[PhilNYC]

For smoking ribs, last year I made the move from using charcoal briquettes to using lump charcoal and haven't looked back.  Using a good lump charcoal gives your ribs a whole new level of sophistication in taste.

Check out this website which reviews various lump charcoals from around the country:

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

I've tried a couple of them...Humphrey's, WGC Weekend Warrior, Billy Bones, and B&B Experts.  My favorite so far is Billy Bones...good sized coals, easy to light, burns long, very little ash, and most importantly leaves a very "clean" taste on your ribs....

[loki1957]

The lump from Big Green Egg is quite good.

[MaxCast]

Where does one get lump coal?

[PhilNYC]

Where does one get lump coal?

Some places like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's sell them.  For the ones I've tried, I've mail-ordered them...

[topround]

ShopRite has it, they are $11.29 for a 20 lb bag.
The ONLY charcoal I will use!!

Best flavor and no chemicals!!

[ctviggen]

Around here (New England), the grocery stores and hardware stores (Lowes, Home Cheapo) carry it.  My only problem with lump charcoal is that it really compesses once heated up in a charcoal starter.  I always have to add additional coal.  It also doesn't burn as evenly and as hotly for as long as briquets (and I've only ever used natural briquets once).  The taste from lump charcoal is much better though.

[Wayner]

Charcoal is made from chard wood and corn starch pressed together into a briquet. Coal is found naturally and is usually made from a pete fire char (millions of years ago) and pressed by the layers of earth above.

It will burn longer and slower.

Wayner

[JerryM]

In my experience, mesquite lump charcoal is the best. It burns very hot, very clean, and the very light flavor it lends will have everyone wondering why they can't make theirs taste the same as yours. It is the choice for lobster. 
Have fun,
Jerry

[PeteG]

I might try some in my old charcoal smoker, I don't think I've seen lump coal anywhere.

[Bigfish]

I might try some in my old charcoal smoker, I don't think I've seen lump coal anywhere.

Lowes home improvement stores sell Cowboy brand of lump charcoal.

Ken

[PhilNYC]

Here's what the NakedWhiz says about Cowboy Lump Coal:

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumpdatabase/lumpbag6.htm

[Dan Driscoll]

Lump coal and lump charcoal are not the same thing. I lived in an old farmhouse with a coal furnace and stove when I was a kid and we never cooked directly over the coal, it was used only to heat the flat burners.

[PhilNYC]

Lump coal and lump charcoal are not the same thing. I lived in an old farmhouse with a coal furnace and stove when I was a kid and we never cooked directly over the coal, it was used only to heat the flat burners.

I stand corrected!   

I just edited the title...

[Dan Driscoll]

Charcoal is made from chard wood and corn starch pressed together into a briquet.

Natural lump charcoal is only the charred wood, no cornstarch or other fillers that are found in briquettes. NLC will look like pieces of burned branches and will be uneven in size and shape.

[loki1957]

Around here (New England), the grocery stores and hardware stores (Lowes, Home Cheapo) carry it.  My only problem with lump charcoal is that it really compesses once heated up in a charcoal starter.  I always have to add additional coal.  It also doesn't burn as evenly and as hotly for as long as briquets (and I've only ever used natural briquets once).  The taste from lump charcoal is much better though.

You should use an electric starter. No chemicals and I think it starts faster and more evenly.

[Dan Driscoll]

Around here (New England), the grocery stores and hardware stores (Lowes, Home Cheapo) carry it.  My only problem with lump charcoal is that it really compesses once heated up in a charcoal starter.  I always have to add additional coal.  It also doesn't burn as evenly and as hotly for as long as briquets (and I've only ever used natural briquets once).  The taste from lump charcoal is much better though.

How fast an hot lump charcoal will bur depends a lot on the wood it was created from. IME oak tends to burn very hot and fast, while fruit woods last longer and doesn't burn as hot.

[IronLion]

I use Wicked Good Charcoal in my Big Green Egg and that stuff is pretty dense, noticeably heavier than most lump charcoals you would find in most grocery stores.  It burns a long time in my experience, unless you're doing a very hot cook.  Point being, just because its "lump" doesn't mean its good lump.   

[sts9fan]

Charcoal is not just charred wood.  It is wood that is burned under low oxygen conditions.  This leaves mostly carbon.  As stated it is not coal.  I have got the Cowboy from Truevalue and thought it to be pretty good. 

[aerius]

I was wondering if it was just me or if the Duraflame charcoal I picked up was burning a lot faster than the Royal Oak Charcoal I used last year.  With the latter, I could save about half the lumps after I'm done cooking and reuse them the next time with with Duraflame I can only save a few of the big chunks for reuse.  Looks like I'm not imagining anything.

[PhilNYC]

I use Wicked Good Charcoal in my Big Green Egg and that stuff is pretty dense, noticeably heavier than most lump charcoals you would find in most grocery stores.  It burns a long time in my experience, unless you're doing a very hot cook.  Point being, just because its "lump" doesn't mean its good lump.   

Yeah, when I tried the WGC Weekend Warrior charcoal, it took me nearly 45 minutes to get it fully lit (I use a chimney starter).  VERY dense, and the pieces were all pretty big.

Surprisingly, the Billy Bones lump charcoal that I like to use is incredibly light...almost like Balsa wood.  It's very easy to light, burns hot, and doesn't leave much ash...