another thinking to much question

[ldrus]

ok i use Royal Oak Lump for my smoker and add my smoke wood to it, am i essentially smoking my meat with the lump coal? would i be better to use traditional charcoal for a more controlled flavor of my smoke wood of choice
or am i just over thinking the situation??

 

[caveman]

No. Lump is a source of fuel, not a source of smokey flavor. There is some Mesquite lump that is supposed to give off the flavor of Mesquite as it burns but I don't use that. My own personal preference. If you want to use charcoal as well, it is okay but only the flavored wood, wood chunks or wood chips give you the smokey goodness you desire. Remember, less smoke is more. Good luck.

 

[adiochiro3]

I use the hardwood chunks for the TBS production; lump is essentially for the heat IMHO.

 

[shooterrick]

Hardwood Lump like RO is a great fuel. Your wood of choice is your main flavor fuel but some will come from the lump. Most of us use a mix of wood anyway and the binders in many conventional charcoal is less desired. I smoke mostly with oak and Pecan. Apple and pear for poultry and fish when I can find it.

 

[ak1]

I beg to differ. Good lump charcoal will give smokey flavour. I use exclusively either Basques, which is pure sugar maple, or Maple Leaf which is a mix of Sugar maple, beech & birch.

With those I never have to add wood to get flavour. When using "crap" like Kingsford, well never mind, I tried it once, and it was nothing but mill scrap. Royal Oak lump,I find has a stench to it like you soaked it with lighter fluid or something.

Kingsford or RO briquettes, Heck I wouldn't even think about using. I don't need coal, ground limestone and who knows what else in my smoker.

 

[adiochiro3]

That lump provides the TBS? Good smoke ring?

 

[richoso1]

Good reply Anthony.

 

[meateater]

I use charcoal for fuel and wood for flavor. I have a hard time keeping my temps even with lump. I have a smoke planned this weekend and I'm thinking about using lump again to rule out a bad batch. Either way, I'm pretty good at saving the day if it goe's awry.

 

[ak1]

It does, and a nice smoke ring as well.

And the best part, it smells so nice when it's burning.

 

[adiochiro3]

Thanks AK1. Wish I could get that stuff out here on the left coast. I'll have to try a smoke with just high quality lump soon in my SFB. I've only used it for grilling in the past.

 

[ak1]

Well, even in my part of Canada, I can buy RO practically anywhere, hardware store, grocery store, heck even some corner stores. Normally it's about 15 bucks for an 18 lb bag. I recently found a local restaurant supply store that sells Maple Leaf for the same price. Even better my buddy found a place where I can get the Basques for less than 12 bucks. If I want to I can also get Kingsford Charwood(their lump) for about 15 bucks for the same size. My issue with either the Kingsford or the RO is that I don't know what wood is in there. I'm guessing by looking that it's mostly oak, hickory and ash. But depending on where it's made it could be whatever.


As for briquettes, for the odd time I need to use them, I'll use Maple Leaf, they're only ground charcoal with a wheat starch for a binder to hold the shape. Stuff like Kingsford or RO has charcoal, coal, ground limestone(so the ash has a pretty white colour) nitrites,....