A bag of premium hardwood charcoal can cost as much as $30, but you typically only use half of it to light your grill and cook two juicy steaks for you and your wife. However, it only takes a few minutes, and at least half of the charcoal is still unburned. But instead of throwing away every piece of that barely used charcoal every time you fire up the grill again, we advise using those coals one more time. Read this article to find out how to recycle charcoal.
Can You Reuse Your Charcoal
Yes, in a nutshell. You can and should recycle your charcoal to save money. Using a charcoal smoker instead of another type of grill has the nice benefit of allowing you to reuse the charcoal.
After you are done cooking, it is a good idea to completely close the vents on your charcoal grill and put out the flames. You can save as much charcoal as you can for your subsequent cook by doing this.
If you want to clean up right away, carefully dump the coals into a metal container, like a large can or a metal bin, and cover it with a lid.
Since there will be less air to feed the combustion process, the smaller the container, the better. If I know I’ll be using the charcoal again soon, I’ll simply dump it back into my chimney starter, ready for use.
Will Your Old Charcoal Burn And Burn Hot
Your old charcoal will still burn as long as you collect the solid pieces and keep them dry.
Your old charcoal might actually be quite understanding, even if it gets a little damp. When it comes to using, damp charcoal, AlaskaGranny made some intriguing observations. She had left her charcoal out in the open and it had gotten wet. It burned even with that. Here are the results so you can see them for yourself:
But when using old charcoal, there are a few things to take into account with regard to the heat generated during combustion:
- Older charcoal will be smaller, allowing it to sit closer together and reduce airflow between the lumps. This implies that the maximum cooking temperature might not be as high as what is possible when using brand-new charcoal.
- If you want to reach temperatures around 250°F, old charcoal should be sufficient
- Consider using only brand-new charcoal for your cook if you want to reach temperatures of at least 350°F.
How To Reuse Charcoal
Here’s a tip: When you’re done grilling the next time, don’t let the coals slowly extinguish. Instead, shut off the oxygen flow and put an end to the burning of your charcoal as soon as you can.
Sweep the coals into a heatproof container with a lid even if there are flames still present (Cook’s Illustrated recommends a covered metal garbage can). Without an air supply, the flames will go out and your charcoal won’t burn out before its time.
See the instructions below on how to reuse your charcoal after it has cooled.
Fertilize Your Garden
There is proof that almost 1,500 years ago, tribes in the Amazon basin used crushed charcoal to improve poor or depleted soil. Even more so than compost or manure, charcoal enriches the soil with nutrients, according to modern science.
Many people who enjoy growing flowers, especially orchids, think that adding crushed charcoal to the soil will help it absorb toxins and become more alkaline. Perhaps you’ve just discovered the formula for the best garden in town.
Reduce Rust
Natural moisture absorption occurs in charcoal. To prevent rust, try keeping some in your toolbox in a fine-mesh bag or a pair of socks that have been folded twice.
Add Used Charcoal To Your Compost Pile
As long as you don’t add the ashes, you can add charcoal to the compost. By making the soil too alkaline, too much ash will stymie the natural process.
Make Flowers Last Longer
To keep flowers fresher longer, place one piece of charcoal or briquette under the cut stems in a flower vase. If it floats, weigh it down with glass marbles or seashells and replace the water after 4–5 days.
Reduce Odors Around The House
Put some of the smaller pieces inside a fine-mesh bag. The charcoal absorbs moisture, odors from the refrigerator, and smelly shoes.
Please make sure that it does not leak into your shoes before trying it.
Emergency Intestinal Aid
An age-old cure for diarrhea and upset stomachs is charcoal carbon. Chewing a small piece of charcoal can help your body absorb toxins and lessen symptoms if all you have is some pieces of charcoal and you’re in a remote area with no nearby amenities.
The tablets that you can buy in pharmacies are made of “activated” charcoal. In order to increase the carbon’s pores and surface area, wood charcoal underwent an industrial high-temperature process.
Use It To Shine And Polish
Consider using charcoal to brush your teeth. Although it seems absurd, people have long used it as a dentifrice. Asia loves charcoal toothpaste products.
The carbon can be used to remove rust from tools or polish silverware. Test it out first because it’s a little bit abrasive.
How To Collect And Store Your Old Charcoal
To separate the ash from the solid pieces is the main goal when collecting your used charcoal. The charcoal won’t burn as well if there is too much ash.
Use a device resembling a deep frying basket to scoop up your charcoal and shake off the ash as one method of doing this.
Squeezing the charcoal lumps is another way to check if they are worth keeping, but please don’t use the opportunity to grill your fingers. Under pressure, the pieces that are stronger will stay together. They will fall apart if they are too ashy. These lumps (or what’s left of them) aren’t really worth keeping.
Depending on when you intend to use the recycled charcoal again, you should store it differently.
- Filtering out the good lumps and just leaving them in your smoker may be the best course of action if you plan to light your charcoal barbecue soon. If you remember to put the lid back on, of course, this is a simple, quick way to store your charcoal and keep it dry.
- Finding a location in the shed to store your charcoals may be necessary if you don’t expect to use your charcoal barbecue for a while. The best container for storing charcoal is a sizable metal bucket or tub with a lid.
A word of caution: unless it’s an emergency, avoid putting out the fire with water. Ash will make the metal of your machine rust when combined with water. Furthermore, it will clog the vents.
Conclusions
If you don’t need your charcoal, there is no sense in letting it burn out. You wouldn’t turn your gas or electric stove off after you finish eating and leave it on again, would you?
Immediately after you’ve finished cooking, shut off the grill. At your next cookout, you’ll appear to be a true grilling pro while saving money and being kind to the environment.