Reusing Charcoal


 
M

Michael Gelinas

TVWBB Fan
Hi Kevin,

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit our forum and answer our questions.

My question is:

Whenever I grill on my performer platinum, I have leftover charcoal that hasn't fully burned out.
When I try to reuse it on the next cook, it always gives me issues and is very difficult to light.

My technique is as follows:

Fill a Weber chimney half way or so with fresh Kingsford blue, shake the ashes off the used coals and dump them in the chimney on top of the fresh coals, then turn on the gas assist and wait.

The new stuff always lights with no issues, but I usually am sitting around for what feels like forever waiting for the old stuff to light.

Do you have any suggestions with how to manage previously used charcoal that's not fully burned out?

thanks,
Michael
 
Michael
It has truly been my pleasure spending time here on the virtualweberbullet!! What I do with the old half lit briquettes is put them into the chimney starter first then add my fresh charcoal. These briquettes will light quickly and help get the chimney started. Its an easy way to get your grill started quickly without burning through a lot of gas or waxed cubes.

Sound good?

Thanks for the question

Kk
 
Thank you for your reply. I've never tried putting the used coals in first. I had alwys put the fresh on the bottom since it was bigger and would not fall thru the gaps.
I'll have to try out your technique!
 
Why not put in a layer of new then the used and then the rest of the new. Nothing will fall through and should work. Just a thought.
 
Bob Ivey said:
Why not put in a layer of new then the used and then the rest of the new. Nothing will fall through and should work. Just a thought.
Click to expand...

I've actualy done this with less than stellar results. The used in the middle is like a barrier preventing the fresh on top from lighting.
 
If that is the case then I would assume that putting the used in first would have the same results?
 
The issue here is you just need the bottom of the chimney lit. I am not using the old charcoal as a heat source. When the chimney is ready to be poured those old used coals would have died out. I am using them to help get the chimney started and going (almost like kindling wood).

Kk
 
FWIW I have my performer set up with 2 fire bricks down the middle. I leave the old charcoal where it is on one side, shake off any ash and spread old coals as evenly as possible and pour new charcoal(usually about 1/2 to 3/4 chimney depending on how much is being reused) on top of old charcoal. I've found it produces a hotter fire (after a few minutes of catching on) than if I had just used a whole chimney and no old charcoal. I picked this technique up on this forum somewhere along the line. Wish I could remember who so I could give them the credit.
 
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