Is this a confessional?


 
I use “leftovers” in charcoal, especially when firing the Vortex! Used on the bottom, fresh in the chimney (about 1/2) intense heat, minimum cleanup. The gasser has its place too! I have more than one hammer, one screwdriver, or pair of pliers why should this too, box be any different?
 
I re-use leftover charcoal in the kettles. Agree the chimney starter is key. I used to think the charcoal grilling results were better but after years of mostly Genesis grilling I've grown to prefer the searing on gas. The key for me is using temperature probes for the cook box temp and the meat itself.
 
Bruno said:
Honestly I just find it easier and more convenient starting from fresh each time.
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Whatever works! :)

I use new when I'm firing up the smoker, but my kettles dampen down so well, that I sometimes end up with a good bit of charcoal.

I'll put a few new briquettes in the chimney, and pile up whatever was leftover from the previous cook on top of that. I can't bring myself to waste perfectly good charcoal. :cool:
 
When I was a kid (60's), my neighbor, an older guy, had a coal burner. I remember watching him and he would open up a half gallon milk carton and fill it 3/4 full with water. Then he would scoop out the charcoal after his cooks and drop them in there. Then take them out and store them to dry out for the next cook. Talk about Thrify.
 
I don't reuse coal in a kettle very often, especially if I used briquettes.

The E6 using char baskets is easy to reuse coal. I shake the ash away, light a couple of grease soaked paper towels, add a little more lump on top and it goes. Same with the BGE and a kickash basket.

If I'm doing a real long cook or a hot cook like pizza then I'll start with fresh.
 
Yeah, I’ve got no hangups about slapping on a pair of nitrile gloves and sifting the leftover charcoal out of the ash. I won’t reuse it on a long cook, either - there’s too much variability as the relative surface area goes up as the pieces burn down.
 
Anybody here make their own charcoal from hardwood scraps?

I’ve never done it but I know it’s possible.
 
John_NJ said:
Anybody here make their own charcoal from hardwood scraps?

I’ve never done it but I know it’s possible.
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I had a large split of oak in my E6 for pizza night on Saturday, and on Sunday morning I had some extra charcoal. This pile was the leftover KPro and the remnants of the oak. Made me wonder if I should toss some wood in when I'm shutting down a hot bed of coals.

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I reused this pile. About a third went in the BGE to smoke a tri tip and the rest was used on the E6 with a vortex to grill some chicken thighs and to reverse sear the Tri Tip. It was a really skinny tri tip.

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DanHoo said:
Made me wonder if I should toss some wood in when I'm shutting down a hot bed of coals.
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I would bet that it would be so oxygen-starved that you’d just generate a ton of creosote, if the oak even ignited at all. If you left the vents open until it was completely lit and then shut it down, that would probably work a lot better.
 
LeeHarvey said:
I would bet that it would be so oxygen-starved that you’d just generate a ton of creosote, if the oak even ignited at all. If you left the vents open until it was completely lit and then shut it down, that would probably work a lot better.
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OK. Maybe I won't make my own charcoal 🤔
 
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