How To Put Out A Charcoal Grill safely

Everyone will agree that charcoal grilling is the purest form of BBQ grilling. It brings irresistible flavors and aromas to the food. However, there’s one major drawback with this grill. It requires more cleanup operation after your grilling work is done.

The problem is not only the clutter and potential debris. Putting out the charcoal grill is also more difficult than other BBQ cooking equipment. It’s not a simple process. In fact, it’s trickier, messier, and a bit more dangerous than you may think.  But there is proper procedure to follow in order to stay out of risk while putting out the charcoal grill effectively. If you want to learn how to put out a charcoal grill, here is a step-by-step process that will guide you.

Things you will need

To put out a charcoal grill in the right way, you will need some tools and some level of skill. Here are the tools you should have when extinguishing your charcoal grill.[su_list]

• Trowel or metal spatula
• Fire extinguisher
• Long tongs
• Wire brush
• Aluminum foil
• A bucket of water
• Heatproof oven mitts

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Step 1

Shut down the charcoal grill

Start by wearing heatproof oven mitts to stay safe and avoid too much heat from the grill. Take out the rack and close the grill gently. For charcoal grills with vents, be sure they are properly closed. Closing the vents will make sure you completely cover all areas where oxygen may likely pass into the grill. It will prevent any risk of fueling the fire as a result of airflow.

Coals usually take more time to completely cool down. And sometimes, you may not be entirely certain if the coal has cooled down. In this case, it’s recommended to close all the vents and leave the grill for up to 36 hours. Although it may take a little less time, it’s important to take precautions and be very sure.

Step 2:

Take out briquettes and ashes

After sure the grill is completely cooled down, take out the ashes and burned out briquettes. Scoop the remaining ashes with an ash removal and pour them in the aluminum foil before disposing them. Make sure you properly wrap the foil and dispose in a carrier or metal trash. Remember that a plastic carrier can easily melt or burn when you place hot ash or briquette on them. So, you need to avoid using plastic bin or can.

If you don’t have a lot of patience to wait until the briquette is completely cooled down, there’s an alternative. You can use a long handled tong to scoop the briquettes. But make sure you make use of another metallic container to hold the briquettes and ashes. This will prevent any exposure to heat or burns in case the briquettes are still burning.

Do not extinguish immediately with water

We cannot stress enough the importance of taking safety precautions when putting out the grill. This is one of the problems a lot of people encounter when extinguishing the grill. Spraying or pouring g water directly on the grill is absolutely not a great idea. It’s not the best way on how to put out charcoal grill. If there is any indication of heat from the grill, the best thing is to wait until you are sure the grill has cooled down. When you douse hot coal with water, it can produce may disperse more ash and create a high level of steam, which may cause nasty burns. Secondly, your grill will be at risk of cracking when this is done often.

Step 3

Dispose the aluminum foil

Do not assume that the briquette is cold when you want to transfer the wrapped aluminum foil. Take precaution by holding them with a pair of tongs when moving them to the trash can.  Try as much as possible to minimize the risk of flare up or heat hurting you.

Step 4

Clean out the charcoal grill

Use a trowel or metal spatula to clear out the ash remains in the grill. Afterwards, carry out a proper cleanup of the grill. Concentrate more on the grill vents since it’s where the bulk of ashes will gather.

Make use of a wire brush to clean the grates. Sometimes you can use water and soap to clean this area. Also, don’t forget to use silicon spray to lubricate this area once in a while to prolong the grill’s lifespan.

Step 5

Return the remaining briquettes

After making sure the briquettes have cooled down, use tongs to put the leftover briquettes back in the grill to make use of them whenever you want to grill again.

The above process on how to put out a charcoal grill is a simple and practical one. The most important thing is to be sure you take the necessary precautions in order to stay safe and prevent accidental burns.