Charcoal Grills utilize char wood, tough wood, or comparable fuel for cooking meals. The fuel source for charcoal grills is either charcoal briquettes or natural chunk charcoal. When charcoal is burnt, it turns into embers that radiate the heat needed to prepare meals.
With its incredibly realistic fragrances and flavors that one imparts on the meal, coal grilling is just the purest style of barbecue cooking. However, there is one significant disadvantage: the cleanup required after usage. It’s not just about the possibility for dirt and clutter; it’s also about the process of putting out the fire. It’s messier, tougher, and riskier than it appears. Continue reading to learn how to properly dispose of briquette ashes and how to put out a charcoal barbecue when cooking is done.
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Why Putting Out a Charcoal Grill is Important
Charcoal barbecues are simple, straightforward, and cost-effective. Smoke from charcoal grilling, as well as periodic flare-ups, produces wonderful food for us grill lovers to enjoy. Also, charcoal grills produce more heat than something like gas grills. And hot burning charcoal is not something you want to just leave alone unattended. Extinguishing the hot charcoal is something that’s part of the charcoal grilling experience, but, unfortunately, too many people just leave the charcoal burn for hours after they’ve finished cooking. The biggest threat is of course the likelihood of causing a fire. Sure the chance is low, but why take the chance at all?
Also, you’ll need to properly dispose of briquette ashes which we will discuss further later on as well.
Below are some of the reasons you want to extinguish a charcoal grill.
1. Potential Fire threat
This is the big one. Even though you may think the likelihood of something happening is low you can never predict everything or be a hundred percent sure. It’s best to be on the safe side.
Charcoal can be hot for many hours and in some case even all the way up 48 hours. All these hours of leaving hot charcoal unattended there’s a chance a fire can develop and get out of control.
2. Waste of charcoal
You can actually use some of the old charcoal next time. Depending on how burnt out they are you may not be able to get them to reach extremely high temperatures but mixed in with a bit of new charcoal it’s a great way to save a few bucks.
3. Bad for the Environment
Burning charcoal releases carbon monoxide which is bad for the environment. Sure, a grilling session won’t destroy the planet, but there’s not reason to leave it burning. The release of carbon monoxide is also part of the reason why it’s dangerous to grill indoors.
What You’ll Need for Safely Putting Out a Charcoal Grill
To correctly put out the charcoal grill, one need only a few conventional barbecue supplies including a few extras from the kitchen pantry, such as:
- Brush for grilling
- Heat-resistant gloves
- Tongs for grilling baking soda
- Spoon or Metal Scooper
- Foil made of aluminum
- Water Bucket Made of Metal
Step-by-Step Method to Put Out a Charcoal Grill
It’s quite simple to put out a coal grill safely. Turning off the oxygen supply and allowing for the embers to go down is all it takes to put out the fire. To burn, charcoal, like anything else, requires oxygen. After the charcoal has burned away any trapped air, shutting the vents completely suffocates the charcoal. Use the ash dump if the grill has one to get as much ash out as possible. Always put everything in a metal box rather than a plastic one. Scoop the leftover ash and coals from the grill’s bottom. Wrap everything in foil and place it in a steel ashcan. There’s almost no possibility that any still-live embers will catch fire using this procedure. To be safe, use metal tongs and either return them to the grill or, better yet, keep them in a fire-resistant container.
Step 1: Turn Off the Grill
Stopping the oxygen supply to the charcoal is the very first step in properly putting out the charcoal barbecue. Close both the lid and the air vents. Adjustable intake vents are regulated under the grill, while exhaust vents are located on top of the grill lid on grills like the Inferno Kettle. As even a small bit of air might keep the charcoal burning, make sure they’re all completely closed. This will deplete the oxygen in the fire and prevent the coals from burning, allowing them to be reused. If one is cooking at home, they can go dine, and the barbecue should be virtually cold by the time the dinner is over.
If people are camping or somewhere else where they need to put out a fire fast, utilize tongs or a steel spatula to push all of the ashes about until they’re no longer smoking. Just don’t do it too soon, or the coal will run out of oxygen and won’t be able to continue to burn.
Step 2: Getting Rid of Ashes & Charcoal
After turning off the grill then let it cool, pick up any residual coals with tongs or heat-resistant gloves and place it in a distinct bucket. Do not submerge burning coals in water since the steam can scorch anyone.
To use an old brush, remove the ash from the barbecue before putting it into a pail of water containing baking powder (or salt). Baking soda or salt, for example, are little non-flammable granular particles that help absorb oil and extinguish grease fires that aren’t put out by water.
Wrap it in aluminum foil and toss it in the trash once it has cooled completely. Do not put this mixture down the drain because it may cause blockages.
Step 3: Clean up the Grill
Sweep the leftover ash from the grill using a metal grilled spatula or a shovel. After that, the chamber should be thoroughly cleaned. Pay particular attention to the valves because that’s where some ash are likely to join, posing a threat to your next grill-off.
Use a wire brush to clean the lowest areas of the grill, especially the grates. Clean the grates with soap and water at your desired intervals. It’s critical to use silicone spray to lubricate these parts. The spray is an excellent anti-rust agent, extending the life of the charcoal grill.
Is It Okay to Put Water On The Charcoal Grill?
It’s never a smart option to pour water directly on hot coals.. While water can be used to finish cooling off coals which are mostly out, experts never recommend pouring water into the barbecue. Pouring water on the hot barbecue grill can harm the grill and put someone at risk. Water poured on the barbecue can create holes and cracks in the metal.
It also creates a sludge mess at the bottom of the grill to clean up, prolonging the process. When people pour water upon a hot grill, a cloud of steam forms, which can cause burns. If you dump water quickly enough, it also can send ash flying out from the grill. It can produce a flare-up, and so shouldn’t have to be sitting too close to the grill if this happens.
Conclusion
Charcoal grills are a fantastic way to prepare incredibly flavorful food, but they, like all heat sources, can be dangerous if not used properly. Cook safe and once you are done, put out the grill following the right method to make sure you can use it hassle-free the next time!
