BBQ/GRILLING - WHAT CHARCOAL DO YOU USE

That's the only thing a gaser is good for

 

Got me 4 bags of on sale Kingsford!!!!

 

Anyone else use chunk wood? Ill buy chunks in the 2-2.5" range and let them burn down. Great smokey taste. Not so good for long cooks

 

@scottalot

 

I've used Stubbs. I like it.

I am usually using Kingsford Blue bag because it's more consistent with temp and length of burn.

 

Sounds like I'm alone in this, but in *my* WSM Stubbs is more consistent. Maybe it's the Seattle area weather.

 

The WSM is a great smoker at a great price. I had a 22" but went to an 18" because I usually didn't need all that room. Well... I am regretting it a little because when I do a whole packer brisket I DO need the room. I've been separating the flat/point before cooking and just sitting the point on top of the flat. Still comes out amazing.

 

I have a two sided open pit grill. The wood/charcoal is height adjustable with a wheel on each side.


I bought it from Lowes online. In the store they only have the single pit which my dad now has.


I start out with the Royal Oak in a chimney and use cardboard strips underneath to get it started. I use a butane torch to get it started fast.

Once the charcoal is burning good I dump it into the box and add large chunks of Red Oak and Hickory. I move the large chunks to the back of the pit and even out the coals in the rest. The Red Oak adds lots of flavor when you put the meat directly over the flame. You have to watch it though, there is a fine line between charring and burning. Once both sides are charred I move it away from the flame and close the lid. this allows it to cook the inside of the meat. This is where the Hickory adds to the taste.

It is not as fast a propane but tastes 10000X better.

That Chicken came out like this.


Tonight I cooked a couple of 1" thick Rib Eyes.


Just looking at that picture will tell you gas don't taste like that.

 

I've found this stuff up here at Canadian Tire. It's their line of charcoal and it's pretty decent. Comes in lump and briquettes. Gonna use tomorrow on my Weber kettle for a briskette

 

Kingsford Match Light

 

Match Light taints the taste. Just sayin.

 

It doesn't for me, it will if you put the food on before you've got the right coals.

 

If all of the coals are glowing hot and the "Match Light" additives are fully expelled, I could see it possibly not affecting the cook. There are a lot of people, however, myself included, that begin cooking with some lit and some unlit. It can be used for grilling and is a necessity for BBQing. In that case, the food is in the chamber while unlit coals become ignited and would have to burn that stuff off.

I think a good solution, if you like the Match Light, would be to keep a bag of it and a bag of the regular stuff. Use the Match Light to get it going in a chimney starter, then top with the regular stuff. Just a thought!

 

That would be an idea if someone can taste the match light but I've never had a problem with it.

 

i'll use anything. love Lazzari..but only if i can pick it up myself when i am nearby. an empty backyard garbage can with a lid is damn near perfect. the bags are nice, but i get the craziest amount of black dust in them now.

my mainstay is the double bag from HD or costco.

i gave away my charcoal grill when i moved here to SantaRosa. i had no room for storage..i'll buy another weber kettle soon. i've been practicing my Persian cooking. my office mates have been helping me learn. those swordlike skewers are pretty cool. right now, i'm just using my propane weber genesis..

 

I can usually taste if they used lighter fluid or not. Typically I can smell it before even tasting it.

 

That gets it lit. The leaf blower from the bottom is the added touch

 

Yup. I mix. 70-30 royal oak or stubs to wood.

 

I use FOGO lump charcoal, best taste and burn time, use a chimney to get it started!

 

More pics of the drum! I love me a good UDS.