# I Had to Use Kingsford's "Original" Blue Bag Charcoal!



## portlandroger (Nov 3, 2014)

I went to smoke some ribs today and needed to buy more competition charcoal briquettes.

I could not find them - only the original blue bag briquettes.

OMG!  What a smell they put off.  Is this smell safe to eat?

I used to use the blue ones, years ago with my grill, but with the grill I would let them all turn white

before using.  With my WSM I do not wait until they are all white...

Additionally, I saw Hickory briquettes for sale at the store.  Do you know anything about this type of

briquette?  Do they actually add a Hickory flavor to the meat?  Sometimes I actually use Hickory

with my charcoal briquettes. Would using these Hickory briquettes make it so I wouldn't have to add wood?

Thanks!


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## cyclonefan (Nov 3, 2014)

I use the blue bag in my wsm without any problems.


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## b-one (Nov 3, 2014)

Blue bag here as well. Minion method for lighting and no issues.


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## pc farmer (Nov 3, 2014)

I notice a off smell at first but i let it burn off.

I keep a few bags around for when I run out of lump.


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## smokin bark (Nov 4, 2014)

Never really noticed. I use the blue bag since it seems to have a consistent burn with moderate ash in my ECB.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Nov 4, 2014)

Pretty much all I burn in my Mini-WSM's when I'm not burning lump. They do give off a different smell, but haven't really noticed a flavor issue. Over on this side of the hill the only time or place one can get competition Briquets is late spring at Costco. None of our other stores carry them.


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## chef willie (Nov 4, 2014)

Yup, agree with Case. Costco carries the big bag 2 pak of Competition brix and usually offer a $4 off as well. So, I buy a set in the Spring and then as Summer is fading I always get another 2 pak to get through Winter grilling. Nobody else in town here stocks them so I have to load up or be disappointed.....Willie


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## portlandroger (Nov 4, 2014)

OK!  The  ribs turned out great and the "smell" from the blue bag brix did not taint the meat!

Has anyone used lump without adding wood?  Does it give you a smokey taste (without adding wood)?


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## dirtsailor2003 (Nov 4, 2014)

Depending on what your lump is made from you will get a smokey flavor. Most lump though is a mixture of multiple hardwoods unless otherwise specified. The flavor you get from straight lump is milder than adding additional wood.


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## portlandroger (Nov 4, 2014)

Case,

Do you typically add wood to lump?

If you do add wood to it, what is the purpose of using lump to begin with?


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## pc farmer (Nov 4, 2014)

Lump burns cleaner and no chemicals or fillers in it.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Nov 4, 2014)

PortlandRoger said:


> Case,
> 
> Do you typically add wood to lump?
> 
> If you do add wood to it, what is the purpose of using lump to begin with?


Yes I do use lump. And yes I do add other wood to the lump for smoke. Lump burns more consistently than straight wood in certain types of smokers and will require less tending.


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## portlandroger (Nov 4, 2014)

I have a WSM and have never used lump, although it is easy to get.

Would it be advantageous to use in a WSM?  I always use the

Kingsford Competition brix, and they do the trick and are easy to

use - although not always easy to find.


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## portlandroger (Nov 4, 2014)

Also, I noticed that the lump in my local store was either Hickory or Mesquite.

Lately I have been adding Pecan chunks or Apple chunks to my Competition brix.

I like the flavors.

I have used Hickory so much, in the past, that I am a little tired of the taste, and frankly,

I've never much liked Mesquite flavor.

Do these lumps give off the flavor of their wood - as to mess with the flavor of

Apple or Pecan?


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## disco (Nov 4, 2014)

I used only lump for the first few months after I made my WSM Mini. I have just tried Kingsford Competition and Original. I find both give a hotter burn than lump, gets going faster and have noticed no flavour problems. The original has a minor smell while it burns and the competition doesn't but I haven't note a flavour problem with either.

Disco


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## bbqbrett (Nov 5, 2014)

PortlandRoger said:


> I went to smoke some ribs today and needed to buy more competition charcoal briquettes.
> I could not find them - only the original blue bag briquettes.
> 
> OMG!  What a smell they put off.  Is this smell safe to eat?
> ...




I usually use the Kingsford Blue and don't have any problems with them.  I also usually add hickory (or other wood) to my cook as well.  I did try some hickory briquettes before but they did not seem to add a whole lot in the way of flavor.  Only tried them once though so I don't know if that is normal or maybe a bad batch.


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## bruno994 (Nov 5, 2014)

I use KBB in my drums, offset and charcoal grills with no problem, it's just not what you are used to.


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## jirodriguez (Nov 5, 2014)

I mostly use KBB in my 22.5" WSM - it does produce a lot of smoke when you are first getting it started, but once it heats up a bit it settles down fairly well. Lump is nice and it burns hotter, but I find if I am doing a long smoke (18+ hrs) I have to add chimneys towards the end, with KBB I don't have to add.

Once I dump my lit chimney on top of the pile I leave the body section off for approx 5 minutes. Then put the body on and wait for the temp to come up to 200°, then fill the pan with hot water and wait for the temp to come up to 225'ish, close two bottom vents and adjust third vent to level off at 250'ish. That whole process takes about 20-30 minutes and in that time the entire charcoal pile has got hot enough that the "start up" smoke has gone away. Then you are ready to add meat!


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## portlandroger (Nov 5, 2014)

Johnny, 

I dump and wait too, but haven't used water for a long time.

I filled my water bowl with sand, then set a foil covered terracotta

plant /pot tray on top of the sand filled bowl.

I like the consistency of the sand a lot better than water.

It is interesting that you use only one vent. Never tried that, as I

always thought that the burn would burn more consistently with

air from all 3 sides.  Do you find that the brix burn evenly with

only one vent open?


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## jirodriguez (Nov 5, 2014)

PortlandRoger said:


> Johnny,
> 
> I dump and wait too, but haven't used water for a long time.
> 
> ...


Yeah... they burn fine, most of us (WSM owners) use just one vent. During warm weather I can run with two vents closed and the third vent about 25-50% open. You may be running through your charcoal because it it getting to much air and igniting the entire ring to fast. (Just a guess there - I may be wrong... just ask my wife! lol)


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## portlandroger (Nov 5, 2014)

I don't burn through the charcoal too fast, but I figured that the charcoal would

burn uneven (too hot at the open vent vs no heat over by the closed 2 vents) 

which would make the meat cook uneven - even hot on that one side.

If it does not create an uneven heat, I might try it, because sometimes I spend

a fair amount of time tweaking my "3" vents during my cook time - which can

be a big hassle.


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## noboundaries (Nov 5, 2014)

I'm a KBB guy.  I've tried several charcoals including different types of lump.  For the price of 25 cents a lb or less on sale in Spring and Summer holidays I keep coming back to KBB. It fits all my needs and I've never tasted an off flavor.


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## b-one (Nov 5, 2014)

I use only one vent as well. Temp holds steady and never had any food related issues.


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## jirodriguez (Nov 6, 2014)

PortlandRoger said:


> I don't burn through the charcoal too fast, but I figured that the charcoal would
> 
> burn uneven (too hot at the open vent vs no heat over by the closed 2 vents)
> 
> ...


It still heats evenly with just one vent. Some folks like to lite the pile on one side and open the vent on the far side so it burns across the pile to the vent. I just dump the lit in the middle and it has worked fine for me.


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## 5oclocksomewher (Nov 10, 2014)

I have a CharGriller offset with SFB and have tried many briqs and lumps.  I keep coming back to the same conclusion.  In my pit *Kingsford Comp Briqs* are by far the best fuel source for my use (blue bag not even close).













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__ 5oclocksomewher
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## portlandroger (Nov 10, 2014)

5 o'clocker-  I used the blue bag when I first started smoking some years ago,

out of ignorance and ease (they are sold everywhere).  But I too, once I got

hip to the Comp Brix - that's all I use, except for this bag I had to buy the other day!

Not sure why places like Home Depot don't carry them yet.  They seem to have a pretty

good mix/supply of different woods (not just little chips).


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## oldschoolbbq (Nov 11, 2014)

PortlandRoger, hello. I'm not trying to be an Arse (sounds better in Austrailian) , but I use all wood as it has "NO" additives (of witch I don't know what ) but it all smells fake to me...

But each to his own ...


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## portlandroger (Nov 11, 2014)

Stan... In a WSM all wood seems like it would be a lot of hassle.

I have a friend with an offset box - like the one in your Avatar, and he too uses

only wood, but to use all wood in a WSM - I'm not sure how it is done.

I haven't actually had any "smells" with the Competition brix over the years

(maybe my nose is used to them?), but those from the blue bag smell nasty,

for the first 20 minutes or so.


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