How to use "used" charcoal


 

Darrell_K

New member
Its been a couple of weeks using my 18.5. I must say that without this web-site my experience would not be nearly as fun. Thank you everyone who has chipped in to help us newbies!

I'm wondering if its best to keep my leftover charcoal in the bottom of the new batch or relight them and put them on the top of the new batch? I hope that makes sense.
 
First,welcome to the forum!
Now to answer your question. I connected my charcoal ring to the charcoal grate with some SS U-bolts and washers. This make reserving the unburned briquettes easier. Just lift,shake and set aside while you dump the ash. Then,next time around,I just chuck more new on top. Hope this helps!
 
I have both charcoal grills and smokers. I prefer my smokers to be completely predictable (as near as possible) as to time of burn on all long cooks. Therefore, I do NOT use used charcoal in my smokers except when doing a high heat cook (that generally only lasts an hour or so). I shake the ash off the coals as Phil does, then I put the used coals in my grill and use it up there.

To directly answer the O.P.'s question, I put a layer or so of new briq's in the bottom of the chimney, then the used on top. Otherwise, the used charcoal is pretty much consumed in the chimney before you even start cooking.

But, that's just me...

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
I agree with Robert. Save the used charcoal for use in your Weber grill. Only use fresh charcoal in your WSM.
Just my opinion.

Welcome to the site.
 
I usually pick out the old and throw it in a bucket. When I reuse them I put one layer of new on the bottom of the WSM, put the old on top of that long with wood chunks, then top off with more new. I don't know if it makes my cooking more or less predictable, but I haven't had problems yet. I used to only use new in the WSM and used in the kettle like the others have said, but lately I've been smoking more than I have grilling and those used coals would be sitting around for a long time so I decided to just throw them in the smoker.

Forgot to mention. I usually use the tin can minion method. I use new coals to start the minion
 
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I have been using old charcoal for some time now. I also have two charcoal grates and my charcoal ring is attached to the top grate so I can just pick it up, shake it real good, scoop out the ash and then put it back. I then just put whatever new I need on top to fill my ring leaving a crater in the middle for my lit when I put it on. I have had no problems with the stability of the temps. My pit always behaves the same way time after time with either old charcoal mixed in or all new. Also, of note just in case you're wondering....no difference in taste either.

Good luck and hope this helped you out.
 
I do as the others do as far as attaching the grate to the ring and shaking out the ash etc. Except when its been raining. The old charcoal seems to absorb moisture and doesn't burn well. If that's the case, I dump it all and start fresh.
 
I put the old charcoal in my chimney to start my next cook - grill or smoker. Depending on the amount of leftover I might add some new to the chimney.
 
Same method as a lot of members have posted. I only reuse charcoal in the kettle and then it's the old on top of the new. One of the other reasons I put the new in the chimney first is because the old will just fall through the chimney sometimes.
 
Like many of the others, I put the used in a bucket and save. I use them up later on the kettles on simple, quick cooks like burgers and hot dogs. Sometimes even on steaks that are only going to cook 8 minutes or so.
 
That is the key, time and temp. For short cooks on the Grill they do fine and I do like all the rest. They just do not last that long for anything else
 
Like others, I use my "used" charcoal mainly just in the kettles. I have used it in the WSM for ribs and similar short cooks, but for long cooks it's new charcoal only.
 
I do the same as some of the others, shake out the ash and add new on top.
Been doing it this way since 08 with zero problems. Bottom line, find whats best for you!

Tim
 
I'm late, they are right. Me, I've reused charcoal With mixed results. Sometimes it works sometime it just doesn't. You have to balance the equation between the two based on what you're cooking. I would not think twice about hamburgers but a rib roast deserves nothing less than your best effort.
 
Thanks for all the input. Yesterday I did my first long cook with pork butts. I had a good layer of used coals on the bottom. Early this morning as the coals burned down and got to the used coals the temp took a dive and I had to add charcoal. Now I have nothing to compare it to but my hunch is that if I had all new charcoal the cook would have been perfect without needing to add any.

Thanks to the info on this website the butts turned out awesome!
 
Look up the tin can minion method. I can usually get 14-16 hours on one load of coals, new mixed with used, and a steady temperature of 250ish
 
I reuse it for short smokes like the others. I just shake out the ash and dump it, but new lit coals on top and it works great.
 
High heat only in the WSMs and Performer, new on the bottom of the chimney used on top. I also use the old for adding to the cook if needed as they seem to light faster.
 

 

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