How long does charcoal stay hot?

Grilling is one of the most popular ways of cooking. Not only is it incredibly fun, but it also never fails to produce great results.

While you have the option of cooking with gas or other more modern grilling methods, you can never go wrong with the classic: grilling over charcoal.

One of the most frequently asked questions that inevitably arises among home cooks is:

How long does coal stay hot?

Most of the time, charcoal stays hot for up to an hour. This can vary depending on how well the fire has been maintained, and if you are careful to maintain it, the charcoal can stay hot for a long time.

This is a fair question, especially for beginners who know very little about the process of cooking with this type of material. The short answer to this: about an hour.

However, there are also other factors that need to be taken into account to determine exactly how long your charcoal will stay hot.

Luckily, we’re here to keep things simple. Here are some tips to remember, from the proper preparatory steps to optimizing the longevity of your charcoal.

We’ll help you make sure your charcoal doesn’t go out.

How long does a charcoal grill stay hot?

A charcoal grill will typically stay hot for up to an hour before burning. This can vary a bit depending on how hot it was to start with (for example, if it was on high or medium heat).

However, if you do your job right and keep fueling the fire, your charcoal grill can stay at maximum temperatures for hours on end. Just remember that charcoal will burn pretty quickly.

As you may have guessed, charcoal grills need charcoal for fuel. To create the flames and heat you need for grilling, you’ll need to make sure there’s charcoal in the bottom of the grill.

Soak the charcoal with lighter fluid, then drop a lit match or use a lighter to get it going.

It is worth mentioning that a typical charcoal grill takes 25-30 minutes to reach the optimal heat levels needed to properly cook food. In order to keep cooking, you have to make sure that you constantly burn the materials, in this case, the charcoal.

So you’ll have to keep an eye on your grill to make sure the fire doesn’t go out and your efforts go to waste.

After all, the prospect of turning the grill back on and waiting for it to heat up again can be quite frustrating, especially when you have guests expecting a delicious meal.

How long do coals stay hot after grilling?

If you’ve finished grilling and want to know how long you should be careful on the grill, you’ll want to know how long it takes for the coals to burn down.

In most cases, the embers should only take fifteen to thirty minutes to burn down on their own.

Be aware, however, that your charcoal grill can take up to two days to fully cool down, and your charcoal may be smoldering on the last few coals for a while.

This is because the safest way to cool down your grill and turn it off is to simply close the lid and leave it - ideally up to two days - to slowly burn down and cool down.

Once you’ve finished grilling, you can let the coals burn themselves out. As we have already said, this will happen naturally if you stop attending to the flames.

What to do with the coals after grilling

Once the fire has died down, you should let the hot coals sit for a while. The last thing you want is to throw away the hot coals immediately after grilling . Doing so is very careless and dangerous. After all, hot coals are still a fire hazard.

When you use the grill, you will be left with the ashes from the burned charcoal you used earlier. This can build up and cause the flames to burn down more quickly.

Therefore, it is also important to remove some of the ashes from the grill before attempting to light it. The ash will suffocate the charcoal so it can’t get the airflow it needs to fuel the fire.

It is good that you acquire these habits so that you do them continuously while grilling. These tips will make the fire last longer so you get the perfectly grilled, or seared, meat you hoped for.

There is a misconception that charcoal grilling is a cumbersome activity. Nothing could be further from the truth, at least if you know what you are doing. Make sure you remember this guide and you’ll be grilling in no time.

How to make sure charcoal stays hot

When cooking with a charcoal grill, there are several things to keep in mind.

However, none is as important as making sure you stay warm. Understanding how coals work will help make this and the entire cooking experience much more comfortable.

prepare the coals

First of all, there are a couple of steps you need to take before you start cooking with your charcoal grill. For example, you have to make sure that you give the charcoal enough time to reach its optimum temperature.

Luckily, this stage shouldn’t take too long. For example, it only takes about 10 minutes to reach high heat, while it can take up to 25 minutes to reach medium heat levels.

Just remember to keep the lid open during this time so the fire can breathe.

How to keep warm - Tips

This brings us to the next question that must be answered: how to keep warm?

This is incredibly important, as it can be the difference between a smooth grilling experience and an arduous one. Luckily, there are several ways to keep the fire piping hot:

• Put out the fire - One of the easiest ways to let the fire burn out is to leave the charcoal alone. By letting the coals sit still, you are letting them burn unevenly, which lessens the power of your flames. If left uncontrolled and unmoved, the fire will inevitably go out. Remember that moving the charcoal regularly is a basic rule of thumb for cooking with charcoal grills. Doing so helps stoke the fire and keep it warm.
• Add more lighter fluid - Another effective method of maintaining a fire is to add more lighter fluid. This shouldn’t surprise you, as it’s also the easiest way to light the flame. However, you must be careful when adding the liquid, as it is incredibly flammable. Although it won’t burn, the fire will certainly get bigger before settling into a more constant burn, so better be careful. Also keep in mind that, in addition, you must take care that the liquid is distributed evenly throughout different points of the grill to ensure that the heat is even throughout the entire grill.
• Ensure proper airflow - This is an often neglected aspect of charcoal grilling that you should always remember. Keep in mind that the fire needs oxygen to keep burning. Therefore, adequate air circulation is just as important as a constant supply of fuel. Luckily, this is not a complicated matter, since stoking the fire and moving the charcoal helps to ensure air circulation. There are also charcoal grills with vents that you can open when you need help with this task.
• Use the paper as additional fuel - As we have already said, the secret to keeping the fire going is to always have a constant source of fuel. At the same time, you also need the fire to burn at a constant level. Throwing a few pieces of paper on the fire helps solve both of these problems. Most people use old newsprint as it is incredibly easy to burn. Be sure to do this regularly if you want your fire to burn steadily and evenly. Also keep in mind that you can throw in pieces of paper to ensure that all sides of the grill heat up evenly.

Can I add more charcoal while cooking?

This is another question that arises. The answer is a resounding yes, you can add more charcoal while cooking.

After all, the things mentioned above can’t do much. Even adding pieces of paper as a secondary fuel source is only effective for so long.

There are some situations where you will simply have to add charcoal. This is especially true if you cook for hours. Adding charcoal will be important if you want to keep the heat constant enough to continue grilling.

Of course, there is a proper way to go about this task, and it’s not as simple as emptying an entire bag onto your grill.

You have to be smart about it. As a general rule, you should add charcoal every 30 minutes. That time should be enough to keep your fire hot and your barbecue dishes well cooked.

Although it may seem annoying, it is unavoidable. After all, the ultimate goal is for your food to cook well and evenly.

The only way to do this is to ensure that the fire burns steadily and that the internal temperature of your food never drops below a certain level. If this is not guaranteed, the results will most likely be disastrous.

So here are a couple of things to remember when adding charcoal to cook your food well:

• Keep track of time intervals - Make sure you keep track of how much charcoal you add and how often. By keeping track of these intervals, you can achieve a more consistent temperature for your grill, which, in turn, ensures better grilling results.
• Promote proper airflow - Once you add the additional charcoal, there’s another crucial step you can’t forget: promoting proper airflow. There are two ways to do it. First of all, you can stoke the fire and move the coals from one side to the other. Second, you can open the vents on the side of the grill to allow air to circulate.