With the sun out and the peak of summer approaching, we’re all craving one thing: barbecues. Everyone wants perfectly grilled dishes, and controlling temperatures on the barbecue is a sought-after skill. Luckily, briquettes have been touted as a solution, perfect for “low and slow” cooking styles. In this form, the charcoal imparts a mild smokiness and embellishes existing tasting notes (yes, flavored briquettes actually work). Yet, when leveling up your barbecues, there’s one brand to avoid: Costco’s Kirkland Signature Professional Charcoal Briquettes. As the latest on Reddit’s blacklist, users are rushing to give non-committal opinions or outright disdain.
“Last batch I had some ash that looked fuzzy, fibrous, no idea what it was but made me think to just stick to B&B briquettes and lump,” one user wrote. Another simply added, “I didn’t love it. I think the Kingsford is a lot better.” The general criticism seems to be that these briquettes burn too fast and produce excessive amounts of ash. Reddit can be a divisive place, riddled with savage feedback on products you never knew you needed. Yet these Kirkland briquettes don’t seem to be a crowd divider — we’d be inclined to trust the rumors on this one.
Why is excess ash so bad?
Imagine the sizzle of sausages and warm rays of sunshine. Then picture half-cooked meat and nonstop cleaning; not quite the perfect barbecue, right? The truth is, while nobody wants bad-quality charcoal, purchasing a bad bag is one of the most common mistakes people make when barbecuing. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to spot charcoal-induced sabotage. In fact, that’s where excess ash comes in. Those piles of gray dust are the culprit behind many barbecuing woes: Treat them as the biggest red flag.
Ash is simply unburned fuel; good-quality charcoal won’t leave much behind. That’s why Kirkland Charcoal Briquettes have Reddit users in uproar. Not only have they found that the fuel burns quickly (demanding more resources), but it doesn’t burn completely and instead leaves remnants behind. This is problematic on two fronts. First, it causes a disproportionate mess, which creates an unnecessarily demanding cleaning schedule. Second, it reduces your ability to control cooking temperatures. Excessive amounts of ash are a recipe for blocked air vents and disaster, not tasty burgers and hot dogs.
As a final word of warning: All this ash requires careful disposal. If using products like Kirkland Briquettes, their chemical additives mean that charcoal briquette ash shouldn’t be composted. Consider ditching plain briquettes this summer and opt for coconut charcoal; these additive-free blocks are sustainable and might not be as ashy.
