My wife and I grill about every 4-5 days, whether we're at home or on the road. At home, we have a Char Broil infrared gas grill that does pretty well. For the road, we bought a highly rated portable gas grill from Home Depot, with a 10 lb tank. That proved to be more than we were willing to carry in our Chinook Concourse (plus now you have a greasy grill in your living space etc.), so we reverted to charcoal.I use a Weber chimney to quick start it in the campground fire ring. So far, so good. But what I find is that with the coals on the ground, it doesn't stay hot enough long enough. A couple possibilities come to mind. First, I suspect that this is because the coals cannot get enough air. I wonder if I could suspend a grate over some rocks to allow air to feed it from below. Is anybody doing this or working around it another way?Second, maybe we need better charcoal (we get the cheap stuff at Big Lots). Does anybody have any preference for brand?

Kingsford only. I have tried some of the cheap stuff and it doesn't cut it.It either burns to fast or doesn't put out the heat.

Stop playing around and buy a Weber Smokey Joe BBQ (table top 14" charcoal grill)We used one for 7 yrs while FTng traveling.Load it up with Kingsford Charcoal. Slap lid on/close top/bottom vents....use again next day or 2 or 3 ect.Last day....let charcoal burn to ash. Dump next morning. Lid on vents closed.....bungee cord across lid to hole in place and stow away.No mess.......easy set up...GREAT Charcoal flavor and temp controllable with top/bottom vents-------just like a big boy Weber

DandD2015 wrote:My wife and I grill about every 4-5 days, whether we're at home or on the road. At home, we have a Char Broil infrared gas grill that does pretty well. For the road, we bought a highly rated portable gas grill from Home Depot, with a 10 lb tank. That proved to be more than we were willing to carry in our Chinook Concourse (plus now you have a greasy grill in your living space etc.), so we reverted to charcoal.I use a Weber chimney to quick start it in the campground fire ring. So far, so good. But what I find is that with the coals on the ground, it doesn't stay hot enough long enough. A couple possibilities come to mind. First, I suspect that this is because the coals cannot get enough air. I wonder if I could suspend a grate over some rocks to allow air to feed it from below. Is anybody doing this or working around it another way?Second, maybe we need better charcoal (we get the cheap stuff at Big Lots). Does anybody have any preference for brand?Primarily, I cook on a portable fire place and Weber Go Anywhere using lump charcoal and/or wood. Preferred everyday lump charcoal is Royal Oak. Sometimes I buy Rockwood if I can find it (regional product).I only use charcoal briquets to start a fire since it lights and burns faster. As long as the briquets are inexpensive and aren't match ready I have no brand preference. I prefer lump over pressed briquet charcoal because it lasts longer which is great for smoking and low + slow cookery. It also works nicely for grilling and can be re-used as long as you work your vents. I'm a little confused by your first question so please bear with me: Are you saying you cook in the fire pit, in the charcoal starter or use something else?

You are right. Your fire is not getting enough air. If you want to cook in the fire ring, buy a replacement charcoal grate (Weber comes to mind.) from a big box store. Support it on rocks, bricks or similiar material and put the charcoal of your choice on it.

i do believe Kingsford and Royal Oak are the best briquets. Another option is "real" charcoal, usually mesquite. That stuff burns seriously hot, and the flavor is real nice but is quite a bit more expensive. We use one of the little rectangle Weber Charcoal Grill that the legs fold up over the top for easy stowage and retrieval. We used the Weber Smokey Joe for 20 years. They are a nice little Q, but the set up, take down and stowage features aren't quite as generous as the rectangle one. Seems with a little Q you don't have to worry quite as much about whether the charcoal is of real high grade. Then, I have a Weber Q1000 gas grill for parks that don't have a place to dump hot coals. The grease thing is a pain, but it has a drip pan and I wipe it out pretty well prior to stowing it.

Charcoal questions | Good Sam Community

25 Replies

Vintage465
Nomad
May 22, 2016
i do believe Kingsford and Royal Oak are the best briquets. Another option is "real" charcoal, usually mesquite. That stuff burns seriously hot, and the flavor is real nice but is quite a bit more expensive. We use one of the little rectangle Weber Charcoal Grill that the legs fold up over the top for easy stowage and retrieval. We used the Weber Smokey Joe for 20 years. They are a nice little Q, but the set up, take down and stowage features aren't quite as generous as the rectangle one. Seems with a little Q you don't have to worry quite as much about whether the charcoal is of real high grade. Then, I have a Weber Q1000 gas grill for parks that don't have a place to dump hot coals. The grease thing is a pain, but it has a drip pan and I wipe it out pretty well prior to stowing it.
eieioh
Explorer
May 22, 2016
You are right. Your fire is not getting enough air. If you want to cook in the fire ring, buy a replacement charcoal grate (Weber comes to mind.) from a big box store. Support it on rocks, bricks or similiar material and put the charcoal of your choice on it.
NYCgrrl
Explorer
May 22, 2016
DandD2015 wrote:
My wife and I grill about every 4-5 days, whether we're at home or on the road. At home, we have a Char Broil infrared gas grill that does pretty well. For the road, we bought a highly rated portable gas grill from Home Depot, with a 10 lb tank. That proved to be more than we were willing to carry in our Chinook Concourse (plus now you have a greasy grill in your living space etc.), so we reverted to charcoal.

I use a Weber chimney to quick start it in the campground fire ring. So far, so good. But what I find is that with the coals on the ground, it doesn't stay hot enough long enough.

A couple possibilities come to mind. First, I suspect that this is because the coals cannot get enough air. I wonder if I could suspend a grate over some rocks to allow air to feed it from below. Is anybody doing this or working around it another way?

Second, maybe we need better charcoal (we get the cheap stuff at Big Lots). Does anybody have any preference for brand?

Primarily, I cook on a portable fire place and Weber Go Anywhere using lump charcoal and/or wood. Preferred everyday lump charcoal is Royal Oak. Sometimes I buy Rockwood if I can find it (regional product).
I only use charcoal briquets to start a fire since it lights and burns faster. As long as the briquets are inexpensive and aren't match ready I have no brand preference.

I prefer lump over pressed briquet charcoal because it lasts longer which is great for smoking and low + slow cookery. It also works nicely for grilling and can be re-used as long as you work your vents.

I'm a little confused by your first question so please bear with me: Are you saying you cook in the fire pit, in the charcoal starter or use something else?
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
May 22, 2016
Stop playing around and buy a Weber Smokey Joe BBQ (table top 14" charcoal grill)

We used one for 7 yrs while FTng traveling.

Load it up with Kingsford Charcoal.
Slap lid on/close top/bottom vents....use again next day or 2 or 3 ect.

Last day....let charcoal burn to ash. Dump next morning. Lid on vents closed.....bungee cord across lid to hole in place and stow away.

No mess.......easy set up...GREAT Charcoal flavor and temp controllable with top/bottom vents-------just like a big boy Weber
dons2346
Explorer
May 22, 2016
Kingsford only. I have tried some of the cheap stuff and it doesn't cut it.It either burns to fast or doesn't put out the heat.

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