# Experienced BBQers (who use wood-based fuel, not gas): What is your fuel of choice? (Poll) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [April 30, 2024, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965 "2024-04-30T13:30:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/1 "2024-04-30T13:30:53Z")
_Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/1))_ In the [Charcoal Grills](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-grills/1000877) thread, @Tripolar and I are in a bit of a debate over whether lump charcoal or briquets are better for BBQing. Tripolar is in the lump charcoal camp, and I am partial to good quality briquets with real chunks of hardwood added. So I’m curious-- I know there are a lot of dedicated BBQers, smokers and grillers here. I’m prepared to have my mind changed on this important matter. Please feel free to support your poll choice with any and all experiences, anecdotes, advice, etc. Also, it’s just a perfect time of year for a BBQ thread 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/2 "2024-04-30T13:33:29Z")
For simple grilling, good briquette charcoal. I will use lump if I need higher temperatures, but most direct grilling works fine over Kingsford (preferred brand). For offset barbecue or smoking, generally briquette charcoal and the appropriate chunk smokewood. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/3 "2024-04-30T13:34:57Z")
It is only a bit of a debate. A debatelet at best. Lump has inconsistent quality and size. Hardwood briquets are rarer than other forms, made only of hardwood they burn hotter and impart better flavor. However, hotter burns aren’t what’s needed for slow smoking. I use real wood in addition to charcoal also. Wood works well initially in a smoke, and again at the end. Even harder to control in a long burn than charcoal. I’m sure you and I have the same opinion of @CookingWithGas. Not the Doper specifically, I’m amusing myself by drawing him into this debatish subject. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/4 "2024-04-30T13:37:32Z")
I just now noticed the little cake emoji. Happy birthday! May your coals always burn hot and bright, no matter what type you happen to use. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/5 "2024-04-30T13:49:29Z")
The majority of briquettes are garbage and create an unnecessary massive ashy mess - I’d much rather grab a bag of Cowboy lump than Kingsford briquettes if im going to grill on a Weber. But that’s a debate for grilling, not BBQ. For BBQ, you need something that’s going to smoke, which is either hardwood or pellets, which is determined by your equipment. Most good quality offset smokers burn hardwood, and are probably going to produce better BBQ than my pellet PitBoss. But my PB is easier to manage, it can live on my porch, and takes up 1/3 the space. Really the biggest downside is the fact that the pellet reservoir makes it neatly impossible to swap between types of pellets between cooks. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/6 "2024-04-30T13:50:04Z")
I voted both briquettes and real wood chunks. I use briquettes in the Weber kettles and briquettes and wood chunks in the Smokey Mountain. Kingsford, becasue its what I can usually find locally. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/7 "2024-04-30T14:44:11Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > For BBQ, you need something that’s going to smoke, which is either hardwood or pellets, which is determined by your equipment. Most good quality offset smokers burn hardwood, and are probably going to produce better BBQ than my pellet PitBoss. But my PB is easier to manage, it can live on my porch, and takes up 1/3 the space. Really the biggest downside is the fact that the pellet reservoir makes it neatly impossible to swap between types of pellets between cooks. I happened to be looking into different methods of Mongolian BBQ, and they use hot stones: > **[Khorkhog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khorkhog)** > > Khorkhog (Mongolian: Xopxoг) is a barbecue dish in Mongolian cuisine. Khorkhog is made by cooking pieces of meat inside a container which also contains hot stones and water, and is often also heated from the outside. > To make khorkhog, Mongolians take lamb (goat meat can be substituted) and cut it into pieces of an appropriate size while leaving the bones attached. The cook then places ten to twenty fist-sized stones over a fire. When the stones are hot enough, the rocks and the meat are placed i... ---
**Author:** ![Dogginit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogginit/32/16920_2.png) [@Dogginit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogginit)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/8 "2024-04-30T15:01:00Z")
I typically use lump charcoal. As mentioned above, Cowboy brand is probably the best I’ve found. If I’m just grilling, it’s lump charcoal with a few small pieces of wood tossed on for flavor. If I’m going low-and-slow and/or smoking, I initially use lump charcoal to get the natural hardwood going, then it’s straight natural wood after that. Yeah, I have to tend the grill a bit more than most folks would care to, but it’s my hobby, and my labor of love. I know the Mrs. appreciates the end product 😀 ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/9 "2024-04-30T15:04:46Z")
I chose pellets, which I use for the smoker, but I use briquettes or lump for grilling. I used to be very fond of lump, but found (on my own and from reading) I get more predictable results from some brands of briquettes. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/10 "2024-04-30T15:43:37Z")
It depends on what I’m cooking. Lump charcoal for direct heat. Briquettes for indirect heat. Lump is hotter, but burns out fast. Briquettes last longer (though not as long as they used to). ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/11 "2024-04-30T16:12:32Z")
> [@solost](#): > > In the [Charcoal Grills](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-grills/1000877) thread, @Tripolar and I are in a bit of a debate over whether lump charcoal or briquets are better for BBQing. As someone who grew up in the South, we need to make sure we all agree on what we mean by “BBQing” 😉 For _grilling_ in my Weber kettle grill I just use briquets. For _BBQing_ in my Weber Smokey Mountain I use a mix of briquets and real hardwood chunks (which is what I picked in the poll). Lately I’ve been using the dead branches I pruned from the oak tree in my backyard. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/12 "2024-04-30T16:36:54Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > As someone who grew up in the South, we need to make sure we all agree on what we mean by “BBQing” 😉 Good point! I am well aware of the difference. For the purpose of this thread I was going for cooking with wood-based fuels in general, but yes, grilling vs. true low & slow BBQ are two entirely different things, and I should have been more specific. For BBQ, I use a mix of briquets and briquet-sized wood chunks (in about a 75% / 25% ratio, or maybe a little higher on the wood side) in my Weber Smoky Mountain bullet-style smoker. I burn the coals using the minion method (I also had great success [BBQing an entire brisket in my Weber kettle grill](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barbecued-beef-brisket/965672) using a snake ring method). For quick grilling, let’s say steaks, I often use a combo of briquets and wood chips that I soak in water beforehand (yes, I know wet smoke is not the greatest, but the chips just burn up too quickly otherwise). I will also sometimes make a small separate hardwood fire and add the mostly spent wood embers to the coals on the grill. But I’m thinking, since a lot of posters are saying that lump burns hotter, I’ll switch to lump for quick, hot grilling, to get a better sear on my steaks. Then there’s an in-between, with a hot coal side in my kettle grill (mix of briquets and dry wood chunks) and a cool side for indirect heat. This is good for say, chicken parts or whole chickens, or for medium-sized roasts-- get a good sear all over the meat on the hot side of the grill, then move to the cool side for a lowish & slowish finish. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/13 "2024-04-30T18:52:26Z")
I used to use nothing but lump charcoal and smoking wood in my Weber Smoky Mountain. Lump does burn faster, but I can finish a pork butt or a brisket with only one refill, typically at around the 5-hour mark. Then somewhere years into my smoking, I decided to give briquettes a shot, and I haven’t looked back. I get probably about an extra two to three hours of burn for the same volume of charcoal, and I don’t notice a lick of difference in the taste or smell or anything. It’s a bit more predictable, I can pack it better in the ring. Hell, when I got married, we had a morning wedding followed by a luncheon. I threw a packer cut brisket on the smoker with as many briquettes as I could fit in there without choking the fire. I went off, got married, got home at about five pm for the afterparty and, to my great joy, the brisket cooked fine, completely unattended. There was still a little heat radiating from the smoker. A good time was had by all! Since then, I stopped giving a shit about briquettes vs lump and mostly use briquettes (Royal Oak if I could get it). Oh, and the briquettes are the plain kind. I don’t use the quick lighting ones. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/14 "2024-04-30T19:22:55Z")
If I’m just grilling burgers or hot dogs, briquettes work just fine for the purpose, but better cuts of meat and certainly BBQ demands a good hardwood for a nice smokey flavor and will add that in addition to briquettes. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/15 "2024-04-30T20:04:50Z")
I’m a lump guy through and through. I try briquettes every once in a while, those sales sure do tempt. But I’m always disappointed: too ashy but mostly it’s the lack of wood flavor & aroma. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Burden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/958977/32.png) [@Jack\_Burden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Burden)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/16 "2024-04-30T20:40:49Z")
I selected briquettes & wood, but really use all of the above depending on purpose. Start briquettes in chimney to set base for hard wood in offset firebox smoker (and to supplement on longer cooks like brisket), lump or briquettes in the kettle (prefer lump), pellets in the now seldom used RecTec smoker. Pellets are also useful for adding smoke to the propane grill using a metal cylinder. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/17 "2024-05-08T12:56:31Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I’m sure you and I have the same opinion of @CookingWithGas. Not the Doper specifically, I’m amusing myself by drawing him into this debatish subject. I’ve been away so just saw this today. I’m not a BBQ expert. I use a gas grill not because it’s necessarily better, but for the convenience and expediency. I have sometimes soaked a couple of chunks of hardwood and put them on the burners to get some smoke but I have never gotten great results like that. As for the OP, no idea which of those choices is best. BTW not sure who @solost was wishing a happy birthday but I also celebrated mine on 4/30, along with Willie Nelson. Who is older than me. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/18 "2024-05-08T13:03:17Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > BTW not sure who @solost was wishing a happy birthday but I also celebrated mine on 4/30, along with Willie Nelson. Who is older than me. I was responding to TriPolar. Happy belated birthday to you-- may your propane tank never run out without a backup in the middle of a cookout! ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/19 "2024-05-08T13:18:19Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > BTW not sure who @solost was wishing a happy birthday I believe they were referring to someone’s Dopeaversary - you get a little cake emoji next to your name on that day. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965/20 "2024-05-08T13:22:25Z")
I think it’s a slice of cake emoji on one’s Dopeaversary, and a whole cake with candles emoji on one’s birthday. Of which TriPolar had the latter that day. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/experienced-bbqers-who-use-wood-based-fuel-not-gas-what-is-your-fuel-of-choice-poll/1000965.md?page=2)