How to Safely Extinguish a Charcoal Grill

When barbecue season hits, there’s nothing quite like charcoal. It’s one of the best ways to infuse food with smoky flavor and lets you cook at higher temperatures than most other grills. But grilling isn’t just about knowing how to light your charcoal—you also need to know how to extinguish your charcoal grill when you’re done.

Gas and electric grills are easy to put out—just turn off the heat source and they’ll cool down quickly. If you’re new to grilling, charcoal grills can be a bit trickier to extinguish since hot coals don’t cool down right away. But once you get the hang of it, putting out a charcoal grill is simple.

How to Extinguish a Charcoal Grill

Close the Lid The best way to extinguish charcoal is to close your grill’s lid, cutting off the charcoal’s air supply. Fire needs oxygen to burn, so by completely covering the grill, the flames will die out and the charcoal will cool. It can take up to two days for charcoal to fully cool; there’s no safer or faster way to extinguish a charcoal grill than letting the coals cool down naturally.

Remove the Charcoal Once they’re no longer hot, you can remove larger pieces of charcoal, store them in a dry place, and reuse them for your next cookout.

After they’ve completely cooled, remove all coals and ash and wrap them in aluminum foil (or place them in a metal container like a coffee can). Then, toss them in an outdoor garbage can.

What NOT to Do

While it might seem like a quick fix, never pour water on hot coals. Water turns to steam when it hits coals and can scald you if you’re not careful. Hot water can also damage your grill, making it more prone to cracks and holes in the metal. If you want your grill to last for several summers of backyard BBQs, stick to letting the coals slowly burn out and cool.

How to Put Out a Charcoal Grill Fire

Hopefully, you’ll never have to put out a charcoal fire, but it’s always good to be prepared just in case. Regardless of what kind of grill you’re using, always have a fire extinguisher nearby when you’re barbecuing, just in case. Instead of leaning it against the grill, keep it in an easily accessible spot. You might occasionally see small flare-ups; these are just sudden bursts of flame, usually caused by grease from food dripping onto the coals. Flare-ups can often be controlled by moving food to another part of the grill. You can also close your grill’s lid to extinguish a flare-up.

How to Clean a Charcoal Grill

Keeping your grill clean helps eliminate the possibility of fires and keeps your grilled food tasting its best. After the coals have completely cooled, do the following:

• Handle the coals as instructed above.
• Scrub the grill grates with a long-handled stainless steel brush or a bristle-free brush.
• Wash the grill grates and the grill with a wire brush and mild soap. Dry the grill thoroughly to prevent rusting. Cover the grill and put it away, ready for next time.

Using a charcoal grill is easy once you have the right knowledge. Once you master how to light and extinguish your charcoal grill, you can focus on what really matters—creating the perfect summer BBQ ribs and steak recipes.