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Dumb question about lump coal

Stargaze
Stargaze Posts: 68
edited October 2012 in Charcoal
I bought some Wicked Good coal recently, the one thing I noticed is that they have some really big sized hunks of wood in those bags.  Do you guys whack them with something to break them up or just used them as is in your egg?  
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Comments

  • rbierman
    rbierman Posts: 16
    I'm new too, but think that the big chunks are ok and not a problem
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  • CajunEggHead
    CajunEggHead Posts: 189
    The large ones will work fine I have some come out of the bag as large as my hand and still worked fine, I can't see where it would make any difference..
     
     1 Large Big Green Egg
     1 Weber Kettle
     1 Weber Weber Smokey Mountain 18"
     1 Long Horn Off Set
     1 Bradley Smoker
     1 Weber Silver Gasser
     1 Weber Smokey Joe Small
     1 Orange Thermapen
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  • Tillerman
    Tillerman Posts: 38
    Keep in mind that I am new to BGE land.  However, I like the bigger pieces of lump.  In my humble opinion, I feel the temperature is more consistant with medium to large pieces (once established). 
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  • Hansm
    Hansm Posts: 214
    yes, medium to large is the best. Gravel clogs the holes
    LG BGE,  Weber Genesis gas, Weber 22" Kettle, Weber Smokey Joe
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,318
    I bet the OP sorted this out several years ago.  
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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  • Tspud1
    Tspud1 Posts: 1,486
    lousubcap said:
    I bet the OP sorted this out several years ago.  

    Probably still has same bag
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  • Langner91
    Langner91 Posts: 2,120
    Stargaze said:
    I bought some Wicked Good coal recently, the one thing I noticed is that they have some really big sized hunks of wood in those bags.  Do you guys whack them with something to break them up or just used them as is in your egg?  
    In case anyone else sees this, nine years from now, and wonders the same thing, I use the big pieces in my LBGE, and save all the little pieces for my MMBGE.

    So, the only logical answer in my mind, to the OP's question is, "Buy another egg."
    Clinton, Iowa
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,887
    edited October 2021
    I'm still in the "set them aside" group and then will smack them with a hammer and pour back into a bag.
    Here's my screen for that task:

    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • bluebird66
    bluebird66 Posts: 2,726
    jdMyers said:
    Wow I just dump and burn.  Re burn old and keep it moving.   Hmmm

    That's how I do it.
    Large Egg with adjustable rig, Kick Ash Basket, Minimax and various Weber's.
    Floyd Va

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,887
    jdMyers said:
    Wow I just dump and burn.  Re burn old and keep it moving.   Hmmm
    Well, Sir when I am using my large egg then sure, ye ole dump and burn works for me most of the time as well, but when using my Small and my Mini then just two or three huge chunks fill the fire box and doesn’t create a bed of hot coals like I prefer to cook on.
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
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  • danhoo
    danhoo Posts: 682
    RRP said:
    jdMyers said:
    Wow I just dump and burn.  Re burn old and keep it moving.   Hmmm
    Well, Sir when I am using my large egg then sure, ye ole dump and burn works for me most of the time as well, but when using my Small and my Mini then just two or three huge chunks fill the fire box and doesn’t create a bed of hot coals like I prefer to cook on.
    Do you need an XL? 



    current: | Large BGE |  Genesis 1000 | Genesis E330 | 22 inch Kettle | Weber Summit Kamado
    sold:| PitBoss pro 820 |  WSM 22 | 
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  • PigBeanUs
    PigBeanUs Posts: 932
    A mix is good. One giant log of charcoal would not be great. Neither would tiny pieces. 

    Best overnight i ever had was when I discovered too late that I was running out of lump. I dumped the tail end of the bag all over the top and ended up with a bed of what looked like sand and pea stone (only with lump).

    there’s still plenty of air flow. 

    Now if the whole firebowl was fulled with that, no bueno. But if the firebowl was fulled with two giant chunks, also no bueno

    fist sized and below burn well. I tend to put the bigger stuff at the bottom to help airflow. But airflow is almost always fine anyway. 
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  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684
    It all burns as long as air can get to it.

    Big chunks can be a issue because there's a reason why they are still big.....they are being held together by wood fiber.  And that means they are not charcoal, thus smoke, ash, and less btu/#.  Also, they can be a bear to get lit and stay lit at low temps due to the thing being a gigantic heat sink.
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