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question on re using charcoal

tom in ct
tom in ct Posts: 13
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hi Everyone. This is my first post. I have been lurking on the forum for about a year, and have been the happy owner of a Large BGE for about 3 months.

My question is about reusing charcoal. I an finding after every 2 or 3 cooks, a lot of my charcoal is reduced to size of pebbles. The small size inhibits airflow, and makes it harder to get up to temp. I end up needing to throw out the small stuff before I put in fresh lump on top.

Is this normal? Is it because I do more high temp cooks then low and slow? It seems like I am wasting good fuel.

Comments

  • cookn biker
    cookn biker Posts: 13,407
    Yes, that is normal. What I do after a few cooks is pull all the old lump out into a container. Clean out the ash, add new on the bottom and top with the old. I also add a few new on top. They seem to light better. Hope that helps you.
    Molly
    Colorado Springs
    "Loney Queen"
    "Respect your fellow human being, treat them fairly, disagree with them honestly, enjoy their friendship, explore your thoughts about one another candidly, work together for a common goal and help one another achieve it."
    Bill Bradley; American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, former U.S. Senator from New Jersey
    LBGE, MBGE, SBGE , MiniBGE and a Mini Mini BGE
  • Jasper
    Jasper Posts: 378
    Hi there welcome to the forums! What I do is scrape all the old bits to one side of the fire grate and add new lump to the open parts of the grate. This has always worked for me.
  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    Welcome to the forum Tom. Tim :)

    What Molly said. ;)
  • Lovenbrau
    Lovenbrau Posts: 307
    I do as Jasper does, but will pull some of the old "pebbles" over the new stuff after I light it.
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Hey, Tom! Welcome to the madhouse!

    I just stir whatever's in there to get rid of the ash and then fill it up with new lump. Then, I use a wiggle rod to open any holes plugged with the small bits. If I'm going for a hi temp cook, I might start from scratch, but mostly, I don't. Seems to work for me.

    What part of CT? I'm in the Hartford area.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • Big'un
    Big'un Posts: 5,909
    Just add the rubble that is left to the top of your new stack of lump and it won't go to waste.
  • I'm from Stratford.
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    I think there are a couple of eggers down your way. BobS maybe?

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • PaulR
    PaulR Posts: 9
    Thank you.  I've been enjoying my BGE for almost a year, but the reusing coals has been a problem.  
  • Hey @paulr welcome to the zoo! Jump in and ask for help when needed. Start your own thread if needed and you'll get plenty of help. And for God's sake, post some cooks, pic or it didn't happen!
  • Zmokin
    Zmokin Posts: 1,938
    Yes, that is normal. What I do after a few cooks is pull all the old lump out into a container. Clean out the ash, add new on the bottom and top with the old. I also add a few new on top. They seem to light better. Hope that helps you.
    Ditto
    Large BGE in a Sole' Gourmet Table
    Using the Black Cast Iron grill, Plate Setter,
     and a BBQ Guru temp controller.

    Medium BGE in custom modified off-road nest.
    Black Cast Iron grill, Plate Setter, and a Party-Q temp controller.

    Location: somewhere West of the Mason-Dixon Line
  • Ditto +2 for what @Cookn biker said. 
  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208
    Welcome to the eggdiction forum !!!

    I just stir old lump, clean out under firebox, pour in new from bag...relight.

    When I do a complete cleaning, every 5-7 cooks, then I pour in new lump after cleaning, pour old lump (after seperating ashes) on top, then relight.

    Mine is an XL, so I don't know how much larger the fire grate holes are than smaller size eggs. But, I have never had an airflow problem.

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


  • Reading this thread I almost forgot what it was like before the high-que grate. No more wiggle stick, clogged holes, troubles getting up to pizza temps, etc. Most times I don't even bother stirring the used coal or cleaning ash. Just dump a fresh layer on top and light. It's that easy.
  • YEMTrey
    YEMTrey Posts: 6,829
    Wow.  At first I got excited because I saw Cookn Biker posting.  Then quickly realized it was from 2010.  One of my favorite posters and chefs.  Their cooks and pics are amazing.
    Steve 
    XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio

  • I agree with D_Train. I used to have a lot of problems like this before I got the High-Que grate and ditched the BGE fire grate. That's almost a required Egg upgrade.
  • itsmce
    itsmce Posts: 410
    My High-Que grate was a "welcome to Egging" gift from my brother and sis-in-law. LOVE it! Never have airflow problems. Wiggle stick? Sounds interesting...
    Large (sometimes wish it were an XL) in KS
  • If you looking for an upgraded grate contact Jonathan @stlcharcoal he also offers a similar grate to the High-Que for a little less.  I have had one for a year and it has worked well.
    Edina, MN

  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208
    @STLCHARCOAL...

    Will your grate solve the "wobbly/unstable" grate issue mentioned in the other thread on the MED size eggs ??

    Thanks,

    DD

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


  • stlcharcoal
    stlcharcoal Posts: 4,684

    @dldawes1 @budgeezer

    We don't make fire grates anymore.

    They would move around just as much as the BGE one; however, there was really no need to agitate the charcoal since the ash just fell through on its own.

  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 11,456
    YEMTrey said:
    Wow.  At first I got excited because I saw Cookn Biker posting.  Then quickly realized it was from 2010.  One of my favorite posters and chefs.  Their cooks and pics are amazing.
    Agree. They are very active on FB.
    canuckland
  • tksmoke
    tksmoke Posts: 776
    @PaulR - Welcome aboard!!  The fire grate issue is somewhat dependent on the Egg size and vintage.  I have a Medium with the High-Que  grate, which virtually eliminates the clogging problem.  I also have an almost 3 year old XL, and clogging has never been a problem with the stock grate.  A friend's XL is a year older, and has smaller holes in the fire grate.  I just looked, and High-Que now has a fire grate for the XL.  If I remember correctly, folks have been using a weber 18" SS cooking grid as a fire grate for the XL with good success.
    Santa Paula, CA
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    Welcome
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN