Royal Oak Charcoal Briquette Test

[Dadof3Illinois]

As some of you remember I’ve Been having temp issues in my 26” Weber and SnS. My problem has been keeping temps in the 225-250 range. This all started 2-3 months ago right out of the blue. Get everything within temp range but an hour or so and I would have so much ash buildup the SnS couldn’t get air. Have always used KBB and the same starting sequence.
So this is my first post for testing some different charcoals.
I have Weber, Royal Oak and KBB briquettes then a bag of B&B lump just for the heck of it.
My first run was with the Royal Oak Briquettes last weekend. I got this at WalMart for 5.99 -16lb bag.


It was around 40F outside with a 15-20 mph wind so I brought the kettle around to the front of the garage for a little wind break.

I installed the SnS with a 1/4” air gap between it and the kettle wall.


11:45 Added 10 briquettes and used a weber wax starter.


11:55 filled the SnS with charcoal no wood for this test
11:57 added water left top off temp prob on grate in middle
12:12 closed lid with vents 100% open
12:17 200F
12:28 252F
12:38 276F
12:48 279F vents still 100% open
12:58 3:10F
1:08 325F
1:18 337F
1:27 339F put on 4 Chicken Thighs
1:32 333F
1:47 343F
2:03 357F vents still 100% open
2:15 362F Chicken off, closed vents to 50%
2:25 330F
2:35 320F closed vents to 1/4 open
2:55 221F and falling opened btm to 1/2 & top 100% swept ash.
3:16 280F
3:28 259F
3:47 243F
4:27 222F
4:47 211F
5:03 207F closed all vents, had to go to a basketball game
Heres what the ash looked like at the end of the run.

Overall for the price this charcoal did pretty good.
PROS: Lit easy, ash make was good, cheap, good flavor on the chicken.
CONS: Burnt a little fast.

Next up will be the Weber Charcoal maybe tomorrow if the weather holds out.

[Troutman]

Excellent test brother!! I’m very interested in your overall results. Just saw a side-by-side on the Weber website between Weber and Kingsford. Kings ford performed fast and hot similar to your experience above. You should see a significant difference with Weber if the test I referenced runs true. I’m thinking Weber may be the winner. Looking forward to your results.

[Henrik]

Yep, keep it comin’!

[RonB]

One reason I have not bought the "deluxe" SnS with piece across the bottom is that I worry about ash buildup from more of the bottom being blocked by metal. That may be your problem. And I would also try and make sure that the charcoal grate was lined up as much as possible with the bottom's strips of the SnS that run in the same direction as the individual bars of that grate.

[Dadof3Illinois]

Yea I mentioned just that same thing in another thread. I think eventually I’ll cut a pot of the bottom out of the SnS. I make sure the bottom lines up with my grates ad much as possible.

[NortheastAl]

I have the SnS with the bottom grate in it and find it does cut off air in the later stages of smoking. I use a metal skewer to poke down through the coals and mix them around during the smoke. It’s the only way to keep the ash off and the temps up. I may cut out the grate at one point. Should have gotten the standard model.

[Buck Flicks]

I got the SnS plus as well, and I find that I have a to do ash clearance more often than I'd like. I should have just gotten the classic original.

[DWCowles]

Nice test. I have never used Royal Oaks charcoal only their lump which I like.

[Dadof3Illinois]

Tomorrow looks like a good day to run another test. Going to be 50 and sunny. Maybe I’ll cook a Chuckie or should I keep it the same and cook more chicken thighs.

[Steve B]

I would keep all variables as much as possible the same.
Your gonna need a big ole steak after all that chicken for sure.

[Troutman]

I’d stay with the same meat, keep all variables the same.

[jfmorris]

I used the Royal Oak briquettes for a long cook (ribs) with the standard SNS on my Performer today. So far I had just been using it for direct cooks or searing. Not happy with it for low and slow. I had to open the vents up a lot more than with Weber or Kingsford, to get the temp into the 225 to 250 range, then after several hours shut the vents down to where I normally would have been with Weber or Kingsford. I imagine it’s not burning as hot, and the dozen briquettes I lit to start with just didn’t do the trick, and more of the SNS has to be lit up to get the same temperature at the grate.

I am switching to a bag of Stubbs or KBB when I drop a butt on there in an hour.

[Dadof3Illinois]

I wouldn’t have a problem using it for ribs, chicken or anything hot and fast. For long low and slow cooks it wouldn’t last. But it lit fine and the ash make wasn’t too bad.
I still haven’t tried the B & B lump in the kettle yet. I’ll do a review on it when I get to cook again.
On a side note Lowe’s has the double bags on sale for 12.99 again around here!!