Kingsford Charcoal really smoky


 
N Delo said:
Wow. I seriously have recently realized the same thing (especially with the minion method). That is, that the blue bag Kingsford (I get this from Lowes usually) just imparts too much a charcoal taste to my liking and produces a gross smelling/tasting overpowering smoke. I though it was just me. My girlfriend even said: "Why do you keep buying Kingsford, you always complain about it."

When I grill and get the coals white-hot, I don't have any problem, but on my WSM, I don't plan on using the blue bag, or charcoal, again anytime soon.

I just switched to Roal Oak lump (not a preference, just what was available close by) and made a very tasty mess of ribs. No charcoal taste, no terrible smelling smoke--just good, clean tasting meat. But I will admit that since I was tired of the off-taste imparted by charcoal, I did let the lump get white-hot before closing up my smoker, having given up on the minion method after my bad experience with minion and Kingsford.
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Don't give up on the minion method just switch the fuel. Any fuel that has to burn itself off before you put meat on is never really ready for the minion method.
 
I go Stubb's 1000%. No bad taste ever with minion method. Ooooo I love my Stubb's! I love Royal Oak lump too.

Laura
 
The Stubbs was smoky too but not as strong of a chemical smell. Went back to Kingsford today and it took forever for the smoke to clear. About an hour and a half. I'm going to try the Kingsford Competetion briquettes next.
NeilH said:
Let us know how that Stubbs is. Was looking at it today in lowes. Thanks.
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Danny, I presume most folks don't realize how long it takes the Kbb smoke to dissipate because they just don't wait before putting on the wood. All briquettes will smoke more than lump though because of the binders.
 
Dave Russell said:
Danny, I presume most folks don't realize how long it takes the Kbb smoke to dissipate because they just don't wait before putting on the wood. All briquettes will smoke more than lump though because of the binders.
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Dave,
My issue is I know it smokes and I know it takes awhile to dissipate like you said. I`ve been using it 20 plus yrs and it never was much of an issue with the excess smoke/burn off. This especially would have been an issue in the campgrounds we go to and camp at and would have quit using if it was. It was just this last bag I bought that had a much higher volume of smoke than usual and it lasted much longer. I could usually ight the coals and my neighbors never " saw " evidence of it but could probably smell it. This last bag they all got a visual of the smoke as well as the smell as it was that much more than usual....I had wondered if I got a bad bag as my orig post stated..
 
Mike, I understand. Your OP was concerning the level of smoke being unacceptable compared to what you usually have been accustomed to. Actually, used to be, my only issue with Kbb was how it would sometimes tend to snuff itself out from all the ash at low temps. Then a while back I tried cooking some wings per someone's instructions on the kettle with no wood and only Kbb, with a modified MM burn, you could say. Man, was it an eye opener. The wings tasted smoked, but just not the smoke flavor I prefer, and as I mentioned, I've only used Kbb if fully ashed over ever since.

If you're not happy with a bag though, I'd call Kingsford and let them know. I did that once because of a bag or two that I had trouble with. The stuff wouldn't stay lit on my kettle, even with the vents wide open, and I'd end up with only about half a fire on the second run of burgers or whatever we were doing. Kingsford just wanted some info off the bag, but the customer service rep was polite and sent me some coupons.
 
Dave,
Thanks for the info. I may call them and see what they say. I`m not out for free product or coupons at all just curious if they changed something again or I got bad batch....I still plan on using all the other bags I have in storage :)

EDIT: I emailed them the other day and got a reply back today. They are sending me a few coupons for some new bags although in my contact I said thats not what I was after. Great customer service for sure.
 
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Mike,
Feel free to reference the numbers I listed earlier. Just trashed the 2 empty bags a few days ago.
We're going to give a try some of the other aforementioned brands, including lump.
 
I converted to lump charcoal 2 months ago, and I've been shocked at what a difference KBB really makes. Granted, I'm slow cooking in a ceramic now instead of a WSM, but I can literally taste less of a "charcoal" taste on my food now that it's been cooked with lump instead of KBB. I love KBB, and I'm not slandering the product at all, but it really does seem like Kingsford changes the taste and color of whatever it cooks. I've noticed less of a difference between high heat cooks, but my thinking is that high heat cooks are over too quickly for the particulates to stack up.
 
Hello Gary,

I've been seeing many threads lately about Kingsford. Have they changed the recipe ala New Coke? Besides buying 2 bags of Kingsford Competition that I used for my first two smokes last summer, I've used the Original. I do not know what I am missing if anything...

I skim the threads lightly (everyone has an opinion and an a$$, right?). I'm not really interesting in trying a different charcoal. I would prefer to alter rubs, marinade, sauces or smoke wood to achieve more subtle affects.

I appreciate the insight. Thanks. :)
 
Got a envelope in the mail from Kingsford customer service. They sent me 5 coupons for free 20lb bags even though I told them I didn't need them and was just relaying the new bags smoked real bad. Great customer service for sure.
 
Mike, did they indicate anything to the effect that there was some temporary manufacturing issues and all should be normal from here on out ?

Bob
 
Bob Bass said:
Mike, did they indicate anything to the effect that there was some temporary manufacturing issues and all should be normal from here on out ?

Bob
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Bob,
They did not. They just apologized for the issue I had and hoped I would stick with the Kingsford brand. They stated they had enclosed the certificates and that was all..
 
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