*Charcoal* BBQ/Grilling

fitz wrote: »

I've done 18 hour cooks on a single load of lumpwood in my Kamado Joe and still had some of the charcoal left for re-use.
This idea that lumpwood come faster it's rubbish, it depends on how well controlled your fire is.

fitz wrote: »

I'm not putting down the use of briquettes... Your reasoning makes sense. I use the 12 kg blue bags of lump, sourced from Woodfuel.ie. I will get at least 4 low and slow cooks of 12+ hours out of a bag (can't say I've noticed massive difference based on time of year either). I don't really experience much variability in burn time based on irregularity of the shapes or sizes of the lump...I do take a bit of time to make sure it's set right so there's no bits propping other pieces up that will fall as the fire burns. I've used other lumpwood when stuck, and haven't found it as good. For high temp cooking, I haven't found briquettes as easy to use...not saying it can't work, I'm just saying this is what's worked for me.

My point is that I know from experience that this recurring thing about lumpwood burning faster and not being suited to longer cooks is just not accurate. I think what you're using the fuel in is a bigger variable than irregularity of lumpwood pieces... Kamados being the prime example for retaining and radiating heat for a very even, miserly burn of fuel over a cook.

I think the best advice is no matter what your bbq, try out whatever fuel you can so you figure out what gives you the best results with your setup. Goes back to your point about value... Consistent, easy results is what we all want. Find what does that for you, and if it's a couple of quid more than an option that you find harder to set/control/maintain your fire with, then that extra is probably good value. Everyone is going to have a difference sense of what value means to them.