Author Topic: Kingsford burn times??  (Read 2395 times)

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Offline bake426

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Kingsford burn times??
« Reply #-1 on: August 20, 2017, 02:35:41 PM »
I know that there has been a lot of talk about charcoal brands with the PBC. I, like many others have many bags of Kingsford that I bought on sale.  I feel like I was getting many hours of burn time and lately it seems like I can only get about 4 hours.

Today, I am trying to do a 7 lb boneless pork shoulder without wrapping it. At the 4 hour mark, the temp was down to 225. I started and stayed at about 275 for the first 3 hours. The charcoal was more than half gone. I added about a half a basket and mixed it up to get it going again. I left one rebar out and it took about 45 minutes to come back to 275, where I put the rebar back in.

I am now at the 5 hour mark and internal temp is 160. We will see how long of a stall I have.

Any thoughts on length of burn of other brands?


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Offline Kona

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Re: Kingsford burn times??
« on: August 20, 2017, 02:38:46 PM »
I haven't had to add any extra charcoal on any of my cooks and have gotten 12 hours from a single coal basket. I know they offer a "longer burning" product now but have not tried it. Are you letting your coals get too hot before placing meat in the cooker?
Gordon
Boynton Beach, FL
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Offline bake426

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Kingsford burn times??
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2017, 03:25:23 PM »
I haven't had to add any extra charcoal on any of my cooks and have gotten 12 hours from a single coal basket. I know they offer a "longer burning" product now but have not tried it. Are you letting your coals get too hot before placing meat in the cooker?

This seems new to me as well. I actually reviewed the lighting process as a refresher. I leveled the charcoal and counted out 40 for the chimney. I let it go for 12 minutes and they were all lit, mostly grey. Dumped them in and immediately put meat in with lid and rebar.  It held a great temp for about 3 hours then started quickly diminishing.

Maybe bad bag of briquettes?


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Offline Kona

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Re: Kingsford burn times??
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2017, 05:17:04 PM »
I haven't used a chimney before for lighting the PBC, I've always used lighter fluid. Bad batches do come along from time to time. How many times has this happened?
Gordon
Boynton Beach, FL
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Offline hikerman

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Re: Kingsford burn times??
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2017, 06:01:37 PM »
Hell Bake, I think your issue is hanging your meat immediately following your hot coal drop into the basket. You should wait 10 -15 minutes after drop in for the unlit to get started. This is more important with fattier cuts. The grease distinguishes a lot of lit coals if the heat isn't hot enough in your basket.

Offline bake426

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Kingsford burn times??
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2017, 06:57:48 PM »
I haven't used a chimney before for lighting the PBC, I've always used lighter fluid. Bad batches do come along from time to time. How many times has this happened?
This is the first time. It was a brand new bag, that was stored correctly (not wet or old). Once I added those coals, it came back to 275 and is still holding after 6 hours, so some sort of a fluke why the coals burnt down so fast at the beginning.

Too hot at beginning, doesn't make much sense since it held at 275. I think it worked out. Here is a picture when it was on.


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Offline bake426

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Kingsford burn times??
« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2017, 07:01:17 PM »
Hell Bake, I think your issue is hanging your meat immediately following your hot coal drop into the basket. You should wait 10 -15 minutes after drop in for the unlit to get started. This is more important with fattier cuts. The grease distinguishes a lot of lit coals if the heat isn't hot enough in your basket.
I have had that issue in the past, but not the case this time. The coals didn't go out, but rather burned up and disappeared. I am going to go with bad batch of coals.  Either way, the pork looks delicious and will find out at dinner in a couple hours.


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Offline smokeasaurus

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Re: Kingsford burn times??
« Reply #6 on: August 20, 2017, 08:23:53 PM »
Kingsford is pretty darn consistent. I have gotten a bad bag here or there throughout the decades. Having the meat drip over the coals makes me trim the fat a little a bit more.

I love the grease fog flavor but too much fat can cool down the coals with the extra drippings.
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Offline Pit Barrel Cooker Co.

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Re: Kingsford burn times??
« Reply #7 on: August 22, 2017, 04:16:14 PM »
For the most consistent temperatures and burn times, you would want to be sure to have your food in at 12 minutes if you are closer to sea level. If the charcoal is ashed over at the beginning, you will start off too hot and the charcoal will exhaust too soon.

If you are looking to try a different brand, we would recommend Royal Oak brands.
« Last Edit: August 25, 2017, 03:01:13 PM by Pit Barrel Cooker Co. »

Offline bake426

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Kingsford burn times??
« Reply #8 on: August 25, 2017, 12:52:30 AM »
For the most consistent temperatures and burn times, you would want to be sure to have your food in at 12 minutes if you are closer to sea level. If the charcoal is washed over at the beginning, you will start off too hot and the charcoal will exhaust too soon.

If you are looking to try a different brand, we would recommend Royal Oak brands.
Thank you, I appreciate the advice.  I will try royal oak as I get through the numerous bags of Kingsford I bought on sale.


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Offline wpk2000

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Kingsford burn times??
« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2017, 11:40:29 AM »
For the most consistent temperatures and burn times, you would want to be sure to have your food in at 12 minutes if you are closer to sea level. If the charcoal is ashed over at the beginning, you will start off too hot and the charcoal will exhaust too soon.

If you are looking to try a different brand, we would recommend Royal Oak brands.

Coals in after 12 (from chimney) or food in 12 minutes after coals added to basket? Sorry for newbie question but I've used PBC twice and I'm fighting temp like the OP. Thanks!


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Offline richf918

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Re: Kingsford burn times??
« Reply #10 on: September 01, 2017, 02:59:59 PM »
I go coals in at 12 minutes and food right on after that
Seems to work just fine, biggest thing I found to be beneficial was allowing my food to sit out for an hour or so before cooking

Offline Pit Barrel Cooker Co.

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Re: Kingsford burn times??
« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2017, 04:55:56 PM »
Yes, food goes in immediately after the lighting period. For people below 2000ft., their food will be in the Pit Barrel Cooker after a total of 12-15 minutes total.

Offline tekn50

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Re: Kingsford burn times??
« Reply #12 on: September 05, 2017, 06:05:26 PM »
I have run short a couple of times.  Sometimes its wind blowing in, you might need a wind block in front of the intake.  It does drop in temp as the cook gets longer though.  For me it is around the 6hr mark, it will start to slowly drop.  When I light with the chimney method, I let the hot coals heat the barrel for about 5 min before adding the food.  Sometimes I stir the charcoal during the cook, if it is burning to uneven do to drippings. 
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Offline phoccer

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Re: Kingsford burn times??
« Reply #13 on: September 07, 2017, 09:21:04 PM »
I've read very good things about B&B briquettes in the PBC.
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