Best big box store charcoal?

[MJB05615]

I recently started using Jealous Devil XXX L briquettes. Tried on a whim, and I notice they burn much longer and perfectly even. Almost doen with first bag, so I'll definitely be getting more.

 

[broozer]

Thanks for all the responses everyone. I've been reading reviews online also, and the Cowboy brand always rates highly. Since I can get them right here in my hometown Walmart at $8.97 per bag, I think I'll stick with these.

 

[Smokin Okie]

I've actually been thinking about moving away from lump charcoal altogether and just using briquettes for both my gravity feed smoker and my kettle. One thing that's always bugged me about every lump brand I've tried is the sparks. I've burned holes in more than a few shirts over the years lighting lump charcoal.

Also, I watched a recent test done by America's Test Kitchen - where their testing determined that lump didn't really perform any better than briqs. They found briqettes burn just as hot, and more consistently. I wanted to see for myself, so I did some comparison cooking myself. And I have to admit I couldn't really tell much difference. This makes me think I might just stick with briqs only. They're usually less expensive than lump, and I would only need to store one kind of charcoal in my garage.

Red

From Meathead's book

 

[DougE]

I don't think the main issue is whether one or the other burns hotter. It's which of these forms of charcoal makes more ash and impedes airflow in the firebox. Excess ash in the coal bed will cause less airflow and a cooler fire.

 

[DougE]

Back in the day around here, one of the mods to the Char-Griller offset was to mount the firebox coal grate in the firebox itself, above the ash drawer, instead of using the stock grate in the drawer. This let you empty the ash periodically during the cook without disturbing the coalbed, to get rid of excess ash and keep better air flow.

 

[Smokin Okie]

I smoke/grill on a 22 Kettle, a 26 Kettle, an 18 WSM, a 17 Assassin GF, currently a Franklin offset and a OC Brazos offset before that.

On not one of those cookers, do I or did I have a problem with ash constricting air flow.

Not only that, but on a smoker, I don't care about how hot the charcoal burns. High heat is for grilling and my grill cooks don't last long enough for ash to become an issue.