SheikYerbuti Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 (edited) Help a n00b out: So I've always worked with gas grills. I just got my first ever charcoal grill and I have a basic question. I'm done cooking and the bottom of the grill is filled with ash. How do I get it out of there? Is there a special shovel I can buy or something? And what should I do with the ash? Garbage? Or is there any other use for it? Edited August 1, 2007 by SheikYerbuti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Help a n00b out: So I've always worked with gas grills. I just got my first ever charcoal grill and I have a basic question. I'm done cooking and the bottom of the grill is filled with ash. How do I get it out of there? Is there a special shovel I can buy or something? And what should I do with the ash? Garbage? Or is there any other use for it? I use it to fill the kid's sandbox. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I use it to fill the kid's sandbox. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. That, or work it into your mulch in an approx 1:5 ratio, for better results. It MIGHT be 1:5, someone surely knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I've been charcoaling for some time now -- I don't touch the gas stuff. The following is what I do -- not saying it's right or anything. 1. I use a green bean can to scoop the ash up. I usually leave the ash in the pit until the next time I grill, to ensure everything is cool. I scoop the ash into the previous charcoal bag, until it gets full. 2. I just throw the bag of ash away, but I have heard it does work good for trees -- sprinkle some around the base. I tried it, and it just makes a mess. I'm sure it does some good, but I couldn't tell. I'm interested in this point as well. Enjoy the charcoal! I'm trying to work with hickory, oak, and apple now. But, can't find any suppliers of that in these parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I've been charcoaling for some time now -- I don't touch the gas stuff. The following is what I do -- not saying it's right or anything. 1. I use a green bean can to scoop the ash up. I usually leave the ash in the pit until the next time I grill, to ensure everything is cool. I scoop the ash into the previous charcoal bag, until it gets full. 2. I just throw the bag of ash away, but I have heard it does work good for trees -- sprinkle some around the base. I tried it, and it just makes a mess. I'm sure it does some good, but I couldn't tell. I'm interested in this point as well. Enjoy the charcoal! I'm trying to work with hickory, oak, and apple now. But, can't find any suppliers of that in these parts. What if you don't like green beans? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 (edited) What if you don't like green beans? Dump them out and still use the can Edited August 1, 2007 by Puddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 What if you don't like green beans? Then try snaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Roller Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 We like to put the ashes in coffee cans and label them "Grandma", "Pops", "Spot", etc. and put them on the mantel for conversation pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PantherDave Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I have an "ash pan" with my grill, the charcaol pan has dime size hole in it to allow the coals to breath and reach optimal temp. When mine are cool, I rake the ash back and forth and it falls into the ash pan. Then slide the ash pan out and I dump it around the base of a nice sized water oak in the backyard at the treeline. This is your first charcaol grill, so you'll learn the ropes, but most all the higher end Webers and such( I have a Royal Oak Classic) come with a ash pan or ash can that you can rake them into and then dump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Just dig a pit to dump it all in... call it the ash hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 We like to put the ashes in coffee cans and label them "Grandma", "Pops", "Spot", etc. and put them on the mantel for conversation pieces. Just dig a pit to dump it all in... call it the ash hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted August 3, 2007 Author Share Posted August 3, 2007 This is your first charcaol grill, so you'll learn the ropes, but most all the higher end Webers and such( I have a Royal Oak Classic) come with a ash pan or ash can that you can rake them into and then dump. Uh, this ain't no high end grill. . .I went cheap to start out. Made my first meal tonight: Cornish hens with a spice rub, sweet potatoes and corn in the husk. Everything came out fantastic, but I think the temperature gauge is not working correctly. I got a nice sear on the hen skin, and the potatoes were grill marked and fork tender in about half an hour, but the temp gauge never went above 250 degrees. I just assumed it's busted, since I've always had a hard time finding a probe thermometer that ever works (like the one that nearly ruined my Thanksgiving bird 2 years ago). Guess I'm going to have to learn to cook things "until they're done", rather than rely on the temp gauge. So far my instincts are right on. Yummy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaP'N GRuNGe Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 We like to put the ashes in coffee cans and label them "Grandma", "Pops", "Spot", etc. and put them on the mantel for conversation pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaP'N GRuNGe Posted August 3, 2007 Share Posted August 3, 2007 Just dig a pit to dump it all in... call it the ash hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFRO Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 Uh, this ain't no high end grill. . .I went cheap to start out. Made my first meal tonight: Cornish hens with a spice rub, sweet potatoes and corn in the husk. Everything came out fantastic, but I think the temperature gauge is not working correctly. I got a nice sear on the hen skin, and the potatoes were grill marked and fork tender in about half an hour, but the temp gauge never went above 250 degrees. I just assumed it's busted, since I've always had a hard time finding a probe thermometer that ever works (like the one that nearly ruined my Thanksgiving bird 2 years ago). Guess I'm going to have to learn to cook things "until they're done", rather than rely on the temp gauge. So far my instincts are right on. Yummy! Yeah, the grillin takes some time to master..(and maybe a few beers) you dont need no stinking thermometer, the food will tell you when its done (ha ha) Here are some tips I would reccoment. 1) if there is "red-junk" spewing/seeping from the beast you are cooking then its not quite finished; look for the liquid to become clear-er or oil like in nature, kinda brownish/oily-ish & you should be ok. Pork you have got to watch out for, make sure that stuff is done! sounds like you have things under control anyhow though... 2) I make a stack of the coals -typically in the center- and have some room on the edges,or to one side so I have the option to cook some things slower.. 3) different foods cook at different rates (thickness is also a factor) 4) sometimes I place some foil on the top to create that pan on the oven effect, but you dont need to get crazy, & its a nice change up. plus you still get the charcoal flaver. you may wanna touch it up with a little nonstick spray with something like chicken sometimes the skin sticks to the foil.. I try to use enough foil to allow a shallow rim so it wont leak once the juice starts flowing from the beast, as that can cause for grease fire or extinguishing of the coals if too much juice gets on the coals. 5) other then Potatoes, and corn-on-the-cob most veggies only need alittle bit of grillin... I do them last when the heat is still going but not the full strength...(or on the edge so they cook slower) and the guys told you about cleaning the ash.. I do the old bag = container for old ash method aswell. with a mix of the feed the shrubs/yard... "Grama Pops Spot"..lol classic Roller.. PM me if you have any other concerns or questions I may be of assistance. Happy Grilling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 Yeah, the grillin takes some time to master..(and maybe a few beers) you dont need no stinking thermometer, the food will tell you when its done (ha ha) Here are some tips I would reccoment. 1) if there is "red-junk" spewing/seeping from the beast you are cooking then its not quite finished; look for the liquid to become clear-er or oil like in nature, kinda brownish/oily-ish & you should be ok. Pork you have got to watch out for, make sure that stuff is done! sounds like you have things under control anyhow though... 2) I make a stack of the coals -typically in the center- and have some room on the edges,or to one side so I have the option to cook some things slower.. 3) different foods cook at different rates (thickness is also a factor) 4) sometimes I place some foil on the top to create that pan on the oven effect, but you dont need to get crazy, & its a nice change up. plus you still get the charcoal flaver. you may wanna touch it up with a little nonstick spray with something like chicken sometimes the skin sticks to the foil.. I try to use enough foil to allow a shallow rim so it wont leak once the juice starts flowing from the beast, as that can cause for grease fire or extinguishing of the coals if too much juice gets on the coals. 5) other then Potatoes, and corn-on-the-cob most veggies only need alittle bit of grillin... I do them last when the heat is still going but not the full strength...(or on the edge so they cook slower) and the guys told you about cleaning the ash.. I do the old bag = container for old ash method aswell. with a mix of the feed the shrubs/yard... "Grama Pops Spot"..lol classic Roller.. PM me if you have any other concerns or questions I may be of assistance. Happy Grilling Good stuff here. Thanks. Since my last post I used the smoker to do a whole turkey breast with hickory smoke. Took about 4 hours. Didn't love the flavor on the day of, but after a day in the fridge it made FANTASTIC smoked turkey sammiches. One of the problems with the one I bought (aside from the broken thermometer) was that there wasn't enough square footage. So I went out and bought a SECOND one. What the hell, it was so cheap I figured why not. And the thermometer on the newer one worked perfectly. So now I can grill on one and smoke on the other at the same time. I'm hosting 3 drafts at the end of this month, and I have a feeling they're going to be huge successes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted August 7, 2007 Author Share Posted August 7, 2007 Holy crap. . .I just posted the word "Huge". . .and it didn't filter into "Hugh". . . .is this the Huddle?? Am I lost??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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