Let's Talk BBQ
General => General Discussion & Topics => General Discussion => Topic started by: bamabob on January 23, 2018, 06:09:42 PM
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went to Academy Sports today and picked up a bag of B&B Hickory Lump. Never seen Hickory Lump before, most seem to be Oak or Mesquite or a combo. For doing low & slow all-nighters in the keg the Royal Oak is my go to as it seems to consistently maintain a constant temp of 225* for me. The others seem to burn hotter causing a temp rise.
In this picture the Royal Oak has been my go to for years, the B&B Oak Lump has become a favorite last year, the B&B Hickory is waiting to be tried for some ribs this weekend, the Cowboy is a favorite for grilling.
(https://s5.postimg.cc/uqmmuyt6v/img0_43.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
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I haven't seen the hickory but Wally World here carries the B&B Oak. The first time I used it I loved it but since then, it's not been all that good. Stephanie HATES it! We couldn't find Royal Oak anymore so we started using B&B but she recently found RO again so we're back to that! Looking forward to seeing how you like the hickory, I'll keep an eye out for it out this way. I'll try it if I find it.
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I like the B&B oak and Hickory very well. It does burn hotter than the brickets but it has a nice flavor for us. I almost always add a few pecan chunks as well.
I not sure about the keg but it stays at a steady temp in the kettle pretty well.
How does the keg do when it comes to smoke flavors imparted from the wood/ smoke A little goes a long way or forgiving? I've only cooked on one once.
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Hickory lump is good. I prefer oak. Oak seems to be not as strong as hickory to me.
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I've used B and B that I got from Walmart,,nice product mostly big chunks, works nicely
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How does the keg do when it comes to smoke flavors imparted from the wood/ smoke A little goes a long way or forgiving? I've only cooked on one once.
The biggest complaint with the keg is that it is too efficient resulting in just a smoldering fire to maintain temp. results in not much smoke generated. I was hoping the hickory lump would with some hickory chunks may work for ribs to get more hickory smoke flavor since they are a relatively short cook compared to butts.
But then again oak lump with oak chunks still leaves a little to be desired for brisket, even with 16 hours on the keg.
I'd like to have a Kbq but it seems it requires tending throughout the cook. Maybe a pellet pooper but seems like they have an issue with getting enough smoke also as compared to a true stick burner.
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How does the keg do when it comes to smoke flavors imparted from the wood/ smoke A little goes a long way or forgiving? I've only cooked on one once.
The biggest complaint with the keg is that it is too efficient resulting in just a smoldering fire to maintain temp. results in not much smoke generated. I was hoping the hickory lump would with some hickory chunks may work for ribs to get more hickory smoke flavor since they are a relatively short cook compared to butts.
But then again oak lump with oak chunks still leaves a little to be desired for brisket, even with 16 hours on the keg.
I'd like to have a Kbq but it seems it requires tending throughout the cook. Maybe a pellet pooper but seems like they have an issue with getting enough smoke also as compared to a true stick burner.
This is a common over-generalization, which is based on the early days of pellet grills.. It is still true with some brands - but not true for others. MAKs will compete with any stick burner for smoke. And - there are other brands who have developed a fine ability to provide significant amount of the quality of smoke desired.
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another problem which gives pellet grills the "stigma" of not enough smoke flavor is that some (not all) have oversmoked their meats for years.
Sadly, not all can achieve the thin blue smoke from their charcoal and or wood pits.
Then, when they taste how meat properly smoked should be, they are missing the creosote laden flavor that they have eaten for years.
Many also come from pits where they have used charcoal for heat and smoldering chunks or chips for smoke and pellet grills do not produce that flavor profile.
Let me tell you, if your wood smolders, you are doing it wrong. Actually the pits are designed to do it wrong.
Have you seen some of the insane smoke rings when you look at the pellet grill posts around here?? Pellet grills produce plenty of smoke. Clean smoke that only comes from a small hot burning fire.
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I have seen the smoke rings. What really impressed me is the smoke rings from the KBQ. I did come really close to pulling the trigger on a REC-TEC a few years ago. But since I don't smoke anything but once or twice a month it's hard to justify another cooker.
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I have seen the smoke rings. What really impressed me is the smoke rings from the KBQ. I did come really close to pulling the trigger on a REC-TEC a few years ago. But since I don't smoke anything but once or twice a month. it's hard to justify another cooker
"it's hard to justify another cooker" ??? :o
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I'll have to respectfully disagree with Tee on ANY pellet cooker competing with a stick burner for (quality) smoke. Can't be done if you're comparing apples to apples. Pellets are made of wood but still don't combust the same as a true, actual piece of wood. I've eaten food off of budget pellet grills as well as a Memphis and a Yoder. They do VERY well but it's still not capable of what a stick burner can do.
With that said, I've always thought that I got just the PERFECT amount of usable smoke from my pellet grills for the type of food I cook on them (ribs. chicken, ABTs, moinks). I don't like butts or brisket from a pellet grill in comparison to other cookers though. The smoke ring is fine, it's the texture and taste of those long cooked meats that doesn't quite cut the mustard.
Now, back to the KBQ. Yes, you have to tend it. That's the draw back with stick burners. The KBQ having such a small fire box means you have to keep after it, keep it loaded every 45 minutes or so. The beauty is that you don't have to worry about vent settings or temp control. It does it for you. It runs like the best tuned pit you can find. The smells from it trump ANY pellet grill/kamado/electric smoker. It truly is an amazing machine and other than the baby sitting, it's perfect. And to be honest, the baby sitting doesn't bother me AT ALL, it's fun tending the fire. As y'all saw in my video, I do other stuff while waiting around (granted, some of that stuff was filler for entertainment value). You can't leave the house but you don't have to eyeball it constantly either.
Just my two cents, I mean no harm!
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Now, Bob, when you talk about using lump charcoal...Are you using it in a regular charcoal grill like the Weber, or in a kamado type cooker?
I'm curious because I've never considered using lump in the Kettle.
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Now, Bob, when you talk about using lump charcoal...Are you using it in a regular charcoal grill like the Weber, or in a kamado type cooker?
I'm curious because I've never considered using lump in the Kettle.
I use it in a Kamado Jack.
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I don't like butts or brisket from a pellet grill in comparison to other cookers though. The smoke ring is fine, it's the texture and taste of those long cooked meats that doesn't quite cut the mustard.
Jason, knowing that you have tried about every style cooker there is, seems like the really long & slow cooks you prefer the stick burner to others due to the difference in texture.
What is different, probably hard to explain.
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I don't like butts or brisket from a pellet grill in comparison to other cookers though. The smoke ring is fine, it's the texture and taste of those long cooked meats that doesn't quite cut the mustard.
Jason, knowing that you have tried about every style cooker there is, seems like the really long & slow cooks you prefer the stick burner to others due to the difference in texture.
What is different, probably hard to explain.
In MY opinion. the taste of pellet cooked food on long slow cooks isn't as good as a Kamado or stick burner or even the Smokin-It I had but as you said about texture, the MAIN thing was that the meats (butts and briskets) were not in the same league tenderness wise, they didn't render as much as other cookers. I don't know why but I think it's the way the heat moves around in a pellet cooker that is part of the issue. I think if I did the Texas crutch on them or cooked in a foil pan it would've helped but I never got around to doing that since I had other devices at my disposal, lol.
I'm am not trying to throw shade at what any body cooks on or what they like, it's all personal preference. I have spent time and money trying to find what I like, chasing the unicorn if you will. After owning MANY cookers of various types, I have found my starting line up for different cooks. Pellet grills/smokers are VERY versatile but when it comes to being a one trick pony that is designed to do ONE thing and do it well, that's where you'll find the magic. The KBQ blows the doors off of ANYTHING I have owned, cooked on or eaten food from when it comes to smoking. It can ONLY smoke but it does it superbly.
The Keg and all kamados are excellent Jack of all trades cookers, not the best smokers but good. They really shine when it comes to high heat cooks and baking, good pizza makers! Pellet grills, for me, are awesome at ribs and chicken. I grilled some chicken tonight on the Pit Boss to make paninis and they were excellent! Light smoke flavor (short high heat cook).
I can tell you this, I will never not own a pellet pooper or a KBQ. If I could only have 2 cookers (God forbid, lol) those would be the 2. I would ditch the flat top even though it's a hoot to cook on. I would ditch the Kegs (don't use them anymore at all, sad to say). I would ditch the UUNI because the Pit Boss gets to 500° and can hold a BIG pizza stone. The gasser can go bye bye as well since it's a holding oven these days, lol. The Weber would be missed due solely to the rotisserie.
Long winded as usual, but I do like to talk BBQ (don't we all?) :P
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How many full packers could you do in the KBQ?
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How many full packers could you do in the KBQ?
Depends on how thick they are but I'd safely say 3.