i used to have the same results that tom did when he started this topic. i also listened to fellas say how they used kingsford and had no problems. i kept trying it and kept having troubles. i had had a crummy little brinkman gas smoker and never had the problem... just the problem of a junky smoker that kept rusting away. my Q always had a bad undertaste like lighting kingsford. i learned that if you smoked at higher temps and always kept the top vent open it was better.
but i fugured out a way to fix it and have never had the problem since. i just don't use kingsford
i was to the point where i was about ready to just give up on charcoal cookin and was gonna buy a gas grill. but i switched to lump and have never had the problem again. i use royal oak and the minion method and it works just great. i've tried using no smokewood or lots of smokewood after i switched and although i get different results, i like them all.
for the life of me i can't understand why kingsford works for some folks and didn't work for me at ALL. for those it works for thats great. as for me... i got tired of making Q that nobody wanted to eat and changed to lump and lost all the problems of charcoal taste.
for what it's worth, i talked to the owner of humphreys brand charcoal and he told me that they made brickettes because thats what some folks want and they try to make it as best they can. but he also said he thought the lump was so much better product and if people would try it they wouldn't go back.
jim minions method works great with lump. i've never had to add lump because it burnt too quick, but i admit that i fill it up with charcoal and just realize that if it all doesn't burn... i'll use it next time.
i have another question about kingsford. i would imagine they have more than one plant makin it. could it be that some of it, depending on where it's made has more of the problem?
