Weber Charcoal Test

[Dadof3Illinois]

The weather cooperated today. Sunny and 50 with only a slight wind. I posted my review/test of Royal Oak briquettes the other day and for the price I liked them.
So todays test was with the Weber Briquettes and my 26” kettle with the SnS XL. I did my best to replicate exactly what I did with the Royal Oak.

10:52 Added 10 briquettes, lit using a weber wax starter.

11:05 Filled SnS and added water
11:20 closed lid, vents at 100% open
11:25 174F
11:30 229F
11:35 241F
11:40 254F
11:45 267F
11:50 2:75F
11:55 287F
12:00 297F
12:10 314F
12:20 323F
12:30 325F
12:40 332F put Chicken Thighs on

12:50 302F vents still 100% open
1:00 309F
1:10 309F
1:20 313F
1:30 318F checked chicken, water gone
1:40 317F chicken finished

1:45 moved bit vent to 1/4 open, top 1/2 open
2:00 309F dropping temp to 225
2:10 279F
2:20 259F
2:30 Added some sausage, sorry no pics
2:40 215F
2:50 221F
3:00 221F
3:10 2:19F
3:20 215F
3:30 213F swept coals, opened btm vent to 50%
3:45 248F closed btm vent just a nudge
4:00 244F
4:15 237F
4:30 231F
4:50 240F pulled sausage, sorry no pics
5:05 240F
5:20 244F
5:30 242
6:05 232F
6:20 230F
6:30 swept ash, moved btm vent to 60%
6:45 219F
7:10 211F Stirred coals, a few still not burnt
7:30 224F
7:45 224F
8:00 210F
8:10 201F
8:20 193F...pulling the plug,

Pic of Ash left


Pros: lit easy, very long burn, stable temps, ash wasn’t too bad. I liked the zip lock weatherproof bag for storage.

Cons: Price, I paid retail. Gave a lighter flavor than I expected.

My Thoughts: I really like this charcoal, I figure it lasted around 15% longer than KBB and maybe 35-40% linger than Royal Oak. I will definitely keep this around for longer cooks.

My next test will be with the B&B lump.

[RonB]

Thanx for doin' these tests.

[DWCowles]

I will be trying Weber charcoal soon.

[Dadof3Illinois]

I really liked it and I’ll keep some around. I may not cook everything with it but for longer cooks I believe it to be better than KBB. But that’s just my thoughts.

[Dadof3Illinois]

I just noticed that last picture of my grill. I didn’t mean to post that sorry. If you notice it’s leaning to the back over an inch. The tack welds for the front leg holder broke. Going to make a table to sit it in later this summer.

[jfmorris]

Have you called Weber? The kettle has a 10 year no rust/burn through warranty on the bowl and lid, and I am betting if a weld broke loose they might just send you a new bowl!

[HawkerXP]

Agree with jfmorris, they sent me a new table top for my performer at just shy of 10 years! Give them a call.

[Dadof3Illinois]

HawkerXP, jfmorris The kettle is now back together and as good as new. Thanks for your advice, Weber sent me an entire new lower bowl. Now I can continue testing charcoal. Next up...B&B lump.

[jgreen]

Great test. I have not tried Weber yet as they are quite a bit more here and I have not seen them on sale yet. May have to buy a couple of bags anyway. Thanks.

[JeffJ]

Lowe's sells Weber for $12 per bag. It's a nice value. I'll be using Weber briquettes for tonight's cook.

[jgreen]

Very first Lowes just opened in Wiinipeg. Hopefully they beat the $25 that Home Depot wants for a bag of Weber.

[Amajeff99]

I just got a bunch of bags at my home depot for 9.50 a bag on clearence.

[JeffJ]

Nice. I may have to stop by Home Depot during lunch today.

[JeffJ]

Well I went to Home Depot during lunch and they did not have it on clearance. They wanted $17.50 for a bag but they price-matched Lowe's and I got it for $12.

[Dadof3Illinois]

I just ate another one of the chicken thighs for lunch. Seems to have more of a charcoal flavor today than yesterday. Not the same as KBB or Royal Oak, not bad just different. Can’t put my finger on it. If you’ve used this Weber charcoal let me know you’re thoughts on the flavor profile!!

[Steve B]

Thanks. Great info. Keep up the great work.

[JeffJ]

Dadof3Illinois I am using 2 cookers tomorrow night. I am doing a whole chicken in my 14.5 WSM and in the Jumbo Joe I am roasting red skin potatoes and am cooking 2 chicken breasts for a pot of make-ahead chicken poblano soup. I'll throw one of the breasts in the 14.5 WSM (will still reverse sear in the Jumbo Joe). I'll use Weber briquettes in the WSM and KBB in the Jumbo Joe and will report any difference in flavor. Thanks for the suggestion. I was going to use a little bit of wood in both cookers but I think that will obscure the experiment. I'll go straight charcoal in both and will create a thread if I detect a difference between the 2 kinds of charcoal.

[Dadof3Illinois]

Chicken is a sponge IMO and really pulls in the charcoal or smoke flavor. Letting it set in the fridge for a day may of made it a little more intense??

[JeffJ]

Dadof3Illinois I do have one concern - the whole chicken in the WSM is going to drip onto the hot coals creating "grill smoke" very much the same as in a PBC. In the Jumbo Joe I will be cooking indirect, so no grill smoke. I think I'm going to remove a bit of skin and place it above the edge of the fire in the Joe to generate some grill smoke that way.

[Dadof3Illinois]

just don’t catch it on fire. That might taint the rest of the chicken flavor.

[JeffJ]

Yes. Agreed. I am going to set it right at the edge of the fire. It should be fine.