What to do when done cooking?


 
S

Scott Zabolotzky

New member
I've seen references to closing all the vents to kill the fire but since the smoker isn't air-tight I would think that this would just allow the remaining charcoal to smolder for a long time.

My initial reaction is to just take off the lid and open all the vents to allow the charcoal to burn out more quickly. Any reason not to do this?

Scott
 
A lot if not most of us close the vents to save unused coal ! Having said that if you don't mind tossing out good unused coal then just let it burn out .

My personal advice is save the coal shut the vents and EAT
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A new cooker takes a little longer to cool down IMHO than a well gresed up cooker does .

My first couple a cooks I lost all the coal even with the vents closed BUT as it has been cooked on and greased up it saves a LOT a coal and cools quicker . gets easier to maintain your temp to after a few cooks for 2 reasons 1 you know more how the WSM reacts to small adjustments and 2 the cooker kina seals up and does its own thing . ENJOY

And WELCOME to the madness
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Close the vents. The fire should go out in a relatively short time*, leaving most of the remaining charcoal to be used later, especially if you're using lump. I cooked burgers tonight in my kettle grill, using leftover lump from my last WSM cook. A few days ago I cooked a chicken, again using recycled lump.

*If your WSM continues to burn for hours with all the vents closed, then fix the air leaks. While it isn't air tight, it should not allow a fire to continue burning with the vents shut.
 
If saving the fuel for next time, what do you do? Do you need to remove it and put it back in the chimney starter or just use a small amount of new coals in the chimney starter and then add to what was left from last time?
 
Scott,I use the leftovers for the chimney,and add new to the cooker. However,your methods might vary. Try it different ways and then see what works for you. PS-welcome to the forum.
 
As Phil said, methods vary and they all work.

I usually put them in the chimney and use them as starters for next time. If there's too many, I put semi-burnt in the chimney and any unburnt back in the bag.

I wouldn't leave the charcoal in the WSM if humidity is high or rain is forecasted. Briqs tend to absorb moisture and won't burn efficiently.
 
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