I got a reply from the Kingsford people this morning. It was very "helpful". Here is what they had to say:Dear Mrs. Black,
Thank you for contacting us about your Kingsford Regular Charcoal. We always appreciate hearing from our customers.
We sincerely regret any inconvenience this problem may have caused you. We assure you that this is very unusual and would not expect this to occur. Would you please tell me if you are using the charcoal in the blue and white bag or the new competition charcoal in the tan bag? We are happy to send a coupon and you should receive it within 7-10 business days. We certainly hope you will continue to use and have confidence in our products.
Again, thank you for contacting us.
Boy, I feel all warm and fuzzy inside! I'm getting a coupon for a product I can't really even use. I was really hoping for a more helpful answer, but I'm afraid I'm not going to get it. I'm still determined to use 2 bags before I pass final judgement. I'm going to try using the Dinwiddie ring method for arranging coals. I've messed around with a little bit, but now I'm going to get serious about it. I'll explain it after I try it for a few days and actually understand it. I have a great sheet that explains it really well. I'll try and add it to the blog when I get to that point.
Today's recipe comes from a Betty Crocker cookbook.
Hot Oriental Slaw
10" dutch oven
1 small head cabbage
2 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. cornstarch
2 Tbs. vinegar
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 Tbs. grated ginger root or 1 tsp. ground ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 green onions with tops, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 med. bell pepper, chopped
Slice cabbage into thin strips. Mix sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger root and garlic and set aside.
Heat a 10" dutch oven until hot. Add oil and spread to cover bottom of DO. Add cabbage, onions, carrot and bell pepper. Stir fry about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar mixture. Cook and stir until vegetables are crisp tender and sauce is thickened. Serves 4-6.
The Finished Product
The Review
We really liked this, but then my kids really like cabbage. It has a nice tangy flavor and the crisp veggies are good. My nine year old daughter, Brandee, loved this. She even had the leftovers for breakfast. I'll make this again. Grade B.
I have used the ring method for a long while. I sort of / kind of count coals, but for the most part, I use a ring on top.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part, I use three coals between each leg on the bottom of a 12", nine coals total. For the top, I ring it. If I need to add new coals to existing coals, I just make sure they all touch. If I'm at an event and only need 5 to 10 more minutes of cooking, I will 'borrow' a bunch of nearly spent coals and line my lid with those.
The ring method sort of helps transition to using real coals from a fire, too. Once you sort of get the hang of ringing coals, you can use any coal.. from bagged to real.
Interestingly enough, I just brought this up on the IDOS forums...
http://forums.idos.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=672
I still like and use Kingsford for the most part. The Wal-Mart brand breaks too easy for me. But I'll use pretty much whatever is on hand.
I'm finally at a point where counting coals isn't the only way I judge heat. I can tell the temp just by holding my hand over the oven. I can see a lot of benefit in not counting coals, but for a beginner, it is the only way to go! Tonight I'm going to get busy with the ring method.
ReplyDeleteHeat methods and Charcoal choice is a bit like saying I like to cook on a gas stove and my sister likes to cook with electric stove. We all get the job done we just think our way the best. Nothing wrong with that!
ReplyDeleteYou can start another heated link by asking who "washes" their Dutch oven or not.
PS I wash mine, with soap and everything!
Dairy Keen--I totally agree! And I sometimes wash my DO with soap too! And last night I finally got Kingsford to work! I just had to figure it out.
ReplyDelete