PBC Briquette Challenge : KBB vs. Stubbs

[ChrisD46]

After using KBB (per Noah's PBC's recommendation) for a while - I decided to try a bag of Stubbs briquettes for comparison purposes .
After doing chicken & ribs with Stubbs here is my opinion on Stubbs :

Stubbs Briquettes vs. KBB :

* Stubbs lights evenly and after 20 minutes it's ashed over and ready to go (same as KBB)
* Consistant heat (same as KBB)
* Cook times ( Stubbs & KBB similar)
* Smoke (Stubbs & KBB fairly equal)
* Long lasting heat (edge goes to Stubbs for a lengthy cook)
* Flavor (slight edge goes to Stubbs )
* Ash volume (Stubbs produces slightly lower ash than KBB)

All in all - Stubbs was a fine briquette (as compared to KBB) and touts it's natural composition (KBB is close - watch Noah's holiday You Tube video with Meathead & other experts)  - but is it worth the significantly higher price and gasoline costs to obtain it ? ...After weighing in all the factors (including Noah's holiday You Tube video with BBQ industry experts ) I have made my choice (drum roll please ) :

KBB For The Win !!

Although a limited experiment in the PBC - I simply did NOT see enough of a significant difference between Stubbs and KBB to warrant spending the extra time , effort and money to obtain and use Stubbs . I don't want to come off sounding like a KBB fan boy as much as I am simply after a good value and consistant performance . Lastly , I will also add a number of BBQ contests are won on a regular basis using KBB (and KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce for that matter !) ...As for me , I am going to stick with KBB and believe better use of my time would be to keep a journal of my cooks to learn all I can about how my PBC operates with all the different meats I hang on a regular basis through out the year . The above is just my opinion - your mileage may vary ... Happy PBC cooking !

[Old Dave]

The list of ingredients for these two brands of charcoal are interesting.

Kingsford Briquette

Wood Char = soft wood like pine and spruce
Mineral Char = soft coal
Mineral Carbon = anthracite coal
Limestone
Starch
Borax
Sodium Nitrate
Sawdust

Stubbs Briquette

Hardwood
Wheat Binder

I think my vote if I had one would go to the Stubbs brand which I have used for several years for most briquette type of cooking..
 
Dave

[teesquare]

Choosing a charcoal - can be a little like choosing a religion.....everyone has their favorite


But, there are several brands that are good. Some are regional favorites, and some national brands. Some are all natural hardwood only - and some are a combination of things deemed "food safe" by the FDA.

It would interesting to see a thread of what everyone here likes to cook with -

[cookiecdcmk]

I like Stubbs the best when I can find it, and am willing to pay the higher price to avoid the additives that Kingsford has.  I have to confess though, that I buy Kingsford, especially when they have the low price deals at Lowes.

[IR2dum]

Thanks for the ingredient list, Dave. I would choose Stubb's also if I was still cooking with charcoal. I tasted all the good food you made with Stubb's charcoal a couple of months ago in Augusta and I can't see how it could get any better with any other brand. Too bad that Stubb's doesn't make a pellet with the same ingredients.

[TwoPockets]

I have very strict criteria for choosing what I cook meat with. Does it burn and get hot enough to cook meat. Gas grill, charcoal, sticks, twigs, open camp fire, gas range, hell even on an electric stove, you can cook good food on anything. Learn your heat source and learn your meat, you will eat good.

[sparky]

kingsford all day long. buy it 500 lbs at a time.  If it's good enough for my dad it's good enough for me.

[smokeasaurus]

kingsford all day long. buy it 500 lbs at a time.  If it's good enough for my dad it's good enough for me.

I am with Sparky on this one...............but if you are ever by a Do it Best or shop online (you get free shipping to store) they carry Royal Oak natural hardwood briquettes in 40 lb bags. They claim to be used in the restaurant industry. They are nice. I use them for more lo and slo applications and use KBB for grilling. I have mixed both as well with good results. They burn a bit slower and leave a tad bit less ash.

I haven't tried Stubbs yet but thanks to this comparison, I think I will save my coins.....

Ya see what is right behind the RO bag? 

[ChrisD46]

I don't doubt Stubbs natural ingredients - but upon watching Noah's holiday You Tube panel of speakers - they did not have anything bad to say about KBB's ingredients ... I figure they have forgotten more than I'll ever know about BBQ - if they use KBB then it can't be totally bad to use .

[akruckus]

I am all about all natural and like Stubbs compared to anything else.  Can sometimes get it fairly cheap on Amazon, but I too don't pass up extra low priced Kingsford at Lowes or Home Depot.  Currently have 2 bags of Stubbs left, going to restock soon.

[muebe]

The only cooker I use with charcoal is my PBC and only Kingsford has been used in it so far

[Big Dawg]

Throwing in with Kingsford.  I have never had a complaint about anything I've cooked on it.  It seems to be a very consistent product.





BD

[Las Vegan Cajun]

The only cooker I use with charcoal is my PBC and only Kingsford has been used in it so far

I've only used Kingford in my PBC too, and it's the only charcoal I've used in my WSM too.  Great results in both cookers with the Kingsford.

[RAD]

I use Kingsford for my charcoal cooking. I've tried different brands throughout the years but really could not tell the difference, but I'm no expert either.