Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal?

Re:Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (rebeltruce)

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 17:45:22 GMT

joerogo

The Cowboy Charcoal I buy is the definitely the real deal(not hardwood flooring). Cowboy has the largest chunks of woods compared to other brands.

Royal oak is good also. I usually buy it from the manufacturer in Pittston.

Exactly Joe!............Royal Oak is great as well...but it is clearing flooring scraps. I normally have a bag of both Cowboy and Royal Oak on hand.....I use Cowboy in my Kamado, and Royal Oak in the Weber.

Re:Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (joerogo)

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 19:44:09 GMT

The Cowboy Charcoal I buy is the definitely the real deal(not hardwood flooring). Cowboy has the largest chunks of woods compared to other brands.

Royal oak is good also. I usually buy it from the manufacturer in Pittston.

Re:Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (rebeltruce)

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 19:23:48 GMT

No you cannot use Kingsford to cook anything on the coals...you must use Natural Charcoal....Cowboy is my favorite brand. I do the dirty steak thing all the time.....

If you use natural charcoal you will never have ashes on the steak.....I'm not sure the Cowboy I buy is made from flooring....mine always has real wood, I mean log looking wood.....

Re:Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (geez70)

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 18:57:09 GMT

Michael Hoffman

One of my favorite things growing up was a mickey, as my father called it. You toss a baked potato right into the coals and let it sit for about 15-20 minutes till it's all charred on the outside and soft and delicious on the inside. It works best on a campfire.

I do that all the time.............. mmmmmmmmmmmm delicious

Re:Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (Root-Beer Man)

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 17:38:18 GMT

I don't know that I'd cook any type of meat directly on the coals, unless it had a skin on it. Same for vegs. Ash would be a pain to get off. I've cooked on hot stones on coals before and that's pretty tasty. I certainly wouldn't try it with Kingsford. They have too much stuff in them to bind the briquettes together and they're not hardwood. I like Royal Oak. Available at most Walmarts. Cowboy brand is made from hardwood flooring. Not bad, but I like the shape and lumpiness of Royal Oak. It's made form lumps of wood.

Re:Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (joerogo)

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 16:06:45 GMT

I saw Alton Brown prepare flank steak directly on the coals. I remember he used hardwood charcoal and a hair dryer.

Re:Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (Foodbme)

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 15:47:02 GMT

I wouldn't cook anything on "Processed Charcoal".
100% Natural Wood Charcoal might be OK if you like ashes in your meat. Afterall, Jack Daniels uses it to make some fine sippin' whiskey!
The best steaks I've ever had were cooked on a Cast Iron Sewer Grate directly over a hardwood fire while sipping a cold one sitting around the fire at camp . THAT's Livin"!!

Re:Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (baileysoriginal)

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 15:30:30 GMT

Off this topic but still pertaining to grilling - I did not see this but the spouse related an article or news show that using a grill brush should be a no no now- many people have ingested shreds attached to the food from the brushes and have had serious stomach/intestinal problems.

We threw our grill brush away and got a restaurant grill brick to use. Of course burning the grates is the best way but sometimes there are still bits of gunk hanging on that need to be eliminated.

Re:Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (Ed Face)

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 14:27:25 GMT

I don't like the idea of cooking a steak directly on the coals, it may be fine for a potato, but not a steak. Kingsford briquettes are very good, I usually buy 500 or so pounds when Home Depot has it on sale (Memorial Day & other holiday weekends), but make sure coals are totally gray before adding meat. When grilling steaks I use a cast iron grate (available from Lodge), I put that on top of regular Weber grate. Use plenty of briquettes for the base, then a layer of lump coals on top for added heat & flavor. Make sure to oil grate well, You will get great sear & crust. Another trick is brush steaks with butter before grilling.

Re:Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (kozel)

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 12:35:26 GMT

I would not use briquettes. If not wood coals get a high quality lump charcoal. I think Cowboy brand is good. I see it a lot at BBQ events.

Re:Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (ScreamingChicken)

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 12:11:55 GMT

Jbones, I've cooked steaks this way before and IMO if you want to use briquettes an "all natural" hardwood product like Stubb's, Duraflame, etc. would be the way to go. Otherwise lump would be my choice.

I just picked up some Coshell charcoal, which is made from coconut shells and not wood. According to what I've read it burns clean and hot, so some steaks "on the rocks" (as they're called in the 1958 edition of Better Homes & Gardens Barbecue Book) just might be my first cook with it.

Re:Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (Michael Hoffman)

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 11:45:29 GMT

One of my favorite things growing up was a mickey, as my father called it. You toss a baked potato right into the coals and let it sit for about 15-20 minutes till it's all charred on the outside and soft and delicious on the inside. It works best on a campfire.

Re:Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (CCinNJ)

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 11:43:57 GMT

One of the reasons not to use regular charcoal is because of the fine ash ( made of sawdust) and whatever else is in them. Natural charcoal should be easy to find at this time of the year (even in New Jersey).

Don't forget a blow dryer.

Re:Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (edwmax)

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 11:12:07 GMT

???? ... why ... Set the grill grate very close (without touching) to the hot coals to get a seared/burnt outside with a cold/rare center. Then you wont have to eat bits of the carbon stuck to the meat.

Re:Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (kevincad)

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 11:05:23 GMT

MetroplexJim

Burned and dirty on the outside and raw in the middle?

A few petrochemicals might actually improve the taste.

Actually, steaks cooked directly on wood coals is very good.

Re:Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (MetroplexJim)

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 10:11:20 GMT

Burned and dirty on the outside and raw in the middle?

A few petrochemicals might actually improve the taste.

Safe to Cook Directly on Kingsford Charcoal? (jbones)

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 09:59:58 GMT

I'd like to try cooking steaks directly on the coals, but am not sure if Kingsford Original charcoal is safe to use. Is it treated with anything that might affect the safety of the food? Thanks.