Charcoal Overload?

[Tean94]

I fill my fire basket about 3/4 full of Kingsford Champion Charcoal and lay some pieces of Hickory or Pear wood around the edges.

My issue is that all I taste is charcoal on my Brisket or Ribs. What's the best ratio of wood to charcoal???

[crusty ol salt]

i eliminated chemical binder taste in the following manner

i quit using unlit charcoal in any form years ago, if i add brickettes they are lit in a chimney and added.

the only brickettes i use are stubbs all natural hardwood

i almost use only lump hardwood charcoal, again lit in a chimney. i will add unlit lump in small amount as the smoking continues.

good luck

additional thought.... if kingsford were to give me a semi truck load of charcoal, i would sell it and buy stubbs and lump.... i know others on here will disagree with that. just my opinion

[Fishawn]

additional thought.... if kingsford were to give me a semi truck load of charcoal, i would sell it and buy stubbs and lump.... i know others on here will disagree with that. just my opinion

SOLD!

[crusty ol salt]

SOLD!

see i told ya

[DDave]

I fill my fire basket about 3/4 full of Kingsford Champion Charcoal and lay some pieces of Hickory or Pear wood around the edges.

My issue is that all I taste is charcoal on my Brisket or Ribs. What's the best ratio of wood to charcoal???

If I remember correctly and since you're talking charcoal basket, I believe you have a UDS. I also assume you mean Kingsford Competition Charcoal?

I don't know if there is a proper ratio of wood to charcoal but if you're just putting some around the top, chances are it is getting consumed pretty early on, possibly even during warmup.

I would try to bury some in with the charcoal. If you fill your charcoal basket 3/4 full, put in some wood at the 1/4 depth, 1/2, and also around the edges on the top so that you've got some good smoke wood going during the cook.

Also, you may already be doing this, but don't put the grate or the meat on until the drum is completely warmed up and the smoke has cleared.

I must admit though, my food started tasting better when I started using lump instead of briquettes as well. That was not an option for me until recently though.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Dave

[Tremolo]

Im still very new to smoking meats and I am currently using a UDS and started out using stubbs charcoal. I have recently switched to RO lump and found that it hardly smokes at all now, I only get the nice thin smoke where as before with stubbs I would always have a heavy white smoke. I have also noticed that I dont smell like smoke as bad as before.

I would try switching to lump and mix the wood throughout the basket rather than just around the edges.

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[Tean94]

If I remember correctly and since you're talking charcoal basket, I believe you have a UDS. I also assume you mean Kingsford Competition Charcoal?

You are correct on all points.

I would try to bury some in with the charcoal. If you fill your charcoal basket 3/4 full, put in some wood at the 1/4 depth, 1/2, and also around the edges on the top so that you've got some good smoke wood going during the cook.

Excellent point. I had it on top of the coal, but will bury it this time.

Also, you may already be doing this, but don't put the grate or the meat on until the drum is completely warmed up and the smoke has cleared.

I have been doing this, but my smoke doesn't seem to "clear", even when warmed.

I must admit though, my food started tasting better when I started using lump instead of briquettes as well. That was not an option for me until recently though.

I've not used lump, but will definitely give it a try next time. However, I've got 4 bags of the Competition coal, so I need to use it up before I go buy lump. To be fair, this will be the first time using Competition coal. I'd been using regular Kingsford coal before.

[Tean94]

Im still very new to smoking meats and I am currently using a UDS and started out using stubbs charcoal. I have recently switched to RO lump and found that it hardly smokes at all now, I only get the nice thin smoke where as before with stubbs I would always have a heavy white smoke. I have also noticed that I dont smell like smoke as bad as before.

I would try switching to lump and mix the wood throughout the basket rather than just around the edges.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

My wife hates that I smell like smoke, so using lump sounds like a good idea. And I'm totally gonna try burying the wood this time. Thanks!

[MossyMO]

My wife hates that I smell like smoke!

The smell of smoke is suppose to be an aphrodisiac for women, heck many of cologne companies are trying to duplicate what good old bbqing gives us for free... your wife is missing out!

[Tean94]

The smell of smoke is suppose to be an aphrodisiac for women, heck many of cologne companies are trying to duplicate what good old bbqing gives us for free... your wife is missing out!

That's funny!

Though I agree, I love the smell! Especially when you get the smoker going, and then have to go to Church and everyone else is trying to figure out what smells so good. Hilarious!!!

[crusty ol salt]

My wife hates that I smell like smoke, so using lump sounds like a good idea. And I'm totally gonna try burying the wood this time. Thanks!

I'm smoking a brisket tomorrow and I'm looking for a good rub. However, my wife doesn't like heat. I used one last time with Chipotle, and she hated it!

dude you may want a new hobby

all joking aside

Good Luck

[SmokinOutBack]

I have never had this problem, and I use Kingsford bluebag most of the time. Like Crusty mentioned, make sure it's ashed over before placing your meat on the grates. Just picked up 200 lbs of blue on the Memorial Day Lowes sale. 8.99 for 40 lbs, which is hard to beat.

[DDave]

To be fair, this will be the first time using Competition coal. I'd been using regular Kingsford coal before.

If you live west of the Rockies, that could be the problem. It is my understanding that there are two different Kingsford plants -- I believe one is in West Virginia and the other in Springfield, Oregon. One east of the Rockies uses different raw materials than the one west of the Rockies (Pacific Northwest).

http://www.thecloroxcompany.com/corp...ity/kingsford/

KingsfordŽ charcoal manufacturing facilities purchase waste wood for charcoal production from area wood products businesses, thereby diverting it from the waste stream.

There are a lot of softwood (pine and fir) sawmills in the Pacific Northwest.

The Blue bag we get out here stinks like hell when it is lighting. In a UDS where new charcoal is lighting all the time that equals


If you're a Weber guru like Scott and you let it completely ash over before you put the meat on, then it's not an issue. But in a UDS, it's some nasty shit for sure.

I have never had this problem, and I use Kingsford bluebag most of the time. Like Crusty mentioned, make sure it's ashed over before placing your meat on the grates.

That works great on a grill or in a smoker that you can add fuel to on the fly. Does not work that way in a UDS. Unless you're getting the Eastern US stuff.

Dave

[crusty ol salt]

If you live west of the Rockies, that could be the problem. It is my understanding that there are two different Kingsford plants -- I believe one is in West Virginia and the other in Springfield, Oregon. One east of the Rockies uses different raw materials than the one west of the Rockies (Pacific Northwest).

http://www.thecloroxcompany.com/corp...ity/kingsford/


There are a lot of softwood (pine and fir) sawmills in the Pacific Northwest.

The Blue bag we get out here stinks like hell when it is lighting. In a UDS where new charcoal is lighting all the time that equals


If you're a Weber guru like Scott and you let it completely ash over before you put the meat on, then it's not an issue. But in a UDS, it's some nasty shit for sure.



That works great on a grill or in a smoker that you can add fuel to on the fly. Does not work that way in a UDS. Unless you're getting the Eastern US stuff.

Dave

education has occurred. i figure if i learn something new everyday it is a good day

thanks dave

[shadymaint]

I make my own charcoal out maple. Its a pretty simple process. If you can build a uds you can build a charcoal kiln. There is pleny of info on the net. Search for homemade charcoal, charcoal kiln or charcoal retort. Makeing my own I know there are no binders or chemicals in my charcoal. Its the closest thing Ive found to cooking over an open fire. Homemade charcoal in a homemade smoker all I need to do is raise a cow and Ill be all set.