Lump vs. Briquette

[Attjack]

I've been using lump since I got into grilling on charcoal. If you use both can you tell me why and when you use what? If you only use one or the other can you explain your rationale?

[FlaBouy]

I use all five...

Lump in the egg and in the kettle depending on whether I am looking for a higher heat but shorter cook since it tends to burn a bit quicker/hotter, albeit purer.

Briquettes in the kettle on longer, lower temp, temp critical cooks....

Pellets in the pellet pooper cause logs, lumps and briquettes get stuck in the screw.

Gas in the flame thrower for 1500*+ sears..

Logs in the stick burner and ground pit because pellets are too damn hard to load...

[RonB]

I don't anything to do with lump 'cause the last time my wife gave me one it lasted a week and hurt like He double l.

[JCBBQ]

I use lump in my kamado. Mostly bc I read so much about the ash build up impeding air flow w briquettes in ceramics. Lump works well. I've never tried using briquettes in the kamado bc there didn't seem to be any need to switch. I use briquettes in my PBC (its in a different location) bc there is so much info on this site on using briquettes in the PBC. I've never tried using lump in the PBC because i'm not that curious and there doesn't seem to be a good reason to switch.

[JeffJ]

I only use lump when I'm looking for a hotter fire. Otherwise I mostly use Kingsford Original. It works perfectly well.

[Thunder77]

Briquettes in the kettle, and Lump in the Akorn kamado. If I want to jump up the heat a bit on the kettle, I will throw some lump on top of the briquettes.

[GregS]

I always use lump in any grill. Mainly because of all the ash that briquettes leave behind.

When I cook in the Dutch ovens, I use briquettes because it is much easier to get an idea of the temperature they provide.

[ComfortablyNumb]

I use briquettes in my grill because it has an Ash Hole(TM). All I have to do is pull out the butt plug and they fall into a metal bucket.

[JeffJ]

KBB can be had for $5 for a 19 pound bag when it's on sale. last summer I cooked several pork loins with KBB and then cooked one with lump. I thought the flavor profile with the lump was just slightly better in a subtle way. However, the difference was so negligible that I concluded that lump should be a luxury or used in a niche capacity. KBB creates a lot of ash, which is an inconvenience. Nevertheless, emptying the ash out of a kettle is the same process regardless of the fuel. Yes, I could probably get in an extra cook in-between emptying the ash hopper if I used lump, but that's not a big deal for me. As for the PBC, 14.5 WSM and Jumbo Joe, I have to empty the ash before every cook, so lump produces no advantage in those cookers as it pertains to ash removal.

[Spinaker]

I use lump in my Kamados and Briquettes in the PBCs.

[JeffJ]

Man! To be able to talk about kamados and PBC's in the plural.....

[6th Borough BBQ]

Simple, Lump! It's cleaner. Blue Smoke Faster, Way Less Ash, natural.

[jgg85234]

Lump in the Kamado Joe, KBB in the Weber Kettle and WSM. Tried it other ways, but those just seem to be the best combinations of cooker and fuel.

I like the lump from Kamado Joe, and will buy it at Costco road show prices, but I also buy the 40 Lb bags of El Diablo (mesquite) for $12.99 and use that. Haven't sensed any real difference in the meats, but I do like the smell of the KJ lump in the back yard better.

Best regards,
Jim

[ecowper]

Lump is basically pure charcoal ....it will burn exceptionally clean, but have none of the volatiles that create "smoke/bbq flavor" .... briquettes don’t burn as clean, obviously, but will create more creosote. Here’s more on the subject

http://www.kbq.us/how-wood-burns/