Using partially burned Kingsford

[Rita Y]

I have a small bucket full of partially burned Kingsford. Some of the briquettes look more porous than new ones.

Does anyone have any recommendations and thoughts on using leftover Kingsford?

If I use a chimney full of partially burned coals will I get the same heat level as a chimney full of fresh briquettes?

Rita

 

[Kevin Taylor]

Rita...

I use the leftover, un-burnt coals from previous cooks all the time. However, if they sit too long and you have high humidity(rain or snow), they will become ruined.

I would use fresh briqs in the chimney and use the used ones in the fire ring.

 

[Guest]

Rita,

I usually use a mix of new charcoal in the bottom of the charcoal ring, leftover charcoal on top, and fresh charcoal in the chimney. I think the heat level and burn times are probably less then all fresh charcoal, but I'm always able to get to good BBq temps.

 

[Rita Y]

Thanks Kevin and Doug,
One time I used 100% leftover Kingsford when I had a lot of it hanging around and thought it would be fine for a 2- or 3-hour cook. Not so. I used the same volume of partially-burned coals as I normally would have used in new coals and I couldn't get the WSM up to 250?F using the same or similar vent settings (under similar weather conditions).

So it looks as if partially-burned coals can only be used to top off new ones, probably less than 50% of the total coals needed.

If anyone has any other ideas or comments, please chime in!
Rita

 

[Guest]

Rita,

I always just leave the partially burnt coals in the WSM and cover them with fresh ones next time (unless I'm doing an overnighter, in which case I use all new coals). If you're concerned with cleanliness, you can wire the charcoal chamber to the grate, lift it out after a cook, dump the ashes out of the bowl and reassemble. I get similar results whether using new or mixed coals.

Steve

 

[Rita Y]

Steve....Actually, I did wire the charcoal ring to the grate - another of a long list of nifty suggestions by Jim Minion. But rather than leave the used coals in the grate, I'd stored them for 3 or 4 months, but not airtight. I think Kevin's thought about humidity/moisture in the ones I'd stored was partially the culprit, as well as trying to use all old coals instead of a mix, as you and everyone else do. I had to try it once.....and only once!

Thanks for the input,
Rita