Smokers: Buy your Charcoal Now, Get it Cheap!

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by GloryDayz

Other than starting the firebox, I'm not sure folks use either. Maybe I'm wrong, but when I smoke something, I've used only wood for more than a decade.

Charcoal, briquettes in particular, burn for a very long time. During that time they're releasing both heat and fumes.

Even if you're just starting the firebox with charcoal, you're imparting at least some of the smell of the charcoal onto your meat. When you're grilling, it's quick and desirable. When you're smoking, it can build up a taste profile that's just nasty.

If you're going to use charcoal to start a firebox, lump charcoal actually works better anyway. It lights easier in a chimney and burns hotter, so it lights the surrounding material faster. Anymore, I just put some small wood chunks in a chimney and skip the charcoal altogether.

Originally Posted by GloryDayz

Then again, I've seen many of the lump charcoal group use lighter fluid to start the charcoal, and that in and of itself is total fail I'm told.

Yeah, forget what I just said. Using briquettes is fine compared to using LIGHTER FLUID IN A SMOKER.