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Charcoal snob finally gave briquettes another shot
I spent five years turning my nose up at briquettes after one bad batch of cheap ones that left everything tasting like lighter fluid. Then last month a buddy named Ray brought over a bag of those natural lump alternatives and I was all set to dismiss his cook too. But his ribs came off with this even, steady heat that I honestly could not match with my usual lump setup. He told me he soaks his briquettes in a chimney for a full 20 minutes until they ash over completely, then banks them on one side. I tried that exact method on my own Weber kettle next weekend and the temperature held within 10 degrees for almost three hours without me touching a vent. Turns out my old problem was rushing the lighting step, not the fuel itself. Has anyone else made the switch back to briquettes for longer smokes, or am I the only one who was that stubborn?
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the_angela17d ago
Man, that's a serious confession right there! I did the exact same dance, swore off briquettes for years after one disaster with a cheap bag that tasted like a gas station. Then a neighbor showed me the same trick, letting them get that full gray ash coat before cooking, and I felt like an idiot. It's funny how one bad setup can make you blame the charcoal when the real problem was you rushing the fire. Now I keep both on hand, lump for quick sears and briquettes for anything longer than two hours. Stubborn pride costs a lot of good BBQ, that's for sure.
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