Hey all, today we're going to start a new series for folks new to the grill or pit and we're starting with lump charcoal vs. charcoal briquettes. Smoking and grilling are truly simple ways of preparing food but if you're just starting out knowing how these different fuel sources work, what they're good at and what they're not good at can cut your learning curve down tremendously. As always if you have any questions about anything in this video leave a comment or feel free to send me a message on one of the social media platforms listed below. Of course if you're new here and you liked the video don't forget to subscribe. I hope you like this charcoal battle and till next time y'all take it easy.
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Straight to the point, detailed. This is the kind of tutorial we need unlike those 10 min long videos.
Marcus hey glad you liked it . Thanks so much for the kind words
That's because he didn't make a 5 minute speech first.
agreed... top vid.
I watched several videos that say 10 minutes is the magic number for ad revenue
@@Cookoutcoach a
Now that's dedication. Doing a BBQ video in summer gear while it gently snows.
landsurfer hahahaha we do what we have to do lol
That’s not snow. It’s magic fairy charcoal pixie dust.
@@Cookoutcoach Pit Lit 101. (Pit-literature)
I don't see lung vapor, you know when it's cold and you see vapor coming out of your mouth as you exhale..
Much appreciated. I don’t know much of anything but everything I’ve been making somehow turns out great so far. I just love the extra flavor from the charcoal and wood smoke chips
Good video and explanation. I've settled on lump for most of my cooking. For things that are going to be longer than two hours, such as brisket, I am using briquettes with wood chunks for smoking. Lump charcoal burns out too quickly for brisket. Love it for other things, such as burgers, hot dogs, chicken and boneless pork strips, as well as skewers. I've also gone to zone cooking, which lets me control the cook a bit more. KZhead has been great for offering a variety of instruction and advice.
For me briquettes r hard to ignite and keep it that way
Great job on this video! exactly the type of info I was looking for, the pros and cons of both briquette and lump charcoals. Keep up the good work!
Reef Karaoglu hey thanks so much, I’m glad this could help 👍
The quality and informativeness of your videos is just amazing!
Good video Steve! Always good to know the basics and you did a great job explaining it.
Pickles BBQ hey thanks Charlie, I really appreciate the kind words bro
It takes really appreciating and loving food while also striving for universal satisfactory amongst the people. Cheers!
This video did give me useful information on which type to use for a metal melting forge, thank you!
Thanks for the useful information and explanation, helped me a lot to know what kind I have to use for different styles of BBQ (fast or slow). Thumbs up 👍 for this the video and your experience and thanks for sharing
Have been grilling for years and just learned about lump char today. Yay lump char 👍🏾
Great job and video Steve ! I agree right tool for the job !
Daddy Dutch BBQ And Cooking thanks Kent, I appreciate it
Simple and thorough explanation. Thanks my guy!
Hey man thank you. That was the most helpful Explanation that I’ve heard out of hundreds of people. All the other times I’ve talk to people or watched or listened who’s all about what they favor dah dah dah dah
Brian Van Quaethem hey bud, thanks for that, I’m really glad you liked it 👍
you're the man. thanks for taking the time to make this video! very informative.
kristi kramer hey thank you so much 👍. I’m really glad you found it useful
I prefer natural lump for most tasks, even low'n'slow. I've never noticed off flavors from adding cold lumps the way I do with briquettes, the smoke tastes like wood instead of wax, and the cleanup is way easier, with a small pile of fine white ash left instead of the big piles of "wet sand" left after briquettes.
Briquets are actually waste from saw mills or other wood sources. They use bi binders, plus stuff that won't burn.
I want to try lump charcoal myself. Pellet grills are cools. But even the pellets are artificial.
Very nicely done! I did a video last year comparing name brand charcoal to store brand. I can see you've already put into use some Steve from Not Another Cooking Show's techniques! I like it!
Roundhouse Ranch BBQ thanks man, name brand vs store brand is very important, but for this one I just went on the assumption that we have good quality examples of both types
Thank you was in the charcoal aisle stuck and you helped me out!
Dev lol that’s awesome bud
Great explanations! I learned a few things I wish I knew a long time ago!
Born Awsumb awesome! I’m glad I could help 👍
Just discovered lump, never going back!!🍗🍖
John Sheetz if you’ve found the type and brand that works for you then definitely run with it 👍
Same here! I never knew about it until I bought a Kamado and I’m now wondering why I haven’t heard about it sooner. It must be due to advertising and tradition.
Lump cooks way better and faster. Beware of the extra heat bc it sure cooks fast!! A problem if you’re a novice who doesn’t know how to hustle those tongs..your meat will burn to a char. If anything and you’re just discovering lump, it will make you a better cook on the grill in establishing that initial sear and learning where the hottest part of the grill is.👏🔥
That's really weird to heard. I am on the opposite side. I am from Brazil and no ones knows of Briquettes. Looks like "fake" wood to me and taste less. Lump is the thing to go. Too bad (i don't know why ) charcoal in general is SO expensive in Canada (Were i live now). :(
@@Kumodot when a man is cold they want to be heated
How comes I find folks with a southern accent more trustworthy than those without? All the best, from the UK
MrKravmagadude hahaha I dunno why but it makes sense to me hahaha. Thanks for watching bud
Always! I only watch American BBQ youtubers :)
You’re not wrong. Some of us without accents can make a mean BBQ, but I 100% take my tips from my southern brothers.
I’m from South Carolina and I lived in England for 3 years . My accent did make it much easier to talk to the girls over there.😉 They always told me I was oversexed over paid and over here
Thank you__ great information, concise to the point and correct. Thanks again
Hanalei Bay you’re very welcome
Thanks bro!👍 just bought a grill and some lump coal gonna try it out next week
Derek V awesome congrats bud
Great information bro. I agree it definitely depends on the situation and what you want to accomplish. Some good ole wood like we do it here in Eastern NC works great for a whole hog. 😁 Have a great week.
THEREALSHOWBBQ hey Scott thanks for watchin bud. Whole hog sounds pretty fantastic right about now lol. Have a good one 👍
Nice hat coach, I'm from Lewisburg WV. Great video on a lingering question that I've had. Information helps a lot...
Bacon Man very cool 👍 it’s always awesome to me when folks from the state watch the channel. Glad I could help you on this one
Very concise presentation. The charcoals on the table make me feel hungry.
I encourage everyone around me to use lump or wood (if available) for fuel instead of propane and briquettes. Once you get used to the process and solidify your methods, your experience and results are well worth the time.
What about pellets bbq grills?
Man I grilled some wings yesterday and used Fogo premium for the first time and I thought it burned out way to quick
@@taurusl7014I heard even pellets are artificial
Sometimes I just use both and it gets very hot which I like depending on what I'm grilling.
lovin your videos man, i just got a pit barrel cooker and was wondering if u ever smoked using one of them? Cheers!!
I like to mix the 2 for certain foods. You want to make sure they are mixed fairly evenly so you don't have hot spots, but I've never had that problem myself
Great, very informative!!
Great tips Steve!
Postal Barbecue thanks Jabin I appreciate it bud.
Very good tips for those just starting their journey!! Well done brotha!
Red's BBQ and Pizzeria thanks Red, you know it’s all about sharing that BBQ love
I really got to know how to choose charcoal from knowing nothing. Great video, good people. Thanks.
I found that using Kingsford Professional Competition Briquets (specifically) gave me an undesired almost plastics/chemical taste when I used them to sear steaks after an indirect cook. All the coals wear completely ashed over as well (throughout the whole cook :ribeyes:). I put the meat down for a final sear and it flamed up really good. It looked cool but the taste was just toxic. That never happens when I use something like Royal Oak, or FOGO premium lump. It's just one of those things you live and learn. If I want an aggressive sear I'll use lump no doubt. If I'm running my WSM smoker I'll use Kingsford Blue. But something about that Kingsford Professional is off. I dont know if you ever used that, but every time I use it for hot and fast with a fatty piece of meat it just comes out with an off chemical flavor. 🤘🍻🍻
BaileyPawsPlays hmm I have used professional but it’s been a while and I wasn’t using it for seating I was running a hit and fast smoke. That being said I have friends who use it for steak searing all the time and love it. Definitely though if you’re getting something you don’t like in it move on to brands that you find burn cleaner 👍
That's because briquets are made with wood waste. The binded with chemicals. Nothing about them is natural. Just like there nothing natural about vegetable oil. It's waste from the cattle feed industry.
Thanks mate. Much appreciated
A good explanation thanks.
rockywr thanks bud, glad you liked it
Thank you and God bless you.
Rada G you’re welcome and thank you
Good job coach !!! Great idea for a video !!! Well done !!! :)
scott sinnett thanks scott, I appreciate the kind words bud
i agree. I tried lump for the first time. I need 45 mins to do my bone in thighs and the lumps was gone in 15 mins. The briquettes are a win win for me so much mor control. Like you said, steaks, burgers, anything quick lumps fine. Enjoyed the vid
Adjust your vent then.. Its getting too much oxygen = faster burn
great video, and I will add that if you are using a Weber kettle for example, it becomes a matter of preference, if you are using a Kamado, briquettes are not an option due to the amount of ash produced. Controlling heat on a Kamado is about airflow, on a kettle it is more about how many briquettes you use. I use Green Egg with lump and Weber with briquettes. Both are excellent; cool channel
I call this segment. STEVE’S NUGGETS. Great information .
MeatCranium BBQ AND REVIEW hahaha, take great care when it comes to nuggets lol. Thanks for watchin
This information is very great, 💖
Good video, thanks for sharing.
Dave - Butler thanks Dave I appreciate you watching
Great help on charcoal. At the end of video you mentioned to let the charcoal get started good before you cook. I have always wondered about adding charcoal unlit or how about the minion method, is this a bad thing to do? I have a weed burner torch that I start a pile of charcoal briquettes with and I'm never sure if it is all lit enough to start cooking on or not. The briquettes are never all white when I spread them out to start the cook. The pile is about twenty pounds of charcoal, for a big chicken cook on a Meadow Creek Chicken Cooker. Thanks for the help Steve.
Rick Short hey Rick, so the answer is it depends lol. If you’re holding lower temps and doing something like the minion method or adding some unlit when you’re running low you’ll only be lighting one or two coals at a time as the fire moves across your cooker not producing much ignition smoke. The way to know if it’s lit enough is if that white smoke is still pouring out of your chicken cooker it’s not ready, let that smoke get more thin and blue and that chicken will be just fine. Thanks for watchin bud.
@@Cookoutcoach Great answer. Thanks for the help. You are a great coach! The smoke will tell me when it's ready ( thin blue ).
Lump is great in the winter when you want good heat. I learned this trying to sear steak in 12 degree weather. Great explanation and to the point my man.
And yes. Spend a few more dollars on charcoal. Don't save $3 when cooking expensive meats.
Very informative video friend! Loved this breakdown! 🙌🔥 new subscribers (Weber Grill Masters) from Canada! 🇨🇦
Maddie & Kiki wow, yeah I definitely know who you are, glad you liked it 👍
Last time I looked I couldn't find the small bag of briquettes so I got lump. Some pieces were the size of my foot but a lot of them are small enough to fall through the grate and clog up my bottom vent. I'll get briquettes next time, even if it has to be match light.
This is SO helpful! Looking forward to working through the whole series. Thank you!!
Shaila Gupta thank you for watching, I’m glad you liked it 👍
Who would dislike free knowledge that enables them to make an informed decision 😐
In your intro, What brand or chimney are you using with the drop out bottom. I NEED this type for my built in grill. TIA
Yeah that’s a Char-Griller chimney, these things are awesome lol. Aside from being safer in my opinion they’re just super cool lol.
I don't think the brand matters on this. It just needs to hold the charcoal while it heats up.
Total agreement on every comment made, based on my own use of both types. Well done, sir. Give each briquette 20F and you get 400F from 20 riquettes. Arrange them a bit and you tweak the temperature. Lump charcoal for flavour but be careful, its uneven heat, and hot. I settle for quality briquettes.
maxcontax thanks for the kind words bud, I love lump but I feel the same way, I like a quality briquette any day 👍
That’s not how temperature works...
Short and to the point - good vid
Love it
I just got my first grill today. What are considered good brands? I have legit never grilled before so any recommendations are helpful :)
Charcoal is such a personal subject. Some people only like briquettes, some people only like lump and then some people like both. I think the smell of kingsford lighting in a grill brings back childhood memories for me. I used to use it exclusively. I tried a few lump charcoals over the years and didn't really like cooking with them. Then Weber came out with their charcoal and I switched to that exclusively until I ran out of my 26 bag stockpile I got when they are on clearance. Since then I tried lump again and ended up using Rockwood Lump for 95% of my cooking. I'll occasionally try something else, but I find that must lump charcoals on the market ignite a lot dirtier than Rockwood does. My girlfriends nose can always tell when I am trying out something other than Rockwood. I've heard FOGO burns just as clean from friends who really like Rockwood....anyway, I've rambled enough. Great video. I love that you are doing videos for beginners!!!!
TheKettleCookers thanks bud, and you’re one hundred percent right it’s a very personal choice and for the most part you’re not gonna go wrong but there are definitely some that are way dirtier than others on ignition. Oh by the way I have the same thing with kingsford, as soon as it lights I feel like something good is gonna happen
You’re like the charcoal equivalent of a wine snob
Great little video here. Been watching your vids for a while now and competed with you at Almost Heaven. I just got my channel up this week. Hopefully see you at a comp this year!
Hey bro, thanks for the advice! Quick question, usually I have about 1/3 or so of my charcoal as my starter charcoal that I heat in the chimney, So as the heat spreads and ignited the cold charcoal during the cook will this be an issue? Should I wait until all my charcoal is ashed over before adding the meat? Thanks man
Thank you much appreciated
hey man . I use a weber premium kettle for smoking. When i use briquettes in the charcoal basket, after about half hr once they start ashing and crumbling the ashes fall to the bottom and start blocking the air vents and i get massive temperature drops which sucks . how do i go about this?
As a complete BBQ n00b - this is the kind of information I need! Every summer a group of us go up to our lake spot and 90% of time we leave hungry because "the bbq guy" knows nothing! LOL and can't keep a fire going or sustained to keep the cooking going! I am looking to man this ship going forward! This was AMAZING.. thank you! and i'm also 100% sure he buys a crap brand of briquettes because the burn smells like chemical factory going up!
Monica Rodriguez hey thanks so much for checkin it out and I really hope this helps you out. We’re doing a whole series for new grillers like yourself so if you have any specific topics you’d like to see us cover just let me know and we’ll get it taken care of for ya 👍
He might just be using light fluid thats where the chemical smell comes from not the briquettes. Get kingsford in the blue bag.
Austin Scott always a possibility, kingsford is definitely a brand I trust
I mix em. I usually place some lump chunks on the brixs so I can get the better flavor from the lump but longer fire with the other.
Thanks, coach...
I wish I would have known this when I started grilling a long time ago. I've been grilling with briquettes and I can never get that perfect searing effect without burning or overcooking the steak. lol
Stay Positive yeah when you’re chasing the perfect cook there’s more to it than just tossing a steak on a grill lol. For me I like to make sure my grate temp is around 500 to 600 degrees. That’s where I get a grate seat but I don’t burn it. Then on top of that be checking the internal temps often to make sure you don’t over cook it 👍
@@Cookoutcoach . I've noticed that my briquettes top at around 500+F. I normally preheat the grill, cook the steaks for about 2-2.5 minutes per side on direct heat, then another couple of minutes per side on indirect heat. The steaks come out good but for the most part the searing effect seems to elude my steaks. I use a Weber grill. Do you have any recommendations other than using different charcoal? Thanks!
Maybe you can add dry corn cobs.
You need a set of grill gates for that perfect sear.
I mix both and the meats come out tasting great. I get the best of both worlds. Why bother thinking. I also recommend Royal oak Jack Daniels briquettes with chunks of whiskey barrel chunks that are uncharted and they come in a small foil bag.. it smells a lot like whiskey and I mix the Jack Daniels briquettes the barrel chunks and I add Royal Oak lump Charcoal and I use kingsford lighter fluid.I put the chunks of barrel un soaked about 4 minutes inside the fire before I start cooking.
D E glad you’ve got a system that works for you. I don’t personally use lighter fluid but from what I understand as long as your cooker isn’t ceramic or a porous material and the fire gets up over 350 degrees before you put the meat on all the fluid will burn off
Hi there great video !! Do you reckon I can cook ribs/brisket just using lump charcoal and small wood chips?
You absolutely can do that 👍
Good video.... Good information... However I said goodbye to barbecue with briquettes when I saw lump charcoal on the market about 2 or 4 years ago.... The main reason because my father used to use lump charcoal in my country and everybody else as well because we did use this briquettes.. .. you have demonstrated how cheaply made briquettes (it falls apart) is it turns to ashes before it's time....
I love that you're branching out in your video series. One thing to add about lump charcoal. If you use a blower with some force, either to ignite or regulate your temperature, lump tends to throw sparks much more than briquettes. It's not that dangerous if you're careful, but I've bit nipped by some strays. :)
Alexandros Leontopoulos thanks bud, that is a great point to add. I’ve also noticed that kind of behavior when lighting lump when it’s extra cold out. We should get together and make a video about making lump charcoal
Yes I've found that as well but usually from the pieces at the bottom of the bag so I use my chimney starter as a sive so all the really small crushed ones fall through and reduces the sparks.
mate I didn't think I had a choice lol. I have an Akorn so thought I had to use lump! Thanks for explaining
There's a difference between bar-b-que and grilling. Bar-b-que : low temp for long times such as for ribs and brisket. Grilling: High heat for quick cooking. Such as steak, burgers and hot dogs.
Is there any advantage to using a mix of both?
I always use lump except once I used briquettes but I could work better with lump. I want to try briquettes again and see how the food turns out since people like briquettes so much.
James Gretsch both can be great just depends on what you’re looking for
What is the bottom hatch chimney! That’s awesome!
So which charcoal brand is best? As in, natural binders, and/or, least binder
Great video!
Chris Del Checcolo thanks bud 👍
Very good comparation
I bought charcol bbq grill today because of you.i live in snall town and very busy mom gas prooane i find is hard for me to handle.thank you
Thanks buddy!
super cool video man, awesome post, subbed for sure
Mistaken Sound thanks man, I really appreciate it
Hey brotha great video. What brand charcoal do you normally use for smoking and what do you use day to day? I’m sorry for the long question I just figure you’re the guy to ask. Much love from LA man
Daniel Garcia hey man, thanks for the question. Right now my go to us B&B hickory lump charcoal. It’s actually fairly affordable so it’s my day to day as well lol. That being said if I can’t find it my go to will usually kingsford professional briquettes or royal oak lump, you can usually find those everywhere. Stay safe out there 👍
How can you achieve a good thin blue smoke for a long time if you put all the charcoal briquettes inside the grill ahead of time ( like the snake method ) ?
Love the hat straight outta west Virginia, go mountaineers!!!!
Dave Belford heck yeah bud, thanks for watchin.
I use Lump for smoking and briquettes for the grill.
That’s a great way to go
So I'm ganna make a brisket on a normal grill do u have a video for that I wanna char it and wrap it
nice vid brother helped alot
MIKE B hey man, very cool, glad I could help
My experience is the briquettes actually burn hotter per volume because they are uniform and I can pack more of it in the chimney starter and pizza oven fire box. Unfortunately I can’t use it in my pizza oven because they burn way dirtier than lump charcoal and end up plugging up the air intake.
Hey coach...... Do I need to wear a cup the first time I use lump charcoal. GM#65
OK got it. Wait till all the white puffy smoke is gone and wait till a blue smoke. I never thought about it but that’s probably the best tip I got out of this. Thanks the small things matter
Interesting video!
Novel Kitchen thank you 👍
Henry Ford was one of the first briquette manufacturers. He had all this extra wood scrap while making the Model He. He and Kingsford were related by marriage. True story.
...Model Ts
Ive been using briquettes, i like controlling the heat. Ive used lump in the past but it burns out so quickly.
Cooking with Dad I hear you, I’ll use either really but I do prefer briquettes for the consistency
good job , more video like this ...
FINICIA S.A. Thanks so much, I appreciate that
Could you explain why then guys do the snake method if they get ignition fumes which could taint the mean for most hours of the cook? I never put unlit briquettes into my pit because they do have a smell until they're hot, but many others ignite in their baskets, while meat is present.
How do you know how much charchoal to use for particular temperature? THanks for the tips
Kelvin Casperson that’s a great question. Really what you want to do is fill your cooker up with charcoal and to get to the correct temperature use your vents. With the right combination of intake air and exhaust air your grill or smoker will settle into the temperature you’re looking for. Hope that helps and thanks for watching 👍
Bought a bag of Weber lump charcoal but the pieces were so small that most fell right through to the bottom of the chimney before I could even light them. Same issue when I just put them straight onto the BBQ - they fall right through the grate. Any advice?
Nice advise
i like the lump coal cause when im done if i put too much in the fire i can just pour some water and reuse them later unlike the bricket that just falls apart into dust.
Trying to get my weber grill to 550 degrees for a 10 min pizza cook... what should i use to get that temp? I also preheat my pizza stone in the oven.. but my oven only goes up to 500 degrees
I like how he's quick no bull 💩
You should have mentioned the all natural hardwood briquettes that use a single binding agent (like cornstarch).