Do ya'll think twice about firing up the grill?

[Dr. Strangelove]

1st - shout out to Big Green Egg. I've had my grill for 25+ years, and they still warrantied the base and internal parts. I'm really stoked and so happy with BGE that they warrantied my grill after so long. It was out of commission for a few years but now it's back and ready to cook!

2nd - Holy Smokes! I haven't been in the game for a few years (using gas and and electric smoker) but Royal Oak is now $18.99 for 15lbs? What in the what what? It's still the firework show when lighting it ever was - be sure to change out of work clothes before lighting.

It's not a matter of having or not having money, I just am not going to pay more for the charcoal than the hot dogs I'm fixin' to cook. I just don't feel like I can fire up the Egg for a pack of hot dogs unless I'm also cooking something else. I'll just light the gasser for a few minutes.

 

[mallardsx2]

Just stick the hotdogs in the microwave like the rest of us rednecks. Lol

 

[specialk]

Toaster oven on a sheet of parchment paper till they split open ..

 

[breathe in]

yes. picked up a cpl bags of RO at hd the other week cause I was out. $15 for 15#s. I mentioned before how small the charcoal was, about the size of a bic lighter. first new bag I opened, almost a half of the charcoal was the size of chiclets.

got some cowboy lump from Costco yesterday, it's a little better. I'm done with RO.

 

[JohnnyD]

I hate that Royal Oak has gone the way they have. Definitely lesser quality for more money. I used to use the lump and the briquettes depending on what I was cooking. Can't find the briquettes anymore and the lump is pricy and the bags are filled with mostly wood chip sized ones. Life's pretty good overall but this turn of events certainly annoys me.

 

[NCHillbilly]

You do realize that you can load the grill up with free wood chunks and cook on it? All you got to do is let it burn down to coals. You can also make your own lump charcoal fairly easily. If it gets too expensive, I'll start doing that.

 

[JonathanG2013]

1st - shout out to Big Green Egg. I've had my grill for 25+ years, and they still warrantied the base and internal parts. I'm really stoked and so happy with BGE that they warrantied my grill after so long. It was out of commission for a few years but now it's back and ready to cook!

2nd - Holy Smokes! I haven't been in the game for a few years (using gas and and electric smoker) but Royal Oak is now $18.99 for 15lbs? What in the what what? It's still the firework show when lighting it ever was - be sure to change out of work clothes before lighting.

It's not a matter of having or not having money, I just am not going to pay more for the charcoal than the hot dogs I'm fixin' to cook. I just don't feel like I can fire up the Egg for a pack of hot dogs unless I'm also cooking something else. I'll just light the gasser for a few minutes.

When I grill I use B&B Charcoal. You can get a 17.6 pound bag at Ace for $16.00. Gets hotter quicker than Royal Oak and stays hot longer. I have used it and still have gray hot coals 5-6 hours after I light the coals.

 

[Mars]

The last few bags of royal oak I've gotten was full of dust and pieces smaller then briquettes.

I splurged on some kamado Joe big block. It's nothing but really big chunks. However at $30 a bag it's really not worth it.

 

[K80Shooter]

I'm still using Royal Oak that I bought at WalMart end of season sale for about $6.00 at least 10 years ago. I bought a lot!

Still have 6-7 bags left.

 

[tr21]

WHATS A GRILL ? i use my firepit with oak wood !

 

[pjciii]

Lowes had or has 2 bags Kingsford 16 lb for 17$. I watch sales and pick them up in advance. I have an Egg, 21" weber both charcoal and a gas grill for speed and ease like burgers tonight.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Lowes had or has 2 bags Kingsford 16 lb for 17$. I watch sales and pick them up in advance. I have an Egg, 21" weber both charcoal and a gas grill for speed and ease like burgers tonight.

That's only $2 off the normal price. Until the last couple years, Lowes used to have actual sales on Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day when you could get two 20 lb bags for $10. I would go buy about 240 lbs, and it would last me about all year.

 

[pjciii]

I know and really don't like it at all. But like you said in another thread. Plenty of wood to burn

 

[little rascal]

Been using Cowboy charcoal, does good. Just don’t light fast. Don’t use lump much, when I do i buy the cheap stuff and add it to charcoal and some free applewood.

 

[Boondocks]

I have been using Pigly Wigly brand and it looks and burns just like Kingsford.I also use to get the kingsford at Lowes on sale and stock up.

 

[JohnnyD]

Been using Cowboy charcoal, does good. Just don’t light fast. Don’t use lump much, when I do i buy the cheap stuff and add it to charcoal and some free applewood.

Just bought a few bags of that the other evening but haven't tried it yet. So far all the reviews I'm getting are good.

 

[Geffellz18]

Admittedly, I’m new to the charcoal game but I had bought some jealous devil lump for my inaugural cook and it did very well and made for some good tasting food, but was over $20/ bag for 18lbs or so.
So when I used it up, I bought the cowboy brand briquettes-20# 2pk after reading some reviews for like $18 or so at Walmart and it has served me well too. 40lbs for $18 vs. 15lbs for $15-I’ll gamble on that all day. No complaints-Food still taste pretty dern good coming off the grill to me!
Guess there’s a lot to learn. A lot of talk about this brand burning hotter than that brand, size of lump chips, etc., but my unit is a MB1050 gravity series so once the charcoals lit, set it and forget it!
Use it more for grilling & the traeger for smoking.
I feel similar about firing up the charcoal just for some burgers or dogs too, so I usually cook something else too like if I’m grilling chops or steak, I’ll grill the hot dogs & link sausage too and freeze them. Steam them when I want one to keep the flavor intact and they are just as good IMO.

 

[ScLowCountry]

You need a big green egg to cook hot dogs? Last time I checked I ate them after being in the microwave or a hot pan on the stove.

Do you slow cook your bacon as well?

 

[NCHillbilly]

Been using Cowboy charcoal, does good. Just don’t light fast. Don’t use lump much, when I do i buy the cheap stuff and add it to charcoal and some free applewood.

The Cowboy lump works well, it's a whole lot better now than it used to be. Sometimes you have to break some of it into smaller pieces.

 

[Paymaster]

I stock up when I find a good sale on lump.