# Mesquite charcoal vs charcoal briquettes



## WOK-a-holic (Jul 8, 2017)

I absolutely love Mesquite charcoal.
Burns hot, clean, long, and has a really good smoke flavor.I've been using only Mesquite for years. recently went to my friend's place for barbecue and use Kingsford briquettes.
There is a major difference. 
LAZZARI brand Mesquite charcoal from Mexico is my favorite . my local restaurant supply store sells it for $12.97 for 40 lb bag. which is a really good deal but can be expensive other places, like $8 for 7 1/2 lb bag or 18 1/2 lb bag for $18.99 
:thebbq:
like to hear your opinions and experience with barbecuing grilling smoking Etc


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## brianh (Jul 8, 2017)

I use Royal Oak and separate out the big chunks from the small. Small go in my BGE for hot and fast, big chunks for low and slow. RO is hardwood, but I don't think they say which in particular. I looked up Lazarri and price was indeed cheap.


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## WOK-a-holic (Jul 9, 2017)

brianh, 
I've seen Royal Oak brand briquettes. but I've never seen Royal Oak lump charcoal (probably just not available in this area).
sometimes my uncle buys this stuff that comes in a brown bag and it's called Cowboy charcoal, I think it's Oak. it's still better than charcoal briquettes, but IMO, Mesquite is still the best......I've had good luck with other brands of Mesquite charcoal. if I remember correctly it was called mi amigo. It doesn't have to be LAZZARI brand, just 100%Mesquite charcoal. if it just says" hardwood "or "lump charcoal"it most likely is not Mesquite even though that is also a form of lump charcoal. In the United States we have a lot of different types of hardwood. but the brands that come from Mexico are almost always Mesquite


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## panda (Jul 9, 2017)

i use this stuff and it's great. https://www.publix.com/p/RIO-PCI-169797/pd/publix-greenwise-wood-charcoal/RIO-PCI-169797
pretty sure it's the same stuff as royal oak but cheaper because it's a supermarket brand.


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## tsuriru (Jul 9, 2017)

I use citrus wood charcoal exclusively, and not just for BBQ either - I also use it in my forge. I think it's important to realize the importance of how the charcoal was made - not just the material it was made from. Well made charcoal will ring rather than thud when cascaded down on a hard surface like an anvil or a concrete floor, will light readily delivering a relatively short period of open flame, and a long lasting period of glow that will not extinguish readily - even if heavily moistened when burning. And last but not least, it must react properly when sprinkled with salt or sand i.e. will shed ashes readily to the point where rise in temperature is immediately noticed.


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## cclin (Jul 9, 2017)

you should try Japanese Binchotan aka Bincho charcoal. Good white Binchotan almost smoke free & can burns for a longer period time at a consistent temperature. great for yakitori!
[video=youtube;OFhp2eg7f1Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFhp2eg7f1Y[/video]


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## DanHumphrey (Jul 9, 2017)

One thing I miss about back home is the amount of maple wood that fell on the property. We never even used charcoal and just cooked over the wood and the summer, and it made the most delicious smoke. Nothing like that in Texas.


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## Dave Martell (Jul 9, 2017)

tsuriru said:


> I use citrus wood charcoal exclusively, and not just for BBQ either - I also use it in my forge.




I think that's awesome that you forge with charcoal. :doublethumbsup:


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## WOK-a-holic (Jul 9, 2017)

DanHumphrey said:


> One thing I miss about back home is the amount of maple wood that fell on the property. We never even used charcoal and just cooked over the wood and the summer, and it made the most delicious smoke. Nothing like that in Texas.



I have used Oakwood(only very old Deadwood that has fallen off tree naturally),it's the best thing I've used that wasn't store bought.


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## WOK-a-holic (Jul 9, 2017)

cclin,
that's very interesting about the Japanese charcoal I've never heard of it but I'm going to look into it


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## WOK-a-holic (Jul 9, 2017)

tsuriru said:


> I use citrus wood charcoal exclusively, and not just for BBQ either - I also use it in my forge. I think it's important to realize the importance of how the charcoal was made - not just the material it was made from. Well made charcoal will ring rather than thud when cascaded down on a hard surface like an anvil or a concrete floor, will light readily delivering a relatively short period of open flame, and a long lasting period of glow that will not extinguish readily - even if heavily moistened when burning. And last but not least, it must react properly when sprinkled with salt or sand i.e. will shed ashes readily to the point where rise in temperature is immediately noticed.
> 
> years ago I knew this guy from Jordan ,he smoked a tobacco hookah all day long and he used nothing but LEMON WOOD charcoal from Spain to light his hookah


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## MontezumaBoy (Jul 9, 2017)

If you haven't checked the NakedWhiz out - for all things charcoal my go too place is this;

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lump.htm

Very informative & just proves that some else "more obsessed than yourself" will put a lot of work/effort/time into studying some tiny little sliver of life and then put it all on the web (& even can make a living from it) ... sorta like finding a jpeg of anything that needs to be fixed/replaced/etc. on youtube ... of course you have to trust the nuckleheads doing the video =;-)



WOK-a-holic said:


> I absolutely love Mesquite charcoal.
> Burns hot, clean, long, and has a really good smoke flavor.I've been using only Mesquite for years. recently went to my friend's place for barbecue and use Kingsford briquettes.
> There is a major difference.
> LAZZARI brand Mesquite charcoal from Mexico is my favorite . my local restaurant supply store sells it for $12.97 for 40 lb bag. which is a really good deal but can be expensive other places, like $8 for 7 1/2 lb bag or 18 1/2 lb bag for $18.99
> ...


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## boomchakabowwow (Jul 10, 2017)

we used to drive to Lazzari with an empty garbage can or bag and just fill it up. the guy there told me flavor is better, more heat..but the only dept that gets beat by briquettes is time. he said a briquette burns longer. 

i have never ever tested it. i'm okay with briquettes..

hell, since moving into my new home..i've been kicking it with (gasp!) propane. personally, i think they all have their place in my bbq world. i once burned oak logs in a bbq down to glowing embers..that was pretty kickass.


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## ecrphoto (Jul 13, 2017)

I alternate between Rockwood charcoal, and Japenese Bincho. I love the Bincho but at home, I really don't need the 4 hr. burn, so I often am extinguishing and relighting. The aramaru binchotan, or the pok pok thai charcoal, are two of my favorites. Yes, more expensive than American stuff, but they last so much longer that I'm not sure there is a big difference in the long run - and I love having the paucity of ash from burning Bincho.


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## ecchef (Jul 22, 2017)

I'm another advocate for bincho. Won't be able to get it here, but I did manage to ship 10kg with my other stuff when we moved.


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## DDPslice (Jul 24, 2017)

I use Royal Oak, I used to have Live oak logs but that's been used up for a while now. I do need to trim a couple large branches off some trees in my backyard but I'm lazy as hell since it's so hot out. I stopped using briquettes at least 6 years ago and all the happier for it.


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## Chef Doom (Aug 26, 2017)

DanHumphrey said:


> One thing I miss about back home is the amount of maple wood that fell on the property. We never even used charcoal and just cooked over the wood and the summer, and it made the most delicious smoke. Nothing like that in Texas.


People do not value the concept of cooking over wood exclusevely. I do it often and it is a great experience.


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## Duckfat (Aug 26, 2017)

Using Royal Oak here as well. Pretty tough product to beat in this area for the $$$. Used too be able to find Billy Bones Charcoal which was great but haven't seen that in several years. There was some competition blend being sold here that was pretty popular for a bit. IIR it was from Maine. Used to see a lot of the Cowboy charcoal as well but really wasn't a fan. Even that seems to be pretty scarce now. Home Depot carries RO and they also produce the BGE Charcoal. 

Dave


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## Keith Sinclair (Aug 27, 2017)

I like Mesquite too. In Hawaii it is called Kiawe. It is a hearty tree grows well in hot dry areas. There are plenty branches on the ground that don't get cleaned up in any hurry. I break em up put in plastic bin in my car.


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