Kingsford Mesquite

Kinngsford Mesquite Charcoal

The methods for this test are detailed on the Charcoal Roundup Page.

Maximums:

Maximum Direct Heat Temperature: 496

Time to Maximum Direct Heat with Starter Time:  21 Minutes

Maximum Indirect Heat Temperature: 316 

Maximum Heat over Ambient Air Temperature: 416

Durations:

• Duration of Heat to 20 degrees Fahrenheit above ambient: 3 hours and 32 Minutes
• Duration of Heat to 100 degrees Fahrenheit above ambient: 2 hours and 30 Minutes
• Duration of Heat to Keep Indirect Side of Grill Above Danger Zone (140): 2 hours 21 Minutes

Cost:

7.9 pounds (126.4 ounces) cost $6.99 or 5.5 cents an ounce.  Given that 41.5 ounces maintained a temperature above 140 for 141 minutes, .294 ounces were used per minute resulting in a per hour cost of $0.97.

Summary: 

An inexpensive briquette with added mesquite chips for flavor.  Fast lighting and long burning.  It lacks the burst of heat that lump charcoal has and the cool side indirect cooking temps consistently lag behing the direct heat side (see the temperature chart and note how the indirect cooking temperature peaks at about 320).  It produces heat for a long time and gives a solid hour of direct grilling temperatures above 100.

Suggested Uses:

Ideal:

• General grilling with direct heat where extreme heat is not required
• Combinations of direct and indirect heat – chicken
• Long indirect heat – ribs
• Fuel loads for smokers going for many hours
• In-coals dutch oven cooking
• Plank style cooking

Less than Ideal:

• Steaks
• Finishing sous vide cooked
• In-grill baking (the mesquite chips give off a flavor not suitable for baked goods)

Chart key: RED is direct heat sensor, GREEN is ambient air sensor, ORANGE is indirect heat sensor, BROWN is the difference between the direct heat temperature and the ambient air temperature.  The test starts when this moves from 0 degrees and ends when it falls back to 20 degrees.

Data File for Test.

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