Help for charcoal/briquette source

[Damo]

I'm really sorry because I'm sure this subject crops up a lot. But I tried to search the forum and it comes back with too many results (not for me to plough through, it's what the search engine says)

I've realised there's a big difference in fuel quality. Supermarket stuff is shocking, I tried weber briquettes and they were much better for burn times but left yellow ash everywhere. Stumbled upon Big-K briquettes at the local garden center and they seemed much better.

But now everywhere is out of stock except for stuff I don't trust.

I gave up on charcoal because the rubbish I got from the supermarket used to fall through the grates it was so thin. But I didn't know any better. So briquettes are all I've really known.

It's slow cooking I want the fuel for as quick stuff I'd use the gasser.

Is this stuff any good?...

http://www.coals2u.co.uk/restaurant-charcoal-1

It's twelve quid for 11 kilos which sounds great, but its a minimum spend of 50 quid. That's a lot for a trial

Any other suggestions? I live in the south Manchester area.

And if I buy fifty quids worth of this stuff, will whats left be usable after a winter left in a detached garage? Will the opened stuff be ruined, will the whole lot be ruined, or will it all be fine come spring?

Thanks for your patience guys, sorry to ask such dumb questions.

[paulfire]

BBQ world, or Toby (head honcho) for heat beads
LWP (l/pool or lancs wood pellets) for restaurant lump
I'm trying heat diamonds from morrisons and they do big k coal and briquettes

Paul

[Damo]

BBQ world, or Toby (head honcho) for heat beads
LWP (l/pool or lancs wood pellets) for restaurant lump
I'm trying heat diamonds from morrisons and they do big k coal and briquettes

Paul

Thanks Paul. I just ordered 12 kg of restaurant charcoal from LWP for under 20 quid. I'd never heard of them before so you've been really helpful. Should arrive late next week.

[Damo]

Where are you Damian,if you use Harwood morrisons you must be close to me in Bromley Cross, can't be too many BBQ Nutters in the area!

SORRY GOT WRONG PERSON SHOULD BE DAZ, APOLOGIES

No probs mate

I'm South Manchester/Cheshire.

I think I'm eager to get the basics right with the equipment I've got. The kettle took a real back seat since we got the gasser, but I'm real eager to use the Kettle to get great ribs (which my lad loves) and maybe pulled pork and stuff like that. Much to learn though.

Cuts of meat I'm confused about too. What do I get in the supermarket if I want pulled pork? What should I ask my butcher for? How come the baby back ribs I get from Costco have so little meat between the bones when the boiled pub rubbish has loads?

How do you find your ProQ Excel Paul?

[keith157]

Pulled pork, go for rolled shoulder joints in the supermarket and ask your butcher for a collar joint or a "hand and spring" without the front "leg". Costco would loose money if they cut deeper into their pork steaks (boneless chops) to get more meat on the racks. Your pub buys them from a specialist company in "retort" bags, pre-cooked and just needing heating and maybe crisping up in the kitchen. there is a vast difference between UK & US butchery styles, based on their love of ribs.

[paulfire]

i think that the main problem is the supermarkets have dominated our shopping preferences for so long that most butchers have been forced to tag-along. I worked in a "high class" butchers as saturday boy from age 12 to 17 (im 56 now) and i dont see the same butchery skills or selection available today. The butchers have been forced to adapt, or to close, many have closed.
The rise in popularity of barbequeing is causing the BBQers to go into the remaining butchers and ask for different cuts and joints, and to ask how long has the meat been hung, where has it been sourced, and making decisions about which butchers to use. I went to 2 supposed butchers on friday to see if they were able to supply a pork shoulder joint, bone in, in lieu of a pork butt, one didnt do that sort of thing but had BBQ selections inviting the customer to partake of some minced offering laced with colourants and additives, the other had a pork shoulder joint, boned out and rolled, which i bought. When i brought the subject of pork butt up he at least knew what i was talking about, but most of the shoulders go in sausages he said, order one on tuesday for thursday was the advice.
So in actually answering your question, i dont think supermarkets will supply more than basic cuts and simple joints of fairly average meat, you will have to find a good traditional butcher and become a favoured customer, like i experienced 40 years ago, if you find such an establishment let me know, i will travel.

As for the Excel, its brilliant now i have siliconed the doors to stop leakage and am useing a good fuel, and have gained a little experience. My all weather BBQ pit means i can largely ignore the rain so no stops in gaining knowledge and poundage.

Rant over, cup of tea and tranquiliser required!!!!

Paul

[keith157]

Paulfire you call that a rant.....a mere footnote on the subject of "super"markets verses real butchers I couldn't agree more. There are so few butchers shops these days, let alone quality butchers that if you find one you treat them with care. There is a video on youtube uk verses us pork cuts (or something like that) the way the cuts are used would horrify your boss, and mine. There is little left over for profit with US style butchery for the UK market.

[Tiny]

Gents,
Don't disagree on the supermarkets versus proper butchers debate but I think quality will win in the end. We have 3 butchers in a 12 min driving radius that are "proper" My personal favourite and closest Sheperd and Daughter is in a residential street with a curry house and local co-op. But whenever you go there are folk in there, on a Saturday the queue is out the door, the 3 butchers know everyone by name and have proper animals hanging in their fridge which they will cut up just however you want them to.

Last weekend I picked up a kilo and a half of "proper meaty ribs" for £7, there was virtually no ribs just delivious porky goodness, fed the family and had enough left over for adding to a pork and beans pot to feed 4 again.

Cheaper then the supermarket, better than the supermarket and a much better experience than the supermarket.

For me it shows if you value your customer base and offer a quality product there is still a good living to be made.
Cheers
Tiny

[Damo]

Last weekend I picked up a kilo and a half of "proper meaty ribs" for £7, there was virtually no ribs just delivious porky goodness, fed the family and had enough left over for adding to a pork and beans pot to feed 4 again.

Cheaper then the supermarket, better than the supermarket and a much better experience than the supermarket.

For me it shows if you value your customer base and offer a quality product there is still a good living to be made.
Cheers
Tiny

Phoned a well respected local butchers about ribs last week. When I complained about Costco ribs having little meat he said it makes no sense to leave meat on the ribs. From the sound of it local butchers make no money from ribs, must be no demand, since he said they get 18 pigs a week and I could always get a complete rack just by walking in. Was disappointed that they didn't offer to add another centimetre of meat on the ribs for a bit of extra money.

Saw a shoulder of pork in the supermarket today for about seven quid. It looked massive so I'd probably cut it in half to cook quicker, is that a bad idea? Is the lack of bone a problem? I think I need to find a balance between easy to do and a great result. After I've achieved that then I can fine tune on later cooks.

[keith157]

You have to bear in mind you are one customer, probaly the only one at this time who wants ribs. You say "for a little extra money" I spoke to my butcher who showed me the breakdown. If he left a bit extra on his Baby Back/Loin Ribs he would lose out on the size of his loin chops, they wouldn't look as nice as they other so the only thing he could do was stuff and roll the loin, which never sells as well as pork steaks or chops (if he left the bone in). Yes there are commercial firms who specialise in doing ribs, but they are purely for the retail food industry. The same applies to Belly Pork Ribs (spare ribs in the UK are from the loin/shoulder area) customers want them in slices on the bone or rolled and stuffed as a slow cooked joint, by leaving sufficient meat on to get good ribs the joints are smaller.
You will find this discussion played out throughout this forum, but not always under charcoal suppliers