BBQ Charcoal Briquettes

[s1962a]

Just getting into BBQ'ing myself and have got a Weber one touch with the chimney starter and some other accessories. I wanted to find out what charcoal you guys recommend - especially for me as a beginner.

I have bought a bag of Weber's own, but it's quite pricey. Is there a good price/quality brand out there thats available quite easily?

Ta

[escargot]

Big K has a good reputation amongst PHers.

Make sure you stock up on wood chips too, I find Weber's own stuff to be pretty good value for money.

[Seight_Returns]

Prefer lumpwood charcoal to briquettes - has to be be big chuncks though - the small stuff burns up in no time. As above Big K sell the good stuff.

Good call on the chimney starter - it took me years of paraffin tainted burgers to work out that a chimney is the way to do it.

[escargot]

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.

[Cotty]

s1962a said:

I have bought a bag of Weber's own, but it's quite pricey.

It depends how often you are going to BBQ. I have not even used mine yet this year so. I don't use it enough to be bothered by the price difference so just go for Webers own

[s1962a]

Seight_Returns said:

Prefer lumpwood charcoal to briquettes - has to be be big chuncks though - the small stuff burns up in no time. As above Big K sell the good stuff.

Good call on the chimney starter - it took me years of paraffin tainted burgers to work out that a chimney is the way to do it.

I used to have a local DIY chain chimney starter and compared to that the weber one is massive and quite well engineered. I just wish i'd gone for the heatproof mitts as well now.

Damn, this hobby looks like it's going to get expensive, and I haven't bought any meat yet!

[s1962a]

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.

That is useful information - thanks. I've got some easy-light-in-the-bag lumpwood charcoal as well and I was reading another PH post that you can get the best of both worlds by having a layer of briquettes with a layer of lumpwood on top. Not sure how well that would work.

[caymanjames]

the weber briquettes are slightly more expensive but they certainly last longer than anything else I have tried, i can normally get 3 bbq's out of a one bag.

i tried lump wood last week as my local shop was out of weber and they were OK but did not last long enough for doing large joints of meat the in-direct method, but fine for direct cooking

if you see the uber expensive jack daniels charcoal then stay well clear, didn't burn long enough and noticed no difference from using wood chips on standard coal.

[itsnotarace]

Weber's own briquettes as well here

[Bri957]

I was going to try some Australian heat beads next.

Anyone here used them?

[escargot]

s1962a 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.

That is useful information - thanks. I've got some easy-light-in-the-bag lumpwood charcoal as well and I was reading another PH post that you can get the best of both worlds by having a layer of briquettes with a layer of lumpwood on top. Not sure how well that would work.

It'd work, for sure. I suppose it's only worth doing if you're grilling stuff though and for that, you can get away with a cheapy barbecue with a height adjustable grill.

The beauty of the weber is in its ability to cook indirectly and for which, briquettes are the only real choice.

[s1962a]

escargot said:

s1962a 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.

That is useful information - thanks. I've got some easy-light-in-the-bag lumpwood charcoal as well and I was reading another PH post that you can get the best of both worlds by having a layer of briquettes with a layer of lumpwood on top. Not sure how well that would work.

It'd work, for sure. I suppose it's only worth doing if you're grilling stuff though and for that, you can get away with a cheapy barbecue with a height adjustable grill.

The beauty of the weber is in its ability to cook indirectly and for which, briquettes are the only real choice.

Indirect cooking is the next step for me - i'd love to be able to get anywhere close to the amazing joints you guys come up with!

[escargot]

Half the fun is in experimenting mate, just get a couple of racks of ribs from the butcher, chuck up a post on the barbecue thread and let nature take it's course

[Zaxxon]

Big K here, I tried a Homebase 10kg bag but they burn up pretty quick.

Big K will last for 2 rounds of meat and then warm your hands for a couple of hours after.

[shakermikee]

What's with the wood chips?

Do you just add these to the charcoal and do they really make a difference?

[escargot]

shakermikee said:

What's with the wood chips?

Do you just add these to the charcoal and do they really make a difference?

Soak them in water for half an hour, drain, put into a bowl fashioned out of tinfoil then put them directly onto the coals. They make a serious difference.

[pugwash4x4]

Zaxxon said:

Big K here, I tried a Homebase 10kg bag but they burn up pretty quick.

Big K will last for 2 rounds of meat and then warm your hands for a couple of hours after.

big K for me too, but its not the easiest to get hold of!

[nelly1]

Bri957 said:

I was going to try some Australian heat beads next.

Anyone here used them?

Not much in it between them and the Weber ones TBH.

They used to do them in the local cheapie shop for about 1/2 the price of the Weber, but they soon got wise to that one

[Russ T Bolt]

Best charcoal I have used is Makro's restaurant charcoal

[smack]

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...