What do you do with left-over charcoal after a cook?

[JCAP]

Hey all,
Until recently, I haven't had leftover charcoal after a smoke. Now, I have quite a bit of charcoal left after a cook (not burnt/only a bit burnt lump). After I knock the ash down and clear that out, what should I do with that charcoal? Do you let it sit in the cooker, and if so, how long ? Thanks!

 

[jcam222]

I leave mine in my cooker fire basket. If I have a lot of fines I do sometimes dump it in a bucket and use it in the chimney for starter coals.

 

[thirdeye]

I knock the ash off of used lump, then move it to the side of the charcoal basket/bowl, add some new stuff and re-use the old. If I'm doing something really delicate, like shrimp or biscuits, where I don't want much charcoal flavor, I really like using used lump so I'll scrounge some from 2 or 3 cookers and build a fire.

 

[noboundaries]

Charcoal is charcoal. After fired up and snuffed, you're left with...charcoal. Re-use. When I fire up the smoker, I knock the ash off, then load the new on top. When firing up a chimney, I'll load new first, then the used.

 

[JCAP]

Thanks for the responses all. Appreciate it!

 

[sweetride95]

If its chunky, I'll use in the chimney on the next cook. If it's pretty small, I will usually put new lit coals on top.
I find that too much fine stuff in the chimney settles in too tight and seems to choke the drafting process out. Might just be me being impatient. LOL

 

[cmayna]

Charcoal is charcoal. After fired up and snuffed, you're left with...charcoal. Re-use. When I fire up the smoker, I knock the ash off, then load the new on top. When firing up a chimney, I'll load new first, then the used.

Yup!

 

[Millberry]

Charcoal is charcoal. After fired up and snuffed, you're left with...charcoal. Re-use. When I fire up the smoker, I knock the ash off, then load the new on top. When firing up a chimney, I'll load new first, then the used.

never thunk about using it in the chimney--thanks