Can charcoal briquettes get 'old'?

stef · #1 05/05/12, 01:34 PM

I was so hungry for something grilled today, so I got my charcoal and did all the usual: the little pile, the lighter fluid, the match, etc. After lighting the coals I waited and waited for them to heat up and turn red and only a handful did. I've never had that happen before. The bag of charcoal was in the trunk of my car all winter, but I don't know that that had anything to do with it.

So, I never really got the delicious chicken and burgers I wanted. They cooked so far, and I 'think' they are done, but I put them in the freezer and will use them in something that will thoroughly cook them to the right temp.

pancho · #2 05/05/12, 01:39 PM

Charcoal will absord moisture.
Setting in the bag all winter in the trunk of a car let them absord moisture out of the air.

stef · #3 05/05/12, 01:46 PM

You're probably right. What a disappointment.

I can't grill where I live so I toted all the supplies to a nearby park...and toted them back home again.

Riverdale · #4 05/06/12, 07:33 AM

Charcoal 'briquets' are just compressed sawdust.

Lump charcoal works much better!

Harry Chickpea · #5 05/06/12, 11:10 AM

They are not compressed sawdust. They are primarily compressed charred wood scraps plus some pulverized coal plus some lime and borax. There was a discussion on the forums recently about Kingsford charcoal. You can search for it. There have been a few complaints.

oregon woodsmok · #6 05/06/12, 04:08 PM

I've been seeing lots of complaints about barbecue charcoal not working. It makes me suspect that the government has changed the requirements to make it safer and more ecologically sound.

EDDIE BUCK · #7 05/06/12, 08:29 PM

Are the charcoal Kingsford.The last two bags we got would not heat enough to cook.Just lay there and smolder away with very little heat given off.

dlskidmore · #8 05/06/12, 09:30 PM

Hubby swears by the charcoal chimney. Does a pretty good job of getting charcoal lit with just a little paper, no lighter fluid, and gets the whole stack well inflamed before you dump them in the grill. We don't grill often enough to have fresh charcoal around, use year old bags all the time and they just take a little longer to start, but once the bottom layer catches the chimney does the rest.

Target Ad for Charcoal Chimney

Silvercreek Farmer · #9 05/09/12, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harry Chickpea

They are not compressed sawdust. They are primarily compressed charred wood scraps plus some pulverized coal plus some lime and borax. There was a discussion on the forums recently about Kingsford charcoal. You can search for it. There have been a few complaints.

I've seen songbirds picking the limestone out of the ash pan for years. They love it.

I've tried to get away from buying charcoal, using wood instead, but the wood requires more attention which cuts into my beverage consumption, so I stick with charcoal with a little oak/maple tossed on top. The absolute easiest way to get decent tasting BBQ is to put a pan in a gas grill under the grate and throw a few chunks of hardwood in the pan for some sweet smoke. Gas grills don't seem to last long though (3-4 years at the rate I BBQ), so now I am using a Weber Kettle grill (lasts me 10+ years) and a weed torch to light the charcoal (haven't finished off my first $15 tank of propane yet, after a year of this method) much cheaper, faster, cleaner, and more fun than lighter fluid...

dlskidmore · #10 05/09/12, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvercreek Farmer

I've tried to get away from buying charcoal, using wood instead, but the wood requires more attention which cuts into my beverage consumption, so I stick with charcoal with a little oak/maple tossed on top.

If you BBQ enough to make it worth your time, make your own charcoal. The charcoal kiln plans I've seen are pretty large, but should be scale-able down to oil drum size. Charcoal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cascade Failure · #11 05/09/12, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlskidmore

Hubby swears by the charcoal chimney. Does a pretty good job of getting charcoal lit with just a little paper, no lighter fluid, and gets the whole stack well inflamed before you dump them in the grill. We don't grill often enough to have fresh charcoal around, use year old bags all the time and they just take a little longer to start, but once the bottom layer catches the chimney does the rest.

Target Ad for Charcoal Chimney

I just cut the end off of an empty coffee can. Works well.

Silvercreek Farmer · #12 05/10/12, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlskidmore

If you BBQ enough to make it worth your time, make your own charcoal. The charcoal kiln plans I've seen are pretty large, but should be scale-able down to oil drum size. Charcoal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks, I already make a good bit of charcoal for soil amendment purposes. Mostly from all the pine I have on our property, so it wouldn't be the best for grilling (pitch and low density). I could certainly make some out of hardwood, but it is still too fiddly IMO for my 6-8 hour slow cooked pork and lamb. As it is, I go through a large bag or so a month which isn't too bad. I did cook a side of pork last fall on my home made double drum cooker entirely on oak. I used enough wood to heat my house for a week!