How to use "used" charcoal

[THoey]

Shake out my basket, empty the ash, rake the old to the outside, fill the middle with new, light it with the flame thrower. Never had an issue...

 

[Alan F]

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!

FYI, I've done a 12 hour cook at 275f with a level ring of used KB, started with a chimney of new KB. But I'm not using water in the pan and use a IQ110 which helps things a lot.

 

[Darrell_K]

Last weekend I did a big brisket and 2 chuck rolls. I tried the method where you put 20 hot coals in the center of the coals. The WSM was still at 250 on the grate when I finished about 15 hrs later. I'd say that worked real nice! Thanks for the suggestions!!

 

[Enrico Brandizzi]

Im using my 22 WSM only w/ ATC for long and slow cooks. So no way for me to re use old briqs. Only fresh ones. If the used are still pretty enough, I use them for grilling. I look for steady long cooks.

 

[Craig Wallace]

Nothing wrong with old charcoal

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.

Dale, I agree. I use my performer several times a week and my 22.5 WSM once or twice a month doing some 20 to 30 hour cooks with large briskets and butts. I've never had a problem or noticed any taste differences from using used briquettes. The only thing I toss is fine ash; everything else I use for combustion. In fact, I find the used briquettes get going faster so I usually put them on the bottom of my chimney to crank up the new briquettes quicker. As with most things, there's more than one way to get things done.

CraigW

 

[JRAiona]

I do not have a charcoal grill, just my WSM. Like Robert I want to keep my cooks as predictable as possible so I do not reuse my charcoal.