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SwanJack
1,352 posts
142 months
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Russ T Bolt said: Best charcoal I have used is Makro's restaurant charcoal +1 
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escargot
16,043 posts
87 months
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smack said: Cotty said: It depends how often you are going to BBQ. I have not even used mine yet this year so. Go sit in the corner, face the wall, and ponder what you have done wrong... 
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MarkSharp
18 posts
12 months
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I tend to use Weber's briquettes as they seem to burn longer and if there is any left in the bowl after cooking they are fine to use next time. These guys are good for Weber BBQ stuff http://www.bbqs2u.co.uk
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BigMacDaddy
319 posts
51 months
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I bought a couple of 12KG bags of restaurant-grade lumpwood coal online. I use it mostly in the smoker - works a treat.
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brissleboy
201 posts
40 months
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Not wanting to hijack this thread but as we're talking about charcoal, I have a question about the Minion Method... does anyone use this when cooking pork shoulders long and slow? I'm planning on having a bash at this at the weekend but not sure on lit/unlit quantities of charcoal (I use the Weber stuff and have a 57cm One Touch).
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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croakey
600 posts
58 months
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I tend not to - instead im less trusting and use a baking tray with some spare coals on the go and top it up from that as I go.
I also prefer big k if i can get. Interested in sourcing some catering grade if I can find it though
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P924
974 posts
52 months
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Got a couple of bags of Weber Premium briquettes, these burn for 4hrs, so great for smoking, or if grilling, i get two or three BBQ's out of the smae briquettes. 
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Pete Franklin
699 posts
51 months
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escargot said: Lumpwood isn't great for kettle barbecues like webers though. It's more difficult to regulate temperature and as it burns and breaks down, the bits fall through the grate at the bottom. I used to think like this, however now I only use lumpwood. i cut some fine mesh chicken wire to the size of my charcoal grate and now the lumpwood doesn't slip through. i have found that (with the good stuff Big K etc) lumpwood actually burns just as long as briquettes, and is more sensitive to vent management meaning you can get it very hot or cool as you like it. i always find that briquettes wont burn hot enough for long enough for certain types of things unless you stack them high. For me the main benefit from using lump is that you can put it on unlit without tainting the food, meaning you can successfully do the minion method which will burn unattended for ~8hrs at the magic 225f-250f. I am yet to find a readily available/ affordable briquette that will burn from unlit without stinking.
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escargot
16,043 posts
87 months
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Pete Franklin said: escargot said: Lumpwood isn't great for kettle barbecues like webers though. It's more difficult to regulate temperature and as it burns and breaks down, the bits fall through the grate at the bottom. I used to think like this, however now I only use lumpwood. i cut some fine mesh chicken wire to the size of my charcoal grate and now the lumpwood doesn't slip through. i have found that (with the good stuff Big K etc) lumpwood actually burns just as long as briquettes, and is more sensitive to vent management meaning you can get it very hot or cool as you like it. i always find that briquettes wont burn hot enough for long enough for certain types of things unless you stack them high. For me the main benefit from using lump is that you can put it on unlit without tainting the food, meaning you can successfully do the minion method which will burn unattended for ~8hrs at the magic 225f-250f. I am yet to find a readily available/ affordable briquette that will burn from unlit without stinking. Interesting. I shall give it a go.
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BigMacDaddy
319 posts
51 months
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croakey said: Interested in sourcing some catering grade if I can find it though Have a google for Liverpool Wood Pellets - delivered to your door and very reasonably priced.
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Pete Franklin
699 posts
51 months
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spurred on by this thread i decided to check out where to get restaurant grade lumpwood as it is annoying when you get a bag and its only a couple of grades larger than dust. best value i found was this http://barbequick.net/store/index.php?main_page=pr... which has free shipping. so just over £1 per kg which is what you pay for the naff stuff from supermarkets. I've ordered a couple of bags (minimum of 2 per order) i'll let you know if its any good.
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toxicnerve
5,442 posts
47 months
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Keep us updated. I am interested to know what works/what doesn't for various things. I take it lump-wood in large chunks is good for long/slow cooking (indirect or with the lid on etc). Does it burn hot enough for direct cooking too? The plan for this weekend is ribs and wings 
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Pete Franklin
699 posts
51 months
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toxicnerve said: Keep us updated. I am interested to know what works/what doesn't for various things. I take it lump-wood in large chunks is good for long/slow cooking (indirect or with the lid on etc). Does it burn hot enough for direct cooking too? The plan for this weekend is ribs and wings should work well for everything its less dense than the briquettes so should burn hotter.
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tamore
3,923 posts
154 months
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coconut shell briquettes are superb. long burn and hot too. i've got the supagrill ones, and for long smoking cooks, they are unbeatable.
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calibrax
3,030 posts
81 months
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brissleboy said: Not wanting to hijack this thread but as we're talking about charcoal, I have a question about the Minion Method... does anyone use this when cooking pork shoulders long and slow? I'm planning on having a bash at this at the weekend but not sure on lit/unlit quantities of charcoal (I use the Weber stuff and have a 57cm One Touch).
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Minion method is great for long, low temp cooking. Certainly helps keep the heat down, which is often the hardest part of slow smoking over several hours. I usually light about 1/4 of the briquettes and put them on one side, eventually they will light all the others over several hours.
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Pete Franklin
699 posts
51 months
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calibrax said: Minion method is great for long, low temp cooking. Certainly helps keep the heat down, which is often the hardest part of slow smoking over several hours. I usually light about 1/4 of the briquettes and put them on one side, eventually they will light all the others over several hours. One thing to note is that it takes up a bit more space on the charcoal grate leaving you less indirect room for the meat. especially if you want a really long burn and run a fuse around the outside of the grate. I once (as an experiment with lamb shoulder) managed to keep the thing burning for 9hrs. started before work and was still burning when I got home. the results were great but this can be a bit risky as if it goes out (and it has happened to me in the past) it leaves your food sat in unsafe temeprature range for hours.
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craig_emp
57 posts
59 months
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Wickes currently have 10kg bags of Big K briquettes at £4.99 if anyone is interested. I picked up two bags today. The in store price showed. 9.99 but they scan (and website cofirms) they're now half price. I've used some tonight and they definitley burn hotter and longer than the billy basic stuff.
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Mobile Chicane
14,221 posts
82 months
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http://www.surreyhillscharcoal.co.uk/It's produced from sustainable UK coppiced wood. Most BBQ charcoal on sale in the UK comes from mangrove wood harvested in South America and SE Asia. The Surrey Hills stuff is marginally more expensive - £5.99 for 7.5Kg at my local garage, but it burns hotter and lasts longer.
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smack
8,328 posts
61 months
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craig_emp said: Wickes currently have 10kg bags of Big K briquettes at £4.99 if anyone is interested. Cheers for the heads up!
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smack
8,328 posts
61 months
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Mobile Chicane said: The Surrey Hills stuff is marginally more expensive - £5.99 for 7.5Kg at my local garage, but it burns hotter and lasts longer. Less than £1 per Kg is a good price!
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