How many bags of Rancher?


 
I just got home from a trip to both of the local HDs.

Not only did neither have any Rancher but, both had their BBQ aisles configured back to winter configuration.
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Originally posted by mdredige:
I just got home from a trip to both of the local HDs.

Not only did neither have any Rancher but, both had their BBQ aisles configured back to winter configuration.
icon_frown.gif
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I have not heard of it being in the BBQ isle. In one store I found it at the end of the plumbing isle #2 thanks to who told me about it being at the end of a main isle towards checkout. The other store I scored some it was sitting outside under the overhang behind the pallets of Kingsford. HTH, Bryan
 
My parents just picked up 10 more bags for me in Owensboro, KY. $1.99 a bag! Woo Hoo, now I have 23!
Also, HD keeps this stuff everywhere, I saw it as you first walk in the door at one HD!
 
Originally posted by Pete B:
I tried a few more bags because of the price, But I'm gonna use lump. I'm just not liking it.
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To me Rancher is a better briquette than Kingsford, but it is still a briquette. I wouldn't expect it to replace lump.
 
I haven't been able to find any Rancher in my area--Southern California. Perhaps it's too late in the year.

I read somewhere that HD promoted this brand at a loss for market exposure. I'm assuming it will be selling for substantially more next year?

Anyway, is everybody raving about the Rancher Hardwood Briquette on the right? How was their lump charcoal?

Rancher
 
Rancher is ok in the WSM. It leaves wayyy too much ash for me to use in the big green eggs since they are harder to clean out, it leaves so much ash that Mt. St. Helens is jealous. The WSM can just be dumped once taken apart. I have tried soo many brands and types and have settled on Wicked Good. Lights fast, burns hot and log, very little ash to clean up. Expensive to have shipped but to me worth every penny.

Mike
 
i tend to agree about too much ash. i have about 50# of ranchers left but have not been using it because lump is just so much easier to clean up. while not really a problem in the WSM it is in the kettle. i'll use the rancher in the WSM if i run low on RO lump, but otherwise i won't buy anymore unless it is for the 2.99/20# price i got it for last summer.
 
What about compared to Kingsford? Wouldn't that be a better comparison? I thought Rancher put out less ash than Kingsford? Thanks in advance....
 
After some thought I suppose it is not all ash that I was seeing from the Rancher. It appears that the binder is not sufficient to hold the product together and a lot of what I had to clean out was carbonized dust rather than ash. My first mistake was to vacuum the dust out of the Big Green Egg with a shopvac, then power wash my lania to remove the dust that the shopvac filter didnt filter out. Won't make that mistake again.

Have you been to Nakedwhiz.com? Great comparisons for lump and charcoal. Mostly, its personal preference, once you find a product you like you will stick with it.

Smoke em if you got em.

Mike
 
Originally posted by mdredige:
I just got home from a trip to both of the local HDs.

Not only did neither have any Rancher but, both had their BBQ aisles configured back to winter configuration.
icon_frown.gif
Click to expand...

Found a local HD with about 100 bags of Ranchers that Larry R and I are going to buy tomorrow. We are going to rent a trailor to go pick it up. At 2.99 per bag, what the hell.
 
Originally posted by Tony C.:
i tend to agree about too much ash. i have about 50# of ranchers left but have not been using it because lump is just so much easier to clean up. while not really a problem in the WSM it is in the kettle. i'll use the rancher in the WSM if i run low on RO lump, but otherwise i won't buy anymore unless it is for the 2.99/20# price i got it for last summer.
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"Listening" to Bryan S. and his ardent preference for lump, I bought some RO lump and was pleased with its performance. I had tried Cowboy, didn't like it. Considering how lump is made, can't imagine what would make the difference but the Cowboy stuff took longer reach cooking coals and sent up a lot of sparks as it was burning toward coals. I cleaned out a local walmart of their RO lump ($5.29/bag) because it was the only place I found that carried it.

Kingsford creates a lot more ash and with my kettle I prefer less ash. Still using Kingsford for the WSM, I don't have the option of buying Rancher as it was never shipped up to Alaska.
 
I found and purchased 8 bags of ranchers at our local home depot for $2.99 per bag today. I was a little worried since my stash was running low, much better now.

Erik
 
Originally posted by Eric Aarseth:
"Listening" to Bryan S. and his ardent preference for lump, I bought some RO lump and was pleased with its performance. I had tried Cowboy, didn't like it. Considering how lump is made, can't imagine what would make the difference but the Cowboy stuff took longer reach cooking coals and sent up a lot of sparks as it was burning toward coals. I cleaned out a local walmart of their RO lump ($5.29/bag) because it was the only place I found that carried it.
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Eric A, Glad I didn't steer you wrong. Was worried a little when I first started reading. There's pros and cons of both, but with a good quality lump like RO you know what your cooking over, wood, just plain old wood, nothing else in the mix. Plus the flavor from lump is second to none, IMO Try it in the WSM sometime, I think you'll like it.
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I still have quite a few bags left. I wish there were more out there to be had. The ash thing isn't that big of a deal. You just have to remember to gently pull off the lid. If you just lift it quickly it will stir up some ash.

To me Rancher is lump without the hassle. Lump isn't uniform in size and can be a pain for that reason. I like how lump burns and I feel rancher burns equally as well. When I have Rancher in the smoker there is no better smell in the world. I have only used RO lump, Frountier lump, and Kamado extruded lump to date. The only lump I have liked better than rancher is the Kamado and it is such a hassel to get that Rancher holds first in my book at the moment. Always looking for something to out preform it though.

I smoked some cheese about a week and a half ago. I use 4 pieces of rancher charcoal with a piece of wood sitting on two pieces of charcoal. I have always done it this way, and I smoke cheese every winter. Well using rancher when I went to pull off the cheese they were slightly melted and left distinct grill marks. Still turned out well but didn't like the grill marks. Didn't use a therm because I hadn't ever had that happen before. I guess I still have use for K or other off brand charcoal.
 
Originally posted by Bryan S:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Eric Aarseth:
"Listening" to Bryan S. and his ardent preference for lump, I bought some RO lump and was pleased with its performance. I had tried Cowboy, didn't like it. Considering how lump is made, can't imagine what would make the difference but the Cowboy stuff took longer reach cooking coals and sent up a lot of sparks as it was burning toward coals. I cleaned out a local walmart of their RO lump ($5.29/bag) because it was the only place I found that carried it.
Click to expand...
Eric A, Glad I didn't steer you wrong. Was worried a little when I first started reading. There's pros and cons of both, but with a good quality lump like RO you know what your cooking over, wood, just plain old wood, nothing else in the mix. Plus the flavor from lump is second to none, IMO Try it in the WSM sometime, I think you'll like it.
icon_smile.gif
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I will, but I'm still new with the WSM and Kingsford briquets seem more forgiving than lump in terms of length of burn. I completely agree re: flavor, I much prefer the result with lump vs. Kingsford.
 
Sad day
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, I opened my last bag of Rancher from the $2.99 HD sale last night. Oh well, all good things must come to an end I suppose. I hope OSH or Trader Joes has a nice sale this spring as I'll be stocking-up again.
 
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