so why Kingsford blue??


 
I started off using Kingsford. But I have since switched to Stubbs briquettes and Royal Oak lump. I use the Stubbs in my pit-style grill and I use RO in my WSM. The RO performs just as well as the K (in a slightly different way - but overall just as good) and my food tastes better. Plus I can re-use whatever doesn't burn. I can get the big 17lb bag for 10 bucks and Lowes periodically has Stubbs on sale for $4.25 for the 15lb bag. When it goes on sale I stock up - at least 4 to 6 bags.
 
I've tried RO, a couple of brands of hardwood briquettes, and KF blue, all work okay. But I seem to have the best temp control with Kingsford Competition. I pick them up from Costco when they have it. As a matter of fact, Costco flyers has a $3.50 coupon so I'm going to pick up another double bag here soon.

I save the higher burning briquettes and lump for grilling steaks.
 
Originally posted by CarolB (CAB):
I've tried RO, a couple of brands of hardwood briquettes, and KF blue, all work okay. But I seem to have the best temp control with Kingsford Competition. I pick them up from Costco when they have it. As a matter of fact, Costco flyers has a $3.50 coupon so I'm going to pick up another double bag here soon.

I save the higher burning briquettes and lump for grilling steaks.
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Unless they've changed the formula, K comp IS a "higher burning" briquette, at least faster burning than blue bag K and the Royal Oak that I've used. Who knows though? My first note of that was three years or so ago, so Kingsford very well could've changed the formula. Regardless, Stubbs is still superior since it has less ash.
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I use K purely for consistancy and price. No need to learn tendencies of different brands. The only complaint I have with K is the ton of ash.
 
Originally posted by Dave Russell:
Unless they've changed the formula, K comp IS a "higher burning" briquette, at least faster burning than blue bag K and the Royal Oak that I've used. Who knows though? My first note of that was three years or so ago, so Kingsford very well could've changed the formula. Regardless, Stubbs is still superior since it has less ash.
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You're right, it is higher burning than the blue bag K. I should have noted that. I have no idea if the formula has changed but I do get similar control with the blue bag K. Could just be me or something else (wind??) that I haven't noticed but it seems I have to mess with the vents a bit more with the blue bag.

I haven't been able to find Stubbs here but less ash would be nicer.
 
Carol, you're able to get steadier temps with the K Comp because it doesn't suffocate itself near as bad as the blue bag K. The trade-off of course, is that the K Comp isn't a long-lasting briquette.

If you can't find Stubbs or Wicked Good briqs locally, I'd suggest try ordering some of Royal Oaks "Chef's Select" (big) briquettes, if you have a doitbest.com participating local hardware store. There's NO SHIPPING, just local and state sales tax on the orders, and no hassle. I like that briq. a lot, but it still has more ash than the Stubbs.

Speaking of trade-offs, though, if LUMP lasted longer, I'd probably just use it....No tapping the cooker legs needed AT ALL!
 
If you know of others available for decent prices, please post about it. I'd like to try Stubbs or Wicked or Dragon Breath, etc.
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Sam's Club has 40 lb bags of Mesquite lump (Best of the West brand) for $15.
 
Originally posted by WalterWhite:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">If you know of others available for decent prices, please post about it. I'd like to try Stubbs or Wicked or Dragon Breath, etc.
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Sam's Club has 40 lb bags of Mesquite lump (Best of the West brand) for $15. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Walter, just last week we went to Sam's and picked up one of those behemoth forty pound bags for grilling steaks, but if we're talking bbq, my queastion is:

Can you use mesquite lump to cook over thirty pounds of pork/brisket for sixteen hours...without refueling?

...Stubbs briqs can, and they finished doing just that in my 18.5" wsm yesterday, 2:30pm CT...even with water in the pan.
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Originally posted by Dave Russell:
Walter, just last week we went to Sam's and picked up one of those behemoth forty pound bags for grilling steaks, but if we're talking bbq, my queastion is:

Can you use mesquite lump to cook over thirty pounds of pork/brisket for sixteen hours...without refueling?

...Stubbs briqs can, and they finished doing just that in my 18.5" wsm yesterday, 2:30pm CT...even with water in the pan.
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I have not been able to do that. I am still exploring lump and have only done two smokes using it in my WSM. The first was with about 18 lb of pork rib trimmings and my notes show that I added lump via the door at 6 and 8 hours into a 10 hour smoke. I was using Royal Oak and the temp when I started was 37° F. But I was not then aware of the need to pack the fire ring tightly and my temperature control may not have been as good. More recently I did an 18 ½ lb turkey which took four hours. I was surprised by how much lump remained when I checked it the next day, but that's only four hours.

I don't know that I do any better with KB. I haven't tried any other briquettes so I can't compare with the higher quality products.
 
Originally posted by Martin S:
Follow-up question in regards to KF Blue giving off a lot of smoke: Is it BAD smoke that will ruin the taste of the meat, or is it just wood smoke like you'd get off of wood chunks?
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What I've smelled (and tasted in the smoke) is bad and WILL affect the flavor of the meat. With K, I always allow the first white fluffy (heavy) smoke to burn off and don't add food to the WSM until after the smoke goes to thin blue.

And now I try to stay away while the heavy smoke is coming off -- totally ruins my taste and smell ability for the day. (Of course, I try to avoid the smoke in any case.)

Rich
 
Originally posted by Dave Russell:
Carol, you're able to get steadier temps with the K Comp because it doesn't suffocate itself near as bad as the blue bag K. The trade-off of course, is that the K Comp isn't a long-lasting briquette.
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Dave, that makes complete sense to me, thanks. Also thanks for the suggestions on sources. I've seen Royal Oaks but not sure if it was Chef's Select. I'll check it out next time I see it.

Speaking of tapping on the cooker legs. tapping doesn't seem to shake off the ash for me. I use a wire coat hanger (straightened) to poke the briquettes a bit. Works rather well and doesn't seem to fluctuate the temperature much.
 
I just used the Blue because that's what I've always used. Then I did a grilling competition here in Indianapolis 2 weeks ago and the guest judge was the executive chef from the Weber Grill restaurant.

He stopped by and talked with the guys I was with and I asked him this very question. He said they use pallets of Kingsford Blue weekly to fire their grills.

Now at first I thought well that's because Weber and Kingsford are in bed together somehow. I then asked him what he used at home and he said Kingsford Blue. Long story short, he's been using it long before he worked for Weber and it's something he trusts for consistency in quality and heat.

I am just getting my feet wet in competitions and I asked him about the Kingsford competition briquettes and he said he's tried them and still goes back to Blue.

I didn't feel like he was blowing smoke (pun intended) and so I plan on using Blue exclusively when I can. Thought I'd share.
 
Originally posted by MH Brown:
I just used the Blue because that's what I've always used. Then I did a grilling competition here in Indianapolis 2 weeks ago and the guest judge was the executive chef from the Weber Grill restaurant.

He stopped by and talked with the guys I was with and I asked him this very question. He said they use pallets of Kingsford Blue weekly to fire their grills.

Now at first I thought well that's because Weber and Kingsford are in bed together somehow. I then asked him what he used at home and he said Kingsford Blue. Long story short, he's been using it long before he worked for Weber and it's something he trusts for consistency in quality and heat.

I am just getting my feet wet in competitions and I asked him about the Kingsford competition briquettes and he said he's tried them and still goes back to Blue.

I didn't feel like he was blowing smoke (pun intended) and so I plan on using Blue exclusively when I can. Thought I'd share.
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Good choice, Mike. That was the path that I chose also. But after you've been cooking for a while and are really comfortable with your WSM and the Kingsford, try one of the other recommended charcoals. It's just another tool or ingredient that you can use and you might find that, for you, there is something better -- or maybe not.

Rich
 
Here's what I don't get in regards to the hate for KB: KCBS is sponsored by Kingsford, and I believe the regulations explicitly state that the competitors have to use it. Now, there are some very fine BBQ champions, and if KB produced such a horrible result I'm almost positive that word would get around.

As far as I'm concerned, I would need to see a double-blind taste test where neither the cooker nor the tasters know which charcoal is being used, and then find out if there's a noticeable difference in flavor. People point out that KB has more smoke/more smell/whatever, but I'm not convinced that this effectively results in worse BBQ based on how many people use KB with great results, and the fact that no one has done a blind comparison with other products.
 
Originally posted by Martin S:
People point out that KB has more smoke/more smell/whatever, but I'm not convinced that this effectively results in worse BBQ based on how many people use KB with great results, and the fact that no one has done a blind comparison with other products.
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I used to use blue K and the one thing I noticed was there was a certain little taste in my meat that I didn't really care for. And it was there no matter what I cooked. At first I thought it was because some of the rubs I use have a lot of ingredients in common. But then once I did standing rib roast with nothing on it but salt, pepper and garlic. No other rub, no sauce, no mop. And that taste was still there. The only common ingredient was the charcoal. Once I switched to Royal Oak lump, that taste was gone immediately. My food was OKAY with Kingsford, but that little off taste was annoying. Now its no longer an issue. Bottom line, in my opinion, Kingsford is good, but a RO lump is a little better. Now if I could only get it somewhere else besides WalMart. Thats my only complaint about lump. Love using it - HATE going to buy it.
 
As a few other have said I use RO lump for grilling, I like the high heat, I use K comp for the WSM. I have found that the K comp is far better than the K blue, no smell not nearly as much ash. Almost every month Costco has the 3.50 off for two bags durring the spring and summer.
Check out The Naked Whiz, the K comp does well compaired to the others they have tested. Just don't read the review because no matter how well the K comp did they found a way to poo poo the results.
 
Originally posted by Brian Merz:
As a few other have said I use RO lump for grilling, I like the high heat, I use K comp for the WSM. I have found that the K comp is far better than the K blue, no smell not nearly as much ash. Almost every month Costco has the 3.50 off for two bags durring the spring and summer.
Check out The Naked Whiz, the K comp does well compaired to the others they have tested. Just don't read the review because no matter how well the K comp did they found a way to poo poo the results.
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Brian, the K comp just doesn't last long enough to be considered a really good bbq briquette.

I've used a lot of briqs and lumps... to cook a LOT of meat in my old uds and wsm, and really... not to argue, but I have to concur with the guys at the naked charcoal site. K comp is just not up to snuff with my Stubbs or Royal Oak chef's select...and whatever other briqs I haven't tried that simply have more wood CHAR in the CHARcoal.

For grilling or short cooks though... yeah, the K comp is fine by me as long it's much cheaper than Stubbs.
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I use Grove lump. I did a 16 hour cook(cooking 1 butt and 3 loins) 2 weeks ago and used 2 10lbs of lump. I think I paid $6.25 for a 10lb bag. I can always taste and smell when kingsford is used.
 
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