A complete failure of a rib cook.

[sparky]

I am not a big fan of hickory.

I have to agreed with ya smoke.

[sparky]

I have to wonder and ask... how much did the Minion method affect the flavor?  I don't like the Minion method because I think it creates a dirty burn, and don't care for the flavor it produces.  Perhaps the Weber charcoal is particularly bad for using that method.

what method do you use cliff for smoking with charcoal?. The weber charcoal might have something to do with it.  I'm so use to kingsford..

[sparky]

I have to wonder and ask... how much did the Minion method affect the flavor?  I don't like the Minion method because I think it creates a dirty burn, and don't care for the flavor it produces.  Perhaps the Weber charcoal is particularly bad for using that method.

Cliff I agree with your take on this. I always thought something was amiss when I used the minion method using Kingsford. It has a specific taste profile which over time I decided wasn't what I wanted or liked. It was almost a kerosene sort of taste. I switched to Royal Oak and life was good again. But....this is a personal taste. Whatever tastes best for you is the right choice. Just my two cents....

I'm going to try royal oak geno.

[hikerman]

I have to wonder and ask... how much did the Minion method affect the flavor?  I don't like the Minion method because I think it creates a dirty burn, and don't care for the flavor it produces.  Perhaps the Weber charcoal is particularly bad for using that method.

Cliff I agree with your take on this. I always thought something was amiss when I used the minion method using Kingsford. It has a specific taste profile which over time I decided wasn't what I wanted or liked. It was almost a kerosene sort of taste. I switched to Royal Oak and life was good again. But....this is a personal taste. Whatever tastes best for you is the right choice. Just my two cents....

I'm going to try royal oak geno.

I hope you like it Gus. I just think RO has a more subtle flavor, so you can taste your smoke-wood of choice. Just don't use hickory! I always liked fruitwoods with pork.

[TentHunteR]

Pappy, I grew up with Kingsford. It was what my family used most of the time. And I suspect it was the most available for most people so it's flavor profile was kind of ....expected. After cooking with Royal Oak a few times I noticed quite a different taste. In a head to head trial I liked the RO much more and haven't looked back. Again though, it's a personal thing, you might think differently, and you wouldn't be wrong for you. To me RO is a cleaner taste.

That's pretty much what my experience was too.  I just like the cleaner taste I get with Royal Oak briquettes (when I do use charcoal - which isn't very often any more).

what method do you use cliff for smoking with charcoal?. The weber charcoal might have something to do with it.  I'm so use to kingsford..

Sparky, I prefer just having a smaller, hotter pile of completely lit coals, off to one side, add a chunk or two of wood (or a foil pouch of pellets with a single hole punched in it) on top, off to the side, and adjust the airflow to get your desired temp range, like this: 


Now.. this means I may have to light a second round of charcoal in the chimney starter later, but I just always get a much cleaner smoke this way.  Hope this makes sense.

Oh and I NEVER use lighter fluid. 

Seems like around me only Kingsford has the great deals during the summer. May need to look closer. I don't go through a lot of charcoal do no a huge deal either way.

Same here; I don't go through a lot of charcoal, but when I do Royal Oak is easy enough to find.   Several Store brands are actually Royal Oak:  Walmart's "Expert Grill" (60% larger), and Ace Hardware "GrillMark" are both made by Royal Oak.  Rural King and other locations sell the "Frontier" Brand which is also Royal Oak.  Some other store brands are as well, such as the "Food Club" brand.   Look on the back of the bag near the bar code. Often times it will say it's made by Royal Oak, or will have an "RO" in the skew number.




I stumbled across this little tip when my local Ace Hardware had some Royal Oak Briquettes. I went back to get some more and they were out. Then the manager told me they had them ONLY because Royal Oak ran out of the Ace Hardware "GrillMark" branded bags while filling an order, and fullfilled the order using their regular label bags.  Then my wife (who works for Walmart) looked up the info on their brand and sure enough it too is made by royal oak. 

[Salmonsmoker]

I wonder if those of you that don't care for Kingsford "taste" are using their regular charcoal or their competition charcoal? I switched years ago from the regular(blue bag) to their competition(red bag) and haven't noticed anything "off" about it. In the spring, Costco always has a briquet sale on the competition ones (they don't sell the regular), and that's when I stock up. I don't use nearly as much since I got my MAK, more when I'm cooking for a crowd and need the drum smokers too.

[Hub]

I've had similar "fails", too Sparky.  Don't feel like the Lone Ranger.  I always go back to my tried and proven methods for ribs, but it's fun to take a chance very now and then.  The best ribs I've gotten off my Weber have been pretty tasty, though.  Two thoughts if you want to try it again:  One, use Turbinado Sugar because it won't blacken in the heat and, two, limit the chunk of hickory to the first hour of the cook then take some tongs and toss it out. 

Hub