Question About Reusing Charcoal


 

JRAiona

TVWBB Gold Member
I am definitely in the camp that reuses charcoal. I only use it in my chimney starter or in my Performer. Those of you who also reuse your unspent charcoal how do you determine what is salvageable and what is not? What I've been doing is holding it with my index and middle fingers on one side of the briquette and my thumb on the other. I press on the middle of the briquette with my thumb and if it easily breaks I toss it. If not I put it in a container to be reused. Does that method sound like an efficient way to tell if its salvageable? I am a bit of a cheapskate with some things and like to save what I can.
 
Like said above if it doesn't fall through the grate it's good. I only use it with the performer and jumbo joe and mostly mixed with new or I use it if I need to add a little more charcoal to finish a cook. The mini and 18.5 wsm I always use new and actually that's were most of my used comes from.
 
On the grills I rake the used around to knock off ash then add lit on top.
The WSM's, I shake the ring (have the charcoal grates wired to it) to knock off ash and any smallies, then add unlit on top of that followed by the lit.
I use a combo of lump and briquettes so I might have an occasional rock or two floating:) around.

Tim
 
After all the coal has gone cold and with gloves on, I just rub it between index finger and thumb until all the dust comes off. If anything remains it goes into the chimney.
 
In my WSM's, I have my charcoal basket wired to the charcoal grate. After the smoker is cold, I grab the basket/grate ***'y, shake and everthing left is used up in my grills. I put new coals in the bottom of the chimney and used on top. I always use new briqs in the WSM's for consistency.

Keep on smoking,
Dale53:wsm:
 
If it falls through the (single) coal grate, it gets tossed. Some here use two coal grates to catch even smaller pieces, but pieces that small fall through my starter chimney, so I don't use them.
 
If it falls through the (single) coal grate, it gets tossed. Some here use two coal grates to catch even smaller pieces, but pieces that small fall through my starter chimney, so I don't use them.

Rusty, put a few new coals on the bottom of the chimney that will keep the small pieces from falling out.
 
Rusty, put a few new coals on the bottom of the chimney that will keep the small pieces from falling out.

Agreed.

I use that method for used coals, but wouldn't the tiny pieces salvaged from the two grate method choke down the chimney?
 
I'm with everyone that reuses charcoal.
If it doesn't fall through the grate, or out of the bottom of the chimney, I will use it
 
Silly me. I inserted a screen inside the chimney and keep it in place with a couple twists of wire. Just cut up a stainless steel rack with 1/4" square openings to fit your chimney. Try your local Wally World, Dollar General or Good Will for them.
 
Bill, are you talking about hardware cloth? The kind of "small animal pen" kind of mesh. Or something like a cooling rack?
For years I've just put fresh coal on the bottom and topped with the second firing never had any problems with "sifting" out the bottom.
 

 

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