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Penbeads Fuel?

PostPosted: 12 May 2011, 19:43
by Ady
These briquettes are described as having a 'long - hot - burn", has anyone used them before and are they worth the extra cost?
http://www.penbbq.com/pages/Penbead.html
Cheers
Ady


Still no dispatch e-mail on my smoker... grr

Re: Penbeads Fuel?

PostPosted: 12 May 2011, 21:28
by Steve
They suck big time. I used them once and once only.

If you want to use briquettes then go for heat beads or cocoshell ones. If you want to use lump then you want restaurant grade lump. You can get this from Booker or Makro or online from http://www.liverpoolwoodpellets.co.uk

Re: Penbeads Fuel?

PostPosted: 12 May 2011, 22:44
by Steve
Think I paid £5 or £6 for 3kgs when I tried them. i've tried to blank it from my memory :lol:

Re: Penbeads Fuel?

PostPosted: 13 May 2011, 10:34
by Steve
What can I say, I tried them a long time ago when I was young and foolish :lol:

Re: Penbeads Fuel?

PostPosted: 13 May 2011, 11:56
by Ady
Thanks guys, I'll stay away from these. I cant get hold of heatbeads or cocoshell anywhere near me so i think i'll grab some lump from booker tomorrow if they have some.

I'm slowly getting my act together while waiting for my smoker to be delivered, got some hickory and mesquite wood chips, a chimney, a rack of ribs and a nice big pork shoulder!
Also got some large packs of garlic powder and paprika today, cant seem to find onion powder though. With a bit of luck and some nice weather i'll be smoking by next weekend.

Re: Penbeads Fuel?

PostPosted: 14 May 2011, 10:25
by Ady
I've been up and down the shops in Manchester road, one of which is wall to wall spices but still could not find onion powder.. Then i remembered i have a food dehydrator. I spent £2 on about 18 onions, sliced them, dried then and ground them to a fine powder, job done!

Re: Penbeads Fuel?

PostPosted: 14 May 2011, 11:24
by Steve
I've stopped buying onion powder because I find it cakes very quickly. I will buy granules if I can get them but I've struggled to get a bulk supplier :(

I do similar to you though, I buy big bags of dried onions and then grind them down as and when they are needed. I just keep the onions vac packed until I'm ready to grind them.

I need a dehydrator though, what do you have? I've got some poblano chillies growing in the greenhouse at the mo and want to dry those suckers out at harvest time. homemade ancho chillies baby :D

Re: Penbeads Fuel?

PostPosted: 14 May 2011, 12:07
by Ady
Thanks for the kind offer DrSweetSmoke but I think I've made enough to last a while.

Steve, this is the dehydrator i have, made by a company called severin..

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000 ... e=&seller=

I got it for drying chillies but I've done all sorts in it, I'm a total chilli nut and grow loads each year so I thought making my own chilli powder would be a good way to preserve them.
Must admit I've never grown poblano peppers, I should have a go because I make chicken mole now and again.
On this years grow list..
Jalapeno
Habanero Squat Frog
Fatali
Habanero Trinidad
7-Pot
Cayenne
Lemon Drop

Re: Penbeads Fuel?

PostPosted: 14 May 2011, 13:02
by Vic.
onion powder is hard to find, tried 3 chinese stores in Belfast and they had loads of powder like garlic, ginger, galingrass, lemongrass, etc.....but no onion. Got a small bottle of onion granules in tescos though.

50g can be bought here, but them you'll have to pay delivery. http://www.healthysupplies.co.uk/onion- ... shire.html

Re: Penbeads Fuel?

PostPosted: 14 May 2011, 13:42
by Steve
I've just started growing chillies this year since buying my new house which came with a greenhouse :)

I've got some poblano and some scotch bonnet on the go. I was too late to start them from seed and the varieties I have are what my local garden centre had as young plants. Next year I'll do a much more varied crop.

Will definately check out that dehydrator.