Lump Charcoal Popping

[CosmicMiami]

I've been using the gas burner on the new Karu 18 for the past couple weeks experimenting with various doughs and such. This morning I decided to give her a test burn with charcoal. I didn't have any lump so I bought a small bag at the supermarket (FL Green Place). Loaded up the wood tray with the lump and some Kingsford Pro briquettes and fired her up.

After the burn started to go well the lump began to pop and blow embers all over the oven. It seems to have settled down after about 20 minutes. I'm guessing it is just shitty lump with moisture in it. I opened up the rear hatch and set the flue wide open. She got up to about 650F.

Thoughts?

[jfmorris]

The only lump I've ever had pop on me was Cowboy. It's the worst lump I ever personally used, but I only tried it once about 15 years ago, and swore it off after using two bags of it for a July 4th cookout.

Are you supposed to use charcoal in a Karu? I thought it was meant for just propane or wood pellets - and wood pellets are not the same thing as wood or charcoal at all. I thnk they would burn VERY differently.

[Attjack]

I've had it happen with cowboy and other cheap brands. I gave up on cheap charcoal.

[Donw]

Moisture from improper handling by the store you bought it from can cause this.

[CosmicMiami]

The only lump I've ever had pop on me was Cowboy. It's the worst lump I ever personally used, but I only tried it once about 15 years ago, and swore it off after using two bags of it for a July 4th cookout.

Are you supposed to use charcoal in a Karu? I thought it was meant for just propane or wood pellets - and wood pellets are not the same thing as wood or charcoal at all. I thnk they would burn VERY differently.

Manual says wood and charcoal are fine.

[xaugievike]

I've rarely had lump that didn't pop (Fogo, Jealous Devil, whatever BGE is...). Like you said, once it heats up the popping stops, but in a pizza oven thats annoying, if not gross if your pie comes out with schmutz on it. For that reason I just go KBB for my Ooni and throw in mini splits of wood for some flavor.

[hoovarmin]

I primarily use the FOGO black bag and never get any popping. Donw pointed out something I hadn't thought of - the charcoal could be fine and the handling at the store could ruin it. They get it in and move it out quick at my local ACE so that hasn't happened to me. But anytime I've used cheaper lump it has popped.

[SmokeyGator]

All the time here! It cannot be helped, I live in South Florida and "low humidity" means less than 60%. Once or twice a year a serious cold front will push through and drop it to 40%. Unless I store my lump inside the house or in a vacuum sealed stainless steel barrel the lump absorbs moisture. But since the bags stay in my garage, or even outside mostly protected from the rain, it attempts to dehumidify Florida. Not to mention the lump in the Primo, that stuff cant really be removed until it is ash.

Anyhow it snaps and pops a bit until it gets hot. Water turning into steam and so on. It is never really bad, it just happens sometimes. Hurricane Season is worse. Not Hurricane Season is better. What most people know as "spring" and "fall" does not exist here. I use the heat deflectors anyway, so it is all contained.

Keep in mind lump charcoal is hydroscopic. It is just going to try to absorb moisture. And all kinds of other things. This is why "active carbon" filters are so popular. The same "active carbon" used in fish aquariums or AC filters is the same stuff you burn in a grill. It is really efficient at what it does. If you live in a high humidity location, its gonna happen.

I would experiment with briquettes, they absorb humidity too but since they are not made from solid chunks of wood the water vapor can escape when heated without popping. Or place the lump in a chimney, get it hot (and dry), then place it in the pizza oven with tongs. Or best of all, just use wood chunks and light them with the gas burner.

[CosmicMiami]

I've rarely had lump that didn't pop (Fogo, Jealous Devil, whatever BGE is...). Like you said, once it heats up the popping stops, but in a pizza oven thats annoying, if not gross if your pie comes out with schmutz on it. For that reason I just go KBB for my Ooni and throw in mini splits of wood for some flavor.

That's what I'm thinking of doing now. KBB will give me a good base with some chunks for flavor and some heat. Glad I did a test burn.

When I was using the Weber kettle routinely, I had a bag of Kingsford lump from Costco that never popped. I'm guessing it's the Publix Greenwise lump. Glad I just bought a couple pound bag.

Thanks.

[bbqLuv]

The pop sounds of poppine
(1) KanRaf - Popcorn (Original Song) - YouTube

[Bkhuna]

I like this version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7UmUX68KtE

[CosmicMiami]

All the time here! It cannot be helped, I live in South Florida and "low humidity" means less than 60%. Once or twice a year a serious cold front will push through and drop it to 40%. Unless I store my lump inside the house or in a vacuum sealed stainless steel barrel the lump absorbs moisture. But since the bags stay in my garage, or even outside mostly protected from the rain, it attempts to dehumidify Florida. Not to mention the lump in the Primo, that stuff cant really be removed until it is ash.

Anyhow it snaps and pops a bit until it gets hot. Water turning into steam and so on. It is never really bad, it just happens sometimes. Hurricane Season is worse. Not Hurricane Season is better. What most people know as "spring" and "fall" does not exist here. I use the heat deflectors anyway, so it is all contained.

Keep in mind lump charcoal is hydroscopic. It is just going to try to absorb moisture. And all kinds of other things. This is why "active carbon" filters are so popular. The same "active carbon" used in fish aquariums or AC filters is the same stuff you burn in a grill. It is really efficient at what it does. If you live in a high humidity location, its gonna happen.

I would experiment with briquettes, they absorb humidity too but since they are not made from solid chunks of wood the water vapor can escape when heated without popping. Or place the lump in a chimney, get it hot (and dry), then place it in the pizza oven with tongs. Or best of all, just use wood chunks and light them with the gas burner.

305 here too. Wifey wonders why I keep pellet bags in the house. They turn to dust outside. I'll just use KBB. Thanks.

[SmokeyGator]

The struggle is reaL.

[Andrrr]

I grill on a wood deck so the popping thing is kind of a big deal and I've had the least popping, as in none, with Jealous Devil. My latest bag of Fogo black has been very good though.

[xaugievike]

I should probably qualify my earlier comment a bit more...

I usually start my lump by just hitting it with some sort of torch. Instant high heat. The area I'm starting pops and cracks, but it's not like I'm gradually warming it. Once I've got my little fire started it never really pops again.

Once upon a time to mitigate that popping I tried a chimney starter withe some newspaper....as the base really got going I also got a lot of popping in the chimney - so that was also some pretty high heat for a moment when the popping really occurred. Kinda feel this scenario is being played out inside your oven.

[Washblue]

With lump, there’s no telling what the wood is…
Some firewood pops more than others…
I would think it has to do with it being something with soft pockets like tulip poplar and not very dense like black locust…