How Long To Let Charcoal Burn Before Cooking

When you are lighting a charcoal grill, it is important to know when the coals will be ready. If they are not hot enough before cooking on them, then your food will take longer to cook and may not taste as great.

A charcoal grill is ready to cook on when the lit coals have light gray ash over them. The best way to check that your barbecue has reached this level of readiness is with an instant-read thermometer inserted through one of the vents at the bottom or side of the cooking chamber, checking for 320°F (160°C) or above.

Another way is by looking at how much smoke there is coming from the chimney. You should also wait until all of the flames die down before cooking on it.

Cooking with black coal can leave behind a burnt flavor in your meat, so we recommend waiting for it to turn white or gray instead!

When cooking on the grill, you have several decisions that need to be made: how long will you cook for? Will you cover the grill or leave it uncovered? Is it okay if I use black coal before it gets hot?

In this article, we'll discuss these questions and more so that when you're ready to fire up your charcoal grill with confidence.

How Long Do You Let Charcoal Burn Before Cooking?

When you light up your charcoal grill, it normally takes about 15-20 minutes to get hot enough to cook on.

The grill gets hot enough to cook on when there is a thin layer of gray ash over the coals. When cooking, it's important not to leave the food sitting in one place for too long because that will cause it to burn and become dry.

There are a few ways you can tell when your charcoal grill is ready to cook on after lighting it:

– When the coals have turned gray ash

– When there's an even layer of glowing red embers with no dark spots (bright spots)

– When the coals are completely covered with gray ash and still producing heat

– If you can smell the smoke coming off of them.

If your charcoal grill is not ready to cook on, keep it uncovered for about 15 minutes or until:

– The flames have died down (or they're 100% out)

– The coals have turned gray ash

– When there's an even layer of glowing red embers with no dark spots (bright spots)

– When the coals are completely covered with gray ash and still producing heat.

If you've already started cooking, leave your grill uncovered for about 15 minutes.

If you are grilling many foods at once then rotating them every few minutes should help to ensure that they are cooked evenly.

Foil can be used to cover the grill when it's not in use but is less necessary because there is no flare-up and cooking over charcoal doesn't generate as much smoke or grease so keeping it covered will make your next cookout more pleasant for you, guests, and neighbors.

How Long Does a Charcoal Grill Stay Hot?

After the charcoal grill is hot, you'll have an hour to cook your food before the charcoal burns out. This is especially so when using charcoal briquettes. You'll obtain a steady cooking temperature to whip out a delicious meal.

When using charcoal lump charcoal, the time is shorter as they burn out more quickly. You'll have about 40 minutes to cook before you can add more charcoal.

Your grilling environment plays a role in determining how quickly charcoal will burn out. For example, if it's windy, the charcoal will burn out quickly as wind encourages combustion.

Cooking over charcoal is environmentally friendly and inexpensive for those who want to grill outdoors without using gas or electricity.

To prolong your cooking time, ensure that you densely pack the charcoal when arranging on the grill.

Can You Cook on Black Charcoal?

Yes, you can cook on black charcoal. However, it will affect your cooking time as the black charcoal may not be hot enough to provide the needed temperature.

When you add black charcoal to an already burning bunch, they'll only be a slight drop in hotness. The fire is likely to catch up quickly. Ensure that you open the lid of the grill to facilitate faster heat spread.

The downside is that when the black coals finally heat up, controlling the temperature will be a challenge.

If you don't give black charcoal adequate time to heat up from the start, it may end up affecting the taste of your food.

The charcoal will stay hot for a long time so people often cook over it without waiting to get gray ash on the coals again, which can result in an unpleasant taste in your food. You may experience a smoky flavor of burnt charcoal.

Do You Cover a Charcoal Grill After Lighting?

Immediately after lighting the grill, cover the grill for about 20 minutes to give it adequate time to heat up. Also, ensure the vents are open to facilitate airflow.

When cooking, whether you open or close the lid is dependent on what you're cooking. For thick meat or food, it's advisable to close the lid as often as possible to give time to the food to cook.

If grilling food less than a quarter of an inch, keep the grill lid open. With this, you'll get a more crunchy and evenly cooked meal.

In simple terms, a closed grill lid with open vents means more heat while an open lid with closed vents produces less heat.

Remember to also create different zones of heat on the grill. It will give you more control when it comes to temperature monitoring.

You'll also be able to prepare a variety of meals that require varying temperatures.

Conclusion

A charcoal grill is ready to cook on when the coals have turned gray. It's necessary to close the lid of your grill for about 20 minutes to give the grill time to heat up.

It's a mistake to start cooking immediately after lighting a charcoal grill.

A charcoal grill stays hot for an hour, which gives one adequate time to cook before needing to add more coals.

Whether you grill with the lid open or closed is dependent on the amount of heat you require and the food you're grilling.