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

question

BG Cop
BG Cop Posts: 8
edited November -0001 in EggHead Forum
Just put a brisket on this am at about 0500. I had a fair amount of lump left in the egg. To my surprise I was completely out in the bag. My questions is this, I added a little bit of kingford briquets because i was in a pinch. Any problems with that?

Also as a side note, I loaded up with the normal amount of hickory. When i closed the vents to get to 200 the egg started to puff like a train for about five minutes. Never saw that before. Just kinda funny.
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • BBQMaven
    BBQMaven Posts: 1,041
    You will have more ash from the Kingford that will stop up the lower grate- not to mention the taste it will impart (yuk)... Used lump tends to burn up faster than a new load... I'd keep a close eye on it....
    Kent Madison MS
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker
    Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker Posts: 3,743
    taste from lump is usually starter fluid. i know everyone talks about "additives" in briquettes, but the vast majority are nothing more than carbon and neutral binders (clay, i think) and mold-release agents like cornstarch. basically flavorless vegetable or mineral powders.

    but that "briquette smell" is usually the lighter fluid.

    and as i think you are right about the ash,he's gonna wanna keep on top of it.

    long as he didn't use lighter fluid....
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    My experience using "all-natural" briquettes, which just had corn starch binder was that a single load will completely fill the fire box with ash past the side air holes. So expect to use a wiggle rod later on to clear the vents.

    Also, the kingsford probably has a little coal in it, and so burns a little hotter. Watch your vent settings.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BBQMaven
    BBQMaven Posts: 1,041
    Back in the "Weber" days, I started with an electric starter... even then, the early burn off of briquettes had a yuck factor that was worse than regular lump... when I would smoke for a long time, I'd start the new batch in a chimney before pouring into the smoker... hated that flavor... each to his own....
    Kent Madison MS
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker
    Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker Posts: 3,743
    briquettes are denser i guess. you probably have way more VOCs per "mound" of briquettes than you do for an equal sized mound of lump.

    bottom line is yer right. briquettes stink. lit. and fig.

    :laugh:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • WooDoggies
    WooDoggies Posts: 2,390
    You will be fine using briquets in a pinch.... just don't get into a habit of it. :~)
    I've added briquets to lump before without a problem. Just had to wait until the initial smoke died down before putting the meat back on the egg... just like when starting up the egg.
    Good luck with your brisket cook.

    john
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories