Charcoal brand

What charcoal do you use? I think Kingsford is crap. It used to be the best but now it seems like by the time they turn white they have already lost half their size. I'll be looking for another brand.

 

I use BBQ Galore brand lump charcoal most of the time. I use the standard hardwood blend. If I am not at home or forgot the bag of it I use el diablo lump from walmart


http://www.bbqgalore.com/

 

Kingsford blue only...I can smoke 2 pork butts at 225-275 degrees for about 14 hours on one round of charcoal (probably about 1/3 of a bag).

 

I use Kingsford. Absolutely no lighter fluid. Chimney starter only.

 

My thoughts exactly, it "used" to be way better. Seems the briquette size is way smaller as well.

 

How in the world do you pull that off? 14 hours on a 1/3 bag. keeping steady temp?

 

Yeah, it will maintain at 250ish for at least 10-12 hours in cold weather, and up to 18 once when I did a brisket in the summer. It may be my smoker (Weber Smokey Mountain), but I also use the "Minion Method" for lighting my charcoal. Take a look at it on virtualweberbullet.com, but basically I light a chimney's worth of charcoal, then place it on top of the unlit stuff. Works wonders for me.

 

Maybe I have been waiting too long for the charcoal to turn white on top. Thanks for the link.

 

kingsford. heated up in a chimney starter. no fuel starters. i drop a few big hunks of almond wood, or fruit tree wood in there for fuel as well. makes everything i cook taste like a campfire meal in the woods

the brownbag kingsford "pro" stuff is nowhere as good as the regular blue bag. pro? BS..pure BS.

 

i get hardwood charcoal.... nothing like it. sometimes i even throw a piece of real wood in there to give it the smokie flavor

 

i find it burns too fast. but i do love it. we have a huge company down here. Lazzari. you can pull up with a garbage can, and they fill it up with hardwood charcoal.

 

^^^Too bad you are so far away I would be there all the time. I really havent paid that close of attention to how long it burns. Sometimes though when I am done cooking and let it burn down it stays hot for hours. I love sitting next to the smoker/grill and watching that glow come from under it.