Ash build up

[Brian A]

Did an overnight this past weekend. My problem is after about 10-12 hours I wanted to add more coals. added a few handfulls on top of the mostly spent heap then started about 1/2 chimmny of coals and added to the top of the un lit coals. But my problem is (Q problem that is, don't ask my wife) that there is so much ash (Kingsford) that there is no air flow under the grate or thru the ring holes. Could not get temp above 225.

When adding more coals do you quickly take top off, empty out ash then start over or how do you handle tha lack of air flow.

Seems like it would make sense to have a handle at the bottom to empty ash like my Weber grill.

But....MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM good!

Brian

 

[Jim Babek]

Like a lot of people here before adding more coals or when the tmp drops I just knock on the top lip of the base or one of the legs to get rid of the ash. However, it sounds like youre concerned with ash plugging the bottom air vents. I personally havent had that problem. I make sure I empty the ash before I begin and nothings been clogged even with the longest of cooks.

 

[Brian A]

I do empty before every cook. The vents are not plugged, but the holes in the rings especially the lower ones are covered. Also I do beleive that the ash has filed up under the grate and cutting off air circulation.

 

[Al Silverman]

Hi,

You could try lump. I did and am very happy with the results. Almost no ash at all !!

I still use Kingsford and the MM to get it all going. There is a ton of ash produced from the 15-18 briquets that I light in the chimney !!! Didn't used to be this much.

It seems to have started (as best as I can remember) when they started offering the two 24 # combo bags at Home Depot.

Al

 

[Shawn W]

Hi Brian,

I don't have any problems with too much ash if I start with a full ring and an empty bottom and no further charcoal is added.

At 10 hours into a Minion Method cook you might have needed to stir the coals or bang the cooker as others suggested. This will make some ash airbourne. It doesn't bother me but if you don't like that you can dissamble your cooker. Move your hot coals into an appropriate container like your Weber kettle, remove the grate and ring, scoop out the ashes with a metal scoop into a metal ash can and reassemble.

Check these mod ref topics out, particularly the bottom two if you would like to be able to more easily remove hot ashes in the future.