I use only lump. Never occurred to me that it is more costly than briquettes.
It's the cost of the meat that is my problem.
Well, here is why i don't use it all the time. I do use it for some applications, but not for smoking.
Lump comes in bags that are half full of nice sized chunks, and the other half is either huge, or crumbs that fall through the grate. Add the fact that I'd have to pay more for it, and it does not appeal to my "poor" side.
For smoking, briquettes give me even, predictable heat. I add wood chunks for my smoke.
I love lump for grilling a steak. Great heat. I buy Kroger lump. It is cheap, and made by Royal Oak. Since 10-20 percent is going to be wasted, the price of Kroger lump works for me.
If I had money to burn (pun intended), I'd have a patio full of expensive cookers, and a garage full of expensive lump charcoal. But, I don't have money to burn, and quite frankly, I eat very well off my Webers and briquettes, that's what I use.
CD
+1 It never bothers me to buy bags of lump...it is the meat counter that makes me have a stroke every time! I also use lump only
Lump only, no wood?
If lump coal has all the bad stuff burnt out of it and its 100% wood, why not use only lump charcoal?
im no expert but i use lumps to start a bed then its all sticks for me ....i will add lumps if and only if i kill the fire
First, all lump is not created equal. That is to say...what exactly was it? We could turn this thread into a "What did you find in your lump that was not hardwood?" thread no problem. How many times have you found a piece of plywood or some random object in a bag of lump?
I burn lump. I burn Kingsford blue (to start a bed of coals, then on to sticks). I burn sticks...lots and lots of sticks.
Try a cook with just lump and then try one with wood mixed in your lump and see what you like. I'm betting that you'll pick the mix.
Having trouble finding good hardwood to fit in your cooker and that is why you are considering only lump? If there is a cabinet maker in your area, he's got tons of unfinished (and I stress unfinished, just the raw wood) hardwood scraps at his shop. Trade him a box of oak or alder scraps for a rack of ribs. He's just going to burn it anyway, you both win.