the store locator on your website.stlcharcoal said:DaveRichardson said:@YukonRon - They should be able to order....just give the item code # that Jonathangave
No, they can't. They pull out of a different warehouse. See our website for more info
I thought all the Georgia stores would pull from the same warehouse...wonder why my store doesn't make the list.Augusta, GA
#BGETEAMGREEN member
MiniMax, Large, XL BGE
Featured on Man Fire Food Season 7 -
I think the ones on the map are the ones that regularly STOCK the items.
LBGE since 2014
Griffin, GA
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DaveRichardson said:I think the ones on the map are the ones that regularly STOCK the items.
Correct the ones on the website are the ones that we know usually keep it on the shelf. Any other store in Georgia can order it and have it in a few days. If the store that you're referring to does keep it on the shelf, let me know and then I'll have the web team add it to the list. -
It was sticking in my mind that there were some Kentucky stores that could order it......there are, but only 11 of them. They are east of Bowling Green extending over to Virginia, but staying south of Lexington. Cities are Stanton, Campton, Pikeville, Prestonburg, Whitesburg, Edmundton, Albany, Monticello, Russell Springs, Columbia, and Burkesville.YukonRon said:
Can Ace hardware in Kentucky order Rockwood using the same product code?
All the other stores pull out of the Illinois or Arkansas warehouses, which we are not in.
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Great spots, mostly vacation areas around the lakes, and in the towns between the lakes and the major cities.stlcharcoal said:
It was sticking in my mind that there were some Kentucky stores that could order it......there are, but only 11 of them. They are east of Bowling Green extending over to Virginia, but staying south of Lexington. Cities are Stanton, Campton, Pikeville, Prestonburg, Whitesburg, Edmundton, Albany, Monticello, Russell Springs, Columbia, and Burkesville.YukonRon said:
Can Ace hardware in Kentucky order Rockwood using the same product code?
All the other stores pull out of the Illinois or Arkansas warehouses, which we are not in.
As it looks now, I am only going to be here a few more months anyway, I will be looking for Rockwood in Colorado after the first of the year."Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber
XL and MM
Louisville, Kentucky
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