Royal Oak briquettes: Midas Touch or Fool's Gold? Opinions needed!

[kelton]

Hey guys! Brand new here, and brand new owner of a Pit Barrel Cooker which I've taken for a maiden voyage cooking a pork shoulder, some ribs, a pastrami, some beer brats, and some corn on the cob. Everything but the pastrami turned out world-class (user error on that, I think). Pretty good for an overly ambitious first attempt by a guy who has no idea what he's doing.

I'm on the hunt for the best value fuel for this bbq machine. I was in Walmart and picked up some bags of Royal Oak briquettes. In two versions. The patriotic red white and blue version comes in a two pack of 18 lb bags for $8.88... a total steal if it's any good. The other bag was $7.95 for a 16 lb bag of "All Natural". What's really confusing is that if you read carefully, both bags state that they are 100% all natural. So I'm wondering how these differ, and if you guys have any experience with both of these. I'm tempted to load up on the $8.88 double pack. But not if it sucks! My first cook used the brown bag Royal Oak All Natural Briquettes. It burned for about 8 hours and maintained temps from 250-275 until fuel ran low. Haven't tapped the patriotic Premium value size double bag yet, which also says 100% all natural.

I actually emailed Royal Oak to find out the difference, as well as what differentiates a few other products they make, because I was so confused. Here is the response they sent me:

"Thank you for contacting us. It is always exciting to be included in your grilling experience. Royal Oak specializes in manufacturing charcoal. There is not a difference between the All Natural Hardwood Briquets seen our website and the All Natural Hardwood Briquets seen in Walmart stores. Walmart is running a "Patriotic" promotional campaign with the product this summer. This is the reason for the red, white and blue bags. The Royal Oak Premium Ridge has been discontinued which is why it's no longer featured on our website. However, Royal Oak Chef's Select is currently on our website under Restaurant products as this is mainly sold to restaurant owners. https://www.royaloak.com/product-category/restaurant-products/."

So what is your experience with these products? Any PBC owners care to comment on their performance vs other charcoal you like or prefer? Anyone used both and know if they perform the same?

I really appreciate your experience and insight! If you think these suck, what do you prefer, especially for PBC cooking?

I've used just about every charcoal available in my PBC and I'd say the all natural bag (the brown bag) of RO that you showed in the picture is great for the PBC. I like the all natural better than the original RO bag ( the all red one), but just about anything works in the PBC. I tend to use either FOGO, B&B, RO Lump in it and for Briquettes I use B&B or the RO natural briquettes that you put up there.

[cashelton]

I've used RO and KBB in the PBC, I prefer KBB...found it burned more consistent. I didn't mind RO in the Weber kettle but unless it's on sale, I'll stick with KBB.

[jpsep]

Hi thornsbreak , welcome to the Pit. Congrats on being a new PBC owner. Over on the Pit Barrel Cooker channel, there is a sticky topic about using other brands of charcoal in the PBC besides the originally recommended Kingsford Original. There is some information there about using Royal Oak, both lump and briquettes.

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/charcoal-drums-barrels-and-bullet-smokers/pit-barrel-cooker/13424-other-fuels-besides-kingsford-original-on-the-pbc

I've done tons of cooks on my much-loved PBC, but never with Royal Oak briquettes, so I can't add anything.

Enjoy coming to The Pit and enjoy that PBC too!

Kathryn

I'm going to check out the sticky, thanks for posting! fzxdoc I've been researching what smoker to get myself as an upgrade and I've read a lot of your comments re: the PBC. I've had a cheap $100 propane smoker for 3 years. Part of researching has been charcoal as this will be new to me. Anything I should know or consider? Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

[fzxdoc]

jpsep , I continue to think that one should start out with the PBC following the guidelines provided by the PBC folks on their website. Then, for subsequent cooks, you can tweak what doesn't work well for you or your PBC.

That's exactly what I did. For example, many people here still use PBC's lighting methods, although they did not work well for me, which is why I went to the 15-10-10 method which does the trick.

Using that same logic, starting out with Kingsford Original (KBB) recommended by the PBC folks, is also a good idea. It gives you a baseline for cook parameters and results. Once the bag is used up (and you'll use it quickly because you'll be using your PBC a lot) you can branch out to other brands to see if they can beat your KBB experience.

My goal with the PBC was to get it to perform much like an appliance with predictable temperatures and predictable (within reason) cook times. For the most part, I think that is achievable with that sweet barrel cooker.

Kathryn

[jpsep]

Really appreciate the feedback! That's my goal as well, to have authentic BBQ without having to babysit it for hours. Do you/have you had other smokers with other fuel sources? I'm interested in a charcoal with few if any additives. I think I'm pretty close to pulling the trigger on this thing. Any PBC accessories you think are must-have? What about the fireboard and fan, is it compatible?

[N227GB]

I'd hold off on the blower gizmos for now until you get the feel of the basic way the PBC runs.

Must have accessories are the ash catcher and the upgraded hook tool that doubles as a bottle opener. If you're planning on turkey for the holidays get a hanger now because I've seen them go out of stock in the past.

[jpsep]

Thanks N227GB! I had the turkey hanger in my cart

[fzxdoc]

jpsep , Besides the PBC, I've got a 22" Weber Premium kettle, a Summit Gas Grill that I use mostly for searing and for griddle use, and a Summit Charcoal Grilling Center which functions as either a kamado or a charcoal grill. I have a SnS/DnG combo for it and for the 22" kettle.

So gas and charcoal with wood chunks added are the fuel sources I use. I use Weber charcoal for long cooks, Kingsford Professional for hot fast cooks like poultry or meatloaf, KBB for shorter cooks, and B&B briquettes or lump or Weber briquettes in my kamado.

You really don't need the fan/driver for the PBC unless you just want to play with getting rock solid temps, but the Fireboard Extreme BBQ package is one sweet remote thermometer setup. You can always add a Pit Viper fan later, since you can now purchase the Fireboard with the fan driver included.

The split grate is nice if you want to do ribs and corn or other veggies on the grate at the same time, for example.

I second the idea of the turkey hanger although I spatchcock my turkeys for the PBC and hang them using only one rebar placed on the diagonal because they cook more evenly. The bar alone on the hanger, placed across the rebars, makes another great place to hook another piece of meat then you're loading your PBC down as I sometimes do.

And sausages in the PBC are wonderful, so the sausage holder is a nice addition too.

I don't use the ash catcher because grease was running off it and getting trapped under it and the bottom of the barrel. So I removed it and now continue to line the bottom of the barrel with 2 layers of Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil 18" size for every cook. Easy peasy cleanup that way. A lot of PBC folks love that ash catcher, though.

I love the PBC AP rub especially for chicken. It has a lot of salt in it, so I use it for a dry brine as well. I buy it in the bulk bags. You'll get a jar of it with your purchase, as I recall, so give it a try and let us know how you like it.

Kathryn

[jpsep]

fzxdoc, thanks again Kathryn! Appreciate the guidance! I've been reading the forums and watching youtube videos comparing the PBC, OK Joe Bronco and the Weber Smokey Mountain. The Bronco is out of stock in stores so I can't go check it out, but it looks like my local Ace has the PBC. I'm even tempted to pick one up and get to smoking this weekend, but it seems if you purchase direct & buy one a PBC package you can save money picking up some essentials like the cover.

JP

[jpsep]

How annoying is it to run probe cables? Looks like they have to share the holes with the rebar.

[fzxdoc]

Running the probe cables through the rebar holes is pretty easy, except that the rebar usually has to be out or at least slightly dislodged to do it, so there's some juggling as you get the meat probes in to the meat. One end or the other has to be threaded through the holes, either before you add the meat or right afterwards. It's easier to thread the food probes through the rebar hole as the PBC is heating up and let them drape over the edge of the barrel (to the outside so they don't get too hot) until you're ready to insert them into the meat after it's hung on the rebar.

I start the ambient probes when I pour the burning charcoal from the chimney at the beginning, so no problem with them--they get wrapped once around a rebar (when the rebars are inserted) and hang at the level where the midpoint of the hanging meat will be.

Kathryn

[jpsep]

fzxdoc Hey Kathryn, happy Sunday! I’m not meaning to be a pain but I’m still agonizing over the choices. Reading and watching every article and video I can find. PBC/WSM/bronco. I do like that PBC is vet owner and operated. So I’m trying to find differentiators I’m thinking about problems I’d like to solve that I currently face. How is the PBC on cold and/or windy days? I imagine since it runs hotter it will hold up to bitter NJ winters.

[jpsep]

Part 2 - for ie on Thanksgiving the propane smoker struggled to stay above 200° this past year due to cold windy conditions.

JP

[jpsep]

Also how often do you need to add fuel? Is it an major or minor annoyance?

[fzxdoc]

jpsep

I think choosing between WSM/Bronco/PBC is greatly dependent on the other cookers/grills that you may already own and where you want to go in the future.

The PBC flavor is unique--quite smoky--and delicious, IMO, but folks who come particularly from an offset smoker experience sometimes say the smoke is too strong for them and use it more for chicken than other meats. It's a great smoker, especially for the price. It does not function well as a grill, though, without modifications. So for me when I first purchased it, I still used my gasser for grilling. I did come up with some easy PBC mods. By easy I mean setting the fire basket on two side-by-side lengths of metal chimney used for indoor heating stoves to get it closer to the grate so I could sear off a steak or grill a good burger, for example. No permanent mods. With the PBC and the gasser, I had all bases covered.

But then I wanted a kettle and also a kamado experience and purchased the Weber Summit Charcoal Grilling Center, which is an awesome piece of equipment. Got the SnS and DnG for it then added Grill Grates for over the SnS. Use the Vortex with it too . So much fun. I use it almost equally in kettle/SnS and kamado modes.

Next I bought a 22 inch Weber Premium so I could cook smaller amounts without as much cleanup as the WSCGC. I have an SnS for it too as well as Grill Grates and use the Vortex all the time with it.

Since that was my arc--going from gasser first, then to the PBC then on to WSCGC and finally a 22" Weber Premium kettle--I've been happy every step of the way because I still use every piece. A lot.

To me, to be happy with and to still use each acquisition is what makes a good personal choice.

So you almost have to know where you want to go next when making the wise purchase. With the Bronco, you can grill and smoke easily in the barrel design. The more features, the more that may go wrong but the Bronco has some happy users, and frankly, I'd love to play with one. That said, nothing will make me give up my PBC. I've got smoking on it down to a science, and it always delivers.

I can't address a WSM since I've never really smoked on one. Well I did, back in the day for a few cooks (it went off into the sunset) but not with the expertise and knowledge that I now have. A lot of folks here swear by one.

About the cold and wind with a PBC: I don't live were it gets super cold and windy in the winter, usually. Spinaker can address it since he has a couple of PBCs in Minnesota. I think he covers it with a welding blanket for using on a super cold windy day.

Fuel longevity depends on temp. Last night I ran a full basket for 1.5 hours at 350-400° for chicken and sausages then backed it down to 275° and it ran for a total 5 hours before starting to die. With a full basket running at my PBC's sweet spot of 275°, I get 8 to 9 hours out of it. Usually that's enough to get whatever I'm smoking (like a packer ) up to the temp where I want to wrap which is 170-180°. After wrapping (Texas Crutch), heat is heat to the meat's mind, so if the fire is going down, I put the wrapped piece in the oven at 275° to finish up to probe tenderness. For pork butts that I seldom crutch/wrap, one basket is usually fine.

I've only had to add fuel for a couple of long cooks. I learned quickly to remove the meat, (despite the fact that it's a pain to do) because ash can swirl when you add a chimney of lit coals (or for that matter a bunch of cold coals) and I don't want ash depositing on the meat. As a matter of preference, I add lit coals because I don't like the smell/taste that first comes off unlit coals when they're coming up to temp. I do the same with kettle/SnS or kamado cooking when fuel needs to be added.

Whew! Sorry to be so long-winded, but I hope I've answered your questions or given you some things to add to one side or the other of the +/- list that I know you're compiling for each purchase semi-finalist.

Good luck with whatever you choose. Actually, for any of them you can't go wrong but it's nicer if it fits with what you have and where you think you will be going with this wonderful hobby of ours in the future.

Best wishes for making the wisest purchase for your needs. It's always fun to buy a new BBQ toy.

Kathryn

[jpsep]

fzxdoc thanks so much! What a journey! You've given me a ton to think about as I weigh out the options. I have a Weber Spirit gas grill which has been a champ for years and a Cuisinart cheap gas smoker. My next purchase would probably be an upgraded gasser like the well-reviewed Masterbuilt on AR. I also appreciate you pointing out the easy to clean aspect of the PBC. I also looked at the GrillGrate addon for the PBC but maybe that won't improve the grilling experience?

[fzxdoc]

jpsep I've never used GGs on the PBC, so I can't comment. They sure get nice and hot on my gasser and kettles! You might start a topic asking about people's experience with using GGs on the PBC. I bet you'll get a lot of great answers.

K.

[N227GB]

To avoid the taste of putting unlit briquettes into an active cooker, light them in a chimney then drop them in one by one using a long pair of tongs like these : https://amazingribs.com/ratings-revi...l-wizard-tongs

[au4stree]

I’ve used both of those charcoals in my PBC. Even used the RO Chef Select in the PBC. I’ve not noticed a difference between those, KBB, or b&b briqs in burn time. What I did notice is b&b tends to resist meat dripping on the coals and produces a bit less ash. I’m a RO guy, it’s just what I’m use to using, but at
the end of the day, based on my experience on the PBC, go with what fits your budget, they’ll produce the BTU’s you need