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Sad News from OKC

icemncmth
icemncmth Posts: 1,165
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Well I was in our local Crest store to buy more Ozark Oak....and they were out and in its place was..
Frontier Brand Lump..

I haven't tried it yet but I asked about Ozark and they didn't think they were going to carry it anymore.

I had to go home and sit down and have a few beers because the news was so shocking!

Comments

  • FWIW, there's yet another version of Frontier that I get at the hardware store (Ace). It has been pretty damn good. all mid-sized uinform stuff, and dense. I wonder if it is south american? I didn't check the bag, apparently there are mexican and US sourced 'Frontier' charcoals.

    But this stuff didn't spark like any south american stuff i've had, and burns really well. middle to higher density, somewhere greater than Royal Oak but less than Wicked Good.

    my only real concern with a lump is whether it sparks or not. Had some South American Royal Oak that was horrible... If it doesn't spark, then I really think any lump can be made to do what you want. Even the lightest lump (like Cowboy) can go overnight. And the only issue with the super dense stuff i have is the rather minor point that it just takes longer to get going because of the density.

    id you try the 'Frontier'? I'll agree. if i had read only the Whiz's reports, and only the warnings posted here, i'd have stayed away. Maybe I seem to have gotten the only good three bags?

    give it a shot. I'll pay better attention next time i use it, and try to note which of the apparently many types of Frontier it was...

    (ps: BTW, given the recent events which were truly sad, i gotta say i was nervous opening your post. relieved that it was truly bad news... Just say'n)
  • Pretty sure Frontier is Argentine lump - I get 40 lb bags at Sam's for 14.27. Sparks a lot but I get over it.
  • Rolling Egg
    Rolling Egg Posts: 1,995
    I've been on a 3 or 4 bag run of USA RO that sparks so much it looks like the 4th of July every time I light up. I don't know whats up with that. Yet to try Frontier or Ozark. Don't think it's available here.
  • check the Royal Oak bag. it will likely say it's from Argentina.

    I had some bad bad bad RO. was cheap, too, which was the tip off.

    the South American RO is utterly useless. throws ash all over everything.

    I had some discussion with the RO HQ, and they didn't see the issue, frankly. They acknowledged it, but amazingly said they have no concerns about the sparks and the sputtering ash it produces.

    Royal_Oak_label.jpg

    here's the ash on the platesetter after i pulled a pizza out (threw the pizza away), and shut down the egg.

    Xash_covered.jpg

    there's no pepper on this pizza. this is all bits of spark and ash

    Xpizza_with_ash.jpg
  • Try a bag to see for yourself. For me...never again. Used the Frontier from Sam's - could never get above 450. Started to wonder if I had forgotten how to start an egg. Went back to Ozark Oak - never a problem since.

    I think there probably are different batches that perform better than others. But, for me, I don't have the time to research where the best place is to buy Frontier - I will just stick with Ozark Oak.

    Since your source is out of it, try calling Ozark Oak HQ (down in AR) and see if they sell it anywhere else in your town. May have to drive a little further, but if it's your best lump, then it would be worth it.

    Good luck.
  • Dreggs
    Dreggs Posts: 147
    20 pound bags from Ace are made in USA
  • glad to hear it. that's where i get frontier and cowboy. the R/O situation here is spotty.

    the Ace Frontier has been absolutely fine so far (maybe 3 or 4 bags in)
  • danny285
    danny285 Posts: 360
    Frontier is available at Sam's for i think $14.95 for 40# Great stuff for the price.
  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    PacServ is the distributor for Frontier in Texas. Not sure if they are the entire US distributor. PackServ changed from Picnic lump couple years ago. Pinic was a great lump and came from South America. I believe the Frontier comes from Mexico.

    I am with you on the foreign RO, junk. I'm not so concerned about sparking as most of my shirts have holes in them from MIG welding. I don't like the stuff because of the large amount of ash flying around the cooker when grilling.

    I have not tried the Frontier lump as Mexican lump is a plenty around here.

    Here is the link for PacServ and what they carry. Just found out they distribute a couple of my welding cleaners too. Wonder if I'd get some attention if I went to them and said......give me couple hundred pounds of lump and oh ya, throw in a couple cases of.....acetone too. Nay that's all, just lump and acetone.......

    http://www.packserv.com/
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
  • Lawn Ranger
    Lawn Ranger Posts: 5,467
    My stash from the OKC Eggfest. The Ozark is good stuff. Too bad the folks making the decisions likely don't use the products.

    Mike

    015-6.jpg
  • Funny that we get the "made in the USA" RO up here and you get the Argentinian stuff down there. I've switched to RO as I can get it at Canadian Tire and it's the cheapest lump around. Burns nice, not to sparky, but definitely more sparky than the Maple Leaf I used to use.

    Doug
  • hornhonk
    hornhonk Posts: 3,841
    Mike, what did you pay for the Ozark Oak in OKC, if you don'r mind? I didn;t see any at the sponsors store. I pay about 8 bucks a bag here, but it's worth it.
  • icemncmth
    icemncmth Posts: 1,165
    In OKC at the Crest store I was buying it for $4.35 a bag. I would usually buy 10 bags or what was on the shelf.
  • icemncmth
    icemncmth Posts: 1,165
    I have actually bought from the Ozark Oak HQ directly. I may have to give them a call and see if they will let me buy some more. The last time I was visiting family that live in Bull Shoal I picked up a pallet of Ozark Oak.

    I will try the Frontier but I sill love cooking on OA.
  • Sooner Egg
    Sooner Egg Posts: 578
    I also noticed that Crest had stopped selling Ozark Oak, good stuff it is.....maybe we should get to work on another Wicked Good pallet order, last year a 60 bag pallet worked out to be about 15.87 for a 22lb bag, it's great stuff....I know of several other Okies who are willing to get in on such an order of Wicked Good
  • PlanoPokes79
    PlanoPokes79 Posts: 207
    where can you get it for 8 buck a bag, the best I have found is $8.95....do tell...penny saved is a penny earned!! :laugh:
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    One would think with your proximity to Quebec that you would be able to get Basques or Maple Leaf. No?

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • icemncmth
    icemncmth Posts: 1,165
    Crest has been selling it for years for less than 5 bucks a bag..that is why I am so sad!
  • hornhonk
    hornhonk Posts: 3,841
    I get it at Elliots Hardware. If you buy 10 or more bags, he sells it for 7 bucks and change. His reg. price is 8 and change.
  • Inksmyth
    Inksmyth Posts: 308
    I just tried Frontier lump from sam's club. Made in Mexico. I love it!!!! Very dense, little dust and small pieces, most medium and large. $14 for 40 lbs.
  • PlanoPokes79
    PlanoPokes79 Posts: 207
    Cool...thanks for the info.
  • Chubby
    Chubby Posts: 2,955
    "Made In Argentina" Lump?

    That's "The Mark" of the Devil!!

    LMAO...thould be a 666 on those bags!!
    I spent most of my money on good bourbon, and bad women...the rest, I just wasted!!
  • ibanda
    ibanda Posts: 553
    Sooner egg - I think it is time to make another attempt to fill a pallet. I think there might be one or two more interested than the last attempt we had.
    "Bacon tastes gooood, pork chops taste gooood." - Vincent Vega, Pulp Fiction
    Small and Large BGE in Oklahoma City.
  • hornhonk
    hornhonk Posts: 3,841
    Any idea how much a pallet of Ozark Oak would be? If it was reasonable, I'd make the 3 hr. drive to OKC.