OK - so after a cook, I close the dampers on the Weber Kettle to save the charcoal. This saves charcoal, but the briquettes are of varying sizes. Does this affect the next cook in any way, or is a chimney full still a chimney full?
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Pound for pound used charcoal, regardless of the size, doesn't last as long as new charcoal. I have not tested this but my guess is the flammable material in charcoal burns off before the binding material turns to ash, so even though you may have a similar amount of charcoal in a new pile and a used pile... you'll have a higher ratio of binding material to flammable material in used charcoal.
I'm all for reusing charcoal, just don't expect it to last as long. -
I use it in the chimney to start new coals lights really fast.
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I use the old ones to save on the amount of new ones. Mostly for grilling something quick.Comment
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RonB - it's been my experience, as with David Parrish above, that used briquettes really don't last as long as fresh briquettes. The used briquettes seem to sinter when moved around much. It seems to me that by being exposed to heat, the binding agent loses some of it's effectiveness making the used briquettes more fragile.
This is not a problem with Kingsford alone but rather with most briquettes. It even happens with a couple of well known brand of extruded charcoals I've used in the past.
I don't have any empirical evidence to back me up, just lots of experience with reusing charcoal briquettes. I generally put the used briquettes on top of the pile to get more out of them.
I don't have any problems like this when using quality lump charcoal. But then, the lump I use has no binders.Comment
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I always save & reuse my coals, whether large or small...but yeah leftovers are never as good as fresh. Whether we're talking food or charcoal
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Since i use mainly splits anything I have left is essentially lump. I'll keep it handy as starter fuel, but to be honest, I just let everything burn out usually and not worry about it.
When I use briquets in the grill I never save them, usually not enough to worry about in the first place. I just open the dampers all the way and let them go.Comment
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Thanx all for the input. I will continue to do what I have for years - save and reuse the leftover charcoal ~ RonComment
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David Parrish I've been thinking about what you said above, and if the flammable compounds have burned off, I think as least some of the flavor compounds that impart the charcoal flavor have burned off too. So I'm thinking that it might be better to place the used charcoal at the end opposite the lit charcoals in the SNS so that the meat gets "good" smoke early. Does this make sense - I'm assuming that at some point, the meat stops absorbing the smoke flavor?Comment
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RonB - smoke stops being adsorbed on most meats at about 140°-150°. Seems as if I read that somewhere on the Amazing Ribs website. That's why I always cool my cooks in the freezer before they hit the grate. That way I get great smoke on my cooks. -
What CeramicChef said. My meat stays in the 'fridge right up to the point where it goes on the grate.
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