Best way to minimize charcoal taste when using Minion Method?

[Vision]

I've never had a charcoal taste.

But, now I'm using a Ique and you bring the smoker up to temp before putting the meat on. By doing that you can clearly see a difference in the smoke from the charcoal, from when you dump the coals in and then 30 minutes later when everything is lit. You could try that.

[Vision]

Originally Posted by jemezspring

Crazy as it may seem but I cant taste an off charcoal flavor when using the minion method.

It's not crazy, most of us don't. We'd be talking about it otherwise.

[jestridge]

I don't care for that taste charcoal briquetts gives off, but I have been cooking over real wood for year

[Beerbecue]

The unnatural additives in Kingsford may be what you are tasting. Mineral coal,limestone and borax among other things are added to Kingsford. Maybe try using an all natural briquette like Trader Joes brand or Lazzari.

[boogiesnap]

use better fuel.

[Q-Dat]

Gator, I think whats going on is that you are one of the few people that can taste the "Kingsford Flavor" that comes from using it Minion style. Most people cannot taste it.

I actually don't know if I can or not, because I have never used it that way. I just know that it puts off a smell that I don't care for when I light up a chimney of it. Its a smell I never get from Stubbs, Kingsford Comp, or even plain old Royal Oak Briquettes.

I still buy it sometimes when its cheap, I just use it for grilling.

[Gator BBQ]

Originally Posted by Q-Dat

Gator, I think whats going on is that you are one of the few people that can taste the "Kingsford Flavor" that comes from using it Minion style. Most people cannot taste it.

I actually don't know if I can or not, because I have never used it that way. I just know that it puts off a smell that I don't care for when I light up a chimney of it. Its a smell I never get from Stubbs, Kingsford Comp, or even plain old Royal Oak Briquettes.

I still buy it sometimes when its cheap, I just use it for grilling.

I think Q may be right. I am going to try the Stubbs coal and like I said earlier go back to dropping the wood on with the initial coal drop.

Thanks to everyone for the great input and ideas. Here are a couple pictures of those ribs. Enjoy.

[landarc]

It is not odd that most folks cannot taste the 'charcoal' taste when using the Minion method correctly. If you do it right, the coals that are lit will preheat the coals that are about to ignite, it is like preheating wood prior to putting it into a stickburner, you preheat and the gasses that create the off flavors during combustion outgas prior to igniting. You get a clean burning fire for that reason. The wood needs to be incorporated into the burn stack prior to lighting, and the entire cooker must be brought to temperature for the proper preheating to occur in the charcoal basket.

Adding cold charcoal or wood within a few minutes of cooking is a sure fire way to get a column of dirty smoke on your food. I let the drum or kettle settle down and burn for an hour prior to adding the meat, I get no charcoal, carbon or 'Kingsford' taste on my food. Nobody else has ever mentioned it either.

[Hell Fire Grill]

Originally Posted by landarc

It is not odd that most folks cannot taste the 'charcoal' taste when using the Minion method correctly. If you do it right, the coals that are lit will preheat the coals that are about to ignite, it is like preheating wood prior to putting it into a stickburner, you preheat and the gasses that create the off flavors during combustion outgas prior to igniting. You get a clean burning fire for that reason. The wood needs to be incorporated into the burn stack prior to lighting, and the entire cooker must be brought to temperature for the proper preheating to occur in the charcoal basket.

Adding cold charcoal or wood within a few minutes of cooking is a sure fire way to get a column of dirty smoke on your food. I let the drum or kettle settle down and burn for an hour prior to adding the meat, I get no charcoal, carbon or 'Kingsford' taste on my food. Nobody else has ever mentioned it either.

I'll add to this by saying that charcoal is a moisture magnet and pulls the moisture from the air when the bag is left open. Charcoal will pull moisture through the bag if its sitting on the ground, especially concrete or dirt.

Heres what I do to keep my charcoal as dry as I can. Keep the bags closed tight, set a rock or a chunk of wood on top of the open end to hold it down. Keep the bags off the ground by setting them on 2X4s or a pallet, so air can circulate under them. I keep all my charcoal covered with empty bags so no moisture in the air can settle down onto the bags.



I keep my homemade stuff in the chicken feed bags and some of the Lazzari bags.

[Ole Man Dan]

I generally ignite a chimney of lump, pour it over lump and a few pieces of dry Pecan,
in the basket of a UDS. Let the fire settle down to hardly any visible smoke, then add the meat.
I'm not adding fresh charcoal or fresh wood, because my UDS will run 12-16 hrs on a basket of lump. (Stubbs or Royal Oak).