KBB - minion vs adding coals

[austin87]

I really like K Comp. It starts with a little less smoke (I go inside while it starts up so I don't watch like a hawk) but I produces significantly less ash in my experience.

[Jammato]

I really love this place.... I felt like I was asking a dumb question and have seen meaningful discussion, and after monitoring threads and posting fairly regularly over the last 3-4 months I've never seen anyone be dismissive of any question, no matter how basic or elementary. It's cool to get advice from hands on folks and be able to share knowledge. I've learned a ton since my first post and WKC truly is an awesome community. Much thanks all.

Thank you for pointing that out!
I think that's really one of the reasons we started WKC. We were sick of toxic mentalities that exist in so many other forums (and even in our daily society of life).
I personally do my absolute best to question everything and reject anything that falls into the realm of conventional wisdom. Sometimes that means I'm a pain in the ass to deal with though =D

one of the thins that attracted me to this forum was the discussions about topics that we all need to discuss. Such as KBB. Hey I am a fan of the stuff, to a point, I found others using coshell here and we have discussed the benefits of that.

My biggest reason to find coshell is the environmental benefits of using it, and I mean not chopping down trees, it is a by product of a huge industry, coconuts.

anyway I digress, even cooking methods are discussed and people here post the results of experiments, not making blanket claims, but in the end we all agree that, Hey we all live in different weather conditions so maybe what works here may not work there.

AND THE BIG ONE, taste is subjective, so we all need to give leeway to the other.

Great forum. sorry for the hijack rant.

[glrasmussen]

I really love this place.... I felt like I was asking a dumb question and have seen meaningful discussion, and after monitoring threads and posting fairly regularly over the last 3-4 months I've never seen anyone be dismissive of any question, no matter how basic or elementary. It's cool to get advice from hands on folks and be able to share knowledge. I've learned a ton since my first post and WKC truly is an awesome community. Much thanks all.

Thank you for pointing that out!
I think that's really one of the reasons we started WKC. We were sick of toxic mentalities that exist in so many other forums (and even in our daily society of life).
I personally do my absolute best to question everything and reject anything that falls into the realm of conventional wisdom. Sometimes that means I'm a pain in the ass to deal with though =D

one of the thins that attracted me to this forum was the discussions about topics that we all need to discuss. Such as KBB. Hey I am a fan of the stuff, to a point, I found others using coshell here and we have discussed the benefits of that.

My biggest reason to find coshell is the environmental benefits of using it, and I mean not chopping down trees, it is a by product of a huge industry, coconuts.

anyway I digress, even cooking methods are discussed and people here post the results of experiments, not making blanket claims, but in the end we all agree that, Hey we all live in different weather conditions so maybe what works here may not work there.

AND THE BIG ONE, taste is subjective, so we all need to give leeway to the other.

Great forum. sorry for the hijack rant.

"And the big one!"

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I don't have access to Coshell, that seems to be the rave.
I have tried lump and others. I don't get the debate? It is personal preference and maybe cost of fuel. I have seen many cooks here, how many have turned out great, just because of the fuel? IMO, it is not the fuel source, it is the love, the effort and passion put into to the cook...We are our hardest critics.

I Guess what I am saying, I have had know problem with KBB in 25+ years of grilling, and yes I will use it in my first comp. Not that worried about ash, there are worse things in life, than cleaning a little ash...

Like a fine wine, it will swing. Cost is the same, one a day it could be at the top of its cycle and be the best ever, the next time you open it it could taste like sh!t. No rhyme or reason, use what works for you and don't fret the small stuff.

So really, what is there to question? It is personal preference, no wright, no wrong.

[pbe gummi bear]

A little bit of googling and I found this link: http://old.cbbqa.org/wood/Kingsford.html

Kingsford ingredients

Kingsford sends a form letter in response to consumers' questions about the ingredients.  According to the form letter sent in August, 2000, Kingsford contains the following ingredients:

wood char
mineral char
mineral carbon
limestone
starch
borax
sodium nitrate
sawdust
Purpose of ingredients

There so many ingredients because the addition of each requires another to offset its negative affect.  For example, in order to make the briquets easier to light, sodium nitrate is added.  But then limestone is added so that, when the briquettes get started, they have the typical light-ash color.

Here are the purposes for each of the ingredients:

wood char:  for heat
mineral char:  also for heat
mineral carbon:  also for heat
limestone:  for the light-ash color
starch:  to bind the other ingredients
borax:  press release
sodium nitrate:  to speed the ignition
sawdust:  to speed the ignition

[Jammato]

look at the ingrediants

wood
coal
rock
starch
salt
borax

I can see guys objecting to the coal and the borax, but in reality how much borax is in it? and we have used coal to cook with for centuries,

just adding an opinion to the fire here

I use KBB, and I use lump, and I use bio char, so in reality I guess if you wanted my true opinion about KBB, I would tell you it is a great and extremely consistent product, but it does have additives some my find they do not want.