Kingsford VS Rancher

[Brian in So Cal]

Man, I learned something this past Saturday. I always use Kingsford in my WSM. I decided to try the Rancher. Totally have to rethink the vent settings. Once it got up to temp I had to almost shut down all three vents to keep temp. About 10 percent open each.

I had to keep monitoring it. Needless to say I will stick with the Kingsford for my WSM. Much easier to control temp. Probably because I am used to it. But once I get temp i can go for 8-10 hours with out adjustment.

Of course it took me about 4 times to get it right. practice makes perfect I guess.

Anybody else run across this situation?

Will keep the rancher for my horizontal and grilling.

 

[beerguy]

Just the opposite. Once I get locked on with Rancher about 230*, I set all 3 bottom vents at 25% and set the top one almost all the way open and drink beer till the butts hit 198* about 7-8 hrs later. Sand in the water pan, occasional piece of cherry or hickory in the coals for sweet blue and im set on go. Good chit, and 2.99 a bag gets me 3 burns per 2 bags. Thats my story and Im stickin to it.

 

[Brian in So Cal]

Just the opposite. Once I get locked on with Rancher about 230*, I set all 3 bottom vents at 25% and set the top one almost all the way open and drink beer till the butts hit 198* about 7-8 hrs later. Sand in the water pan, occasional piece of cherry or hickory in the coals for sweet blue and im set on go. Good chit, and 2.99 a bag gets me 3 burns per 2 bags. Thats my story and Im stickin to it.

Dude, how much do your butts weigh? I have never been able to get one up to 198 in 7-8 hours.
I must be doing something wrong.:-D

I will have to experiment with the Rancher. I also was trying to keep temp at 200 for the buckboard bacon. Maybe that is why.

 

[Tinybud]

I personnelly don't like the smell of kingsford when it is burning, the rancher gives ya the similar smell of lump, but the longer burn time of a briquette. I just got off the phone with a home depot 3hrs away, and got 92 bags.. I'll take it any day over kingsford.. but that's just my 2cents.

 

[Brian in So Cal]

I have about 400# of rancher and use it a lot in my horizontal. I know what you mean about the smell of Kingsford. Sometimes I would open the lid on my WSM and it would almost take my breath away.

I am convinced I need to practice the WSM on Rancher. What about the Kingsford? I guess I can use it to burn my weeds.:-D

I also wish that I could locate some more rancher. 4 Home Depots around me and none have any left.

 

[Brauma]

Dude, how much do your butts weigh?

Not Woodpile. I must resist.

 

[JD McGee]

Ditto to what beerguy said less the sand in the water pan...I use the flower pot mod now.

JD

 

[Brian in So Cal]

Ditto to what beerguy said less the sand in the water pan...I use the flower pot mod now.

JD

Gotta know what he flower pot mod is?

 

[JD McGee]

Gotta know what he flower pot mod is?

I use the bottom of a flower pot set in my water pan as a heat sink for my WSM
http://picasaweb.google.com/johnrhana/FlowerPotMod

JD

 

[ryanositis]

Rancher doesn't suck

I liked the Rancher. I mean, I don't hate the Kingsford, but the Rancher charcoal was good stuff. Clean burn, smaller amount of ash.

 

[Norcoredneck]

Just plain don't like the smell of Kingsford. Have to believe some of that is transferred to the meat.

 

[Single Fin Smoker]

I only use Kingsford. Love the stuff. Everyone I cook for seems to stuff themselves.

Never had the chance to use Rancher.

 

[Jeremiah]

I picked up a bunch of Rancher @ 2.99 couple months back, didn't have much trouble making the adjustment (started out using Kingsford, but most recently used WG lump). Give it another shot, you'll get the hang of it.

 

[Harbormaster]

I personnelly don't like the smell of kingsford when it is burning.

Just plain don't like the smell of Kingsford. Have to believe some of that is transferred to the meat.

Ditto you two fellas.
I love love love the Rancher in my WSM. Great aroma, burns long, ash production comparable to lump.
I did cut my teeth on the WSM using lump, so maybe that made the transition to Rancher easier.
Hasn't been a bag of K at my house in well over 10 years.
Oh, and I have a half ton of Rancher in storage.

 

[swamprb]

I hope to use a few bags of Rancher this weekend at a charity Rib cookoff, I'll be using the WSM's, the sooner I get rid of it the better! And I heard Safeway was supplying the briqs for the cooks!!
Hope it's not Matchlight!

 

[HB-BBQ]

Never had the chance to use Rancher.

If you want to try some stop by and I'll give you a bag, I still have about ten or so left. I dont mind the rancher but I still get the swirling ash. It happens in both my BWS and the horizontal. I'll go back to K when the rancher is gone. I may even try the Sams Choice large briquettes for kicks.

BTW our local HB Walmart has Royal Oak lump in stock for 5.29/10lb. I just picked up some last night to try this weekend.

 

[RichardF]

If i'm cooking butt's or brisket in my bandera at 225* Rancher is fine, but for chicken and/or ribs which I like to do at 275* I cannot get the temp up and use Kingsford.

 

[tommykendall]

I had similar experiences as Brian with rancher on my WSM. I think it was just a re-learning experience. Rancher I think burns hotter given the same airflow so I back down the vents sooner and tighter than when using kingsford. I do like the smell of the rancher (man that came out gay), but I think kingsford burns longer with less ash.

 

[Tinybud]

I haven't had any problem with the ash from rancher, in my meadow creek pig roaster, I put 40lbs in the charcoal pan, and I can keep 250 for 12+ hrs. while cooking a load of butts or whole hog, and haven't seen any ash coming up on my bbq. And as for the southern yankee, I just use it as a base then add sticks of hickory to it. But hey, that's bbq,, we all do it alittle different, and that's what keeps these forums going, if we were all alike, we'd have nothing to talk about.

 

[Brian in So Cal]

I had similar experiences as Brian with rancher on my WSM. I think it was just a re-learning experience. Rancher I think burns hotter given the same airflow so I back down the vents sooner and tighter than when using kingsford. I do like the smell of the rancher (man that came out gay), but I think kingsford burns longer with less ash.

Glad someone else had the same experience. (not the gay Part) Thought I was losing it.:-D