Any tips on getting ash out?

Topo Gigio

I know you can vacuum it all out, but I don't vacuum unless I'm doing a long slow cook.[p]My Large Egg sits in a nest. Right now, I use a grocery bag, tie the two bag handles to the top of the two inside nest legs so the bad hangs open at the vent. This holds the bag for me while I use the ash tool to scrape into the bag. [p]Anybody have any other good good tips or tricks?

Mark Backer

Topo Gigio,[p]I have two five gallon HD buckets (cost unknown) and two five quart steel buckets that cost about $1.50 each. [p]I keep one steel bucket under the large and one under the small (both in nests) and this keeps them dry. [p]When seriously cleaning out the large, I put the steel bucket inside and on it's side and push everything in it and dump it into one of the two buckets. (I actually sort the good from the shake, and THAT goes into the second bucket). [p]To clean out the ash, I slide the five gallon bucket up and it fits nicely just under a nested large and far enough under that it catches anything sliding out with the tool.[p]Basically I have a trash / small ash and chunk bucket that everything goes into that I can't re-use and the other bucket holds the re-usable chunks which I save and use later.[p]This was awfully wordy. Sorry. But basically a 5 gal bucket will make it much easier.

Unknown

I use an aluminum pie plate. Hold it under the hole and rake your ash into it. I never get more than a couple of handfulls after a cook.

Mark Backer

Egguitar,[p]Well sure, if you want to do it the easy way...

Inna Avrelina

Two words. Shop Vac.

Mark Backer

Alan P,[p]One word: wife[p](ducking head to avoid flying skillet)

Smoked Signals

Topo Gigio,
I use a small hand trowel and open the bottom vent up. I drag the shovel on the bottom of the cooker and scoop out the ash. This can be done while the cooker is running. I did a 48 hour continous cook and kept dumping lump in the top and scraping ash out the bottom. Cooked 12 butts last weekend ... could not have maintained temp unless I scooped the ash out. I just take the hot ash and dump it in a bucket to cool. The hand trowel was my wifes for planting flowers ... now its mine for ash. She can go buy a new shovel. ;-)[p]Do not put it in the old drip pans ... grease + hot charcoal = big smoke and possible fire on the deck.[p]Doug

StumpBaby

Mark Backer,[p]
Holy crap Mark. Do you use a backhoe to lift your toilet seat too ?[p]I can't even begin to figure that out. You got too many buckets I guess. Your in the wrong place if your fishin for bucket envy from us eggers.[p]
Me..I use a big spoon....sooo..hitech...I mean it aint like wipin your butt for cryin out loud..you CAN leave kibbles in there without hurtin anythin.[p]StumpBaby[p]

Mark Backer

StumpBaby,[p]Oh, I use a spoon too...
LOL

fishlessman

Topo Gigio,
i scoop it out with my lawnranger grid lifter and dump it into the empty wicked good bag for disposal.about every 3-5 bags worth. not fussy with keeping it clean, only remove the firebox when i can see the ash builtup thru the holes

Unknown

Topo Gigio,
I use a craftsman vacuum cleaner as long as the coals are cold, I've sucked the ashes out and never had one problem in 5 years, I tap the filter out after maybe 4 cleanings, its the only way I would get the junk out as removing the crate you could drop it and crack it.

Crab leg

Topo Gigio,
I posted about 3 or 4 years ago that every guy out there should request a cheap 1 gallon shop vac for father's day so it could be used just for the egg. That is what I use, and fathers day is coming up, so give that a try. If you are not a father, I reccommend NOT answering the phone that day. Never know what you might find on the other end!!
Seth

tach18k

Mark Backer,
I thought everything came out the ash hole???
If I cant get it out with the ash hole, I use a vaccum from the other side. :-)

Mark Backer

tach18k,[p]You have to be careful sticking things in your ash hole. You never know what you might find in there. (see stump's momma).