How do you empty ash from WSM


 
J

Jared

New member
Just wondering if I'm the only one who lifts the base of the WSM to dump out ash into trash bag.

I considered shoveling the ash, not with webers ash shovel, but worried about scratching the paint.

Would be nice to find a bowl that fit under the charcoal grate and vents to catch ash, then I could just left out bowl, empty, and replace, even better if bowl hand handles.
 
I just dump it into the trash. I know some use a shovel and the paint is pretty resilient. I've dropped the lid to my kettle more then a few times without even a chip of paint.
 
I have my charcoal ring wired to my charcoal grate. I lift off the barrel, then I pick up the charcoal ring and shake all of the ashes down into the base, saving the larger pieces for use later on my grill.

I then dump all of the ashes by picking up the base and pour into a dedicated STEEL garbage can (a small one with a lid). Coals can stay live for days. By dumping in the steel can, I insure that I don't set a garbage bag on fire (yeah, it HAS happened to many people days after the smoker was shut down). I make sure that my dedicated ash can has set for several days before I dump it in my garbage can.

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
For my 18.5" WSM yep I just grab it by the legs and dump it in my metal doggy do do bucket, and it does control odors. The 22.5" WSM is more of a pain to me to lift that way (bad wrist). I might add some handles to the charcoal bowl. For now, I use a tip learned here, and cut the top off a plastic milk jug, and use that as a scoop.

Tim
 
I just lift mine up and dump, usually into a metal can or sit the non-metal container on my concrete drive (in case any hot colds are still there).
Ray
 
I bought one of those cheepo fireplace shovels you find at HD or Lowe's for about 5 bucks, I put a slight bend in it and it fits the bottom of the bowl perfectly, I scoop most ash out and dump the little bit left, it keeps down on the dust that way. it has never scratched the porcelain finish
 
I do a combo of dump and shovel. My shovel is a milk jug with the bottom cut out. I dump what I can't shovel into a metal trash can. The trash can gets dumped in the fire ring.

...but - it's baked on porcelain enamel which is made by fusing powdered glass onto the steel between 1,380 and 1,560 °F. It's pretty hard to scratch.
 
Last edited:
Robert McGee said:
I have my charcoal ring wired to my charcoal grate. I lift off the barrel, then I pick up the charcoal ring and shake all of the ashes down into the base, saving the larger pieces for use later on my grill.

I then dump all of the ashes by picking up the base and pour into a dedicated STEEL garbage can (a small one with a lid). Coals can stay live for days. By dumping in the steel can, I insure that I don't set a garbage bag on fire (yeah, it HAS happened to many people days after the smoker was shut down). I make sure that my dedicated ash can has set for several days before I dump it in my garbage can.

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
Click to expand...


This is exactly what I do with one exception. I have a small plastic bag in my steel garbage can so that after the coals sit for a few days in there, I just pluck the bag out and throw it away. I do this on garbage day so the ash is never anywhere but the wsm or the steel can when in my garage (where I keep my garbage and recycle).

As for dumping the ash, I do that right into the can and then I have a nylon brush that I use to brush out the charcoal bowl and I'm good to go for my next cook.
 
Jerry N. said:
This is exactly what I do. I do this on garbage day so the ash is never anywhere but the wsm or the steel can

As for dumping the ash, I do that right into the can and then brush out the charcoal bowl and I'm good to go for my next cook.
Click to expand...

This is me also.
 
Like bobby McGee , I have my charcoal ring wired to my charcoal grate. That is a very handy mod.
I lift off the midsection, , pick up the charcoal ring and shake all the ashes down into the base, saving the larger pieces to help light my fire....


I then dump all the ashes in a spot in my side yard for a couple days to make sure it cools. Once I figure they are safe I dump them in my trash can.
 
As a couple above said, I wired my ring and grates together to make sifting good coals out easier. And I have a gallon jugs from vegetable oild that I cut the bottom off of. Its slightly flimsy and soft plastic, so it won't scratch the bowl. Gets enough of the ash out...
 
I use a paper plate and an empty plastic bag from the grocery store. The paper plate conforms extremely well to the bowl of the WSM. The paper plate can be reused many times. I am still using the first one I started with.
 
Has anybody ever lined the bottom section with aluminum foil to catch Ash. Kind of like lining the water bowl to catch juices? I was thinking of trying it but I'm not sure if it would effect the heat radiating back?
 
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