After we are done grilling on our charcoal grill, we like to eat our food while it is still hot. However, it is also important to put out the charcoal grill as quickly and safely as possible.
The reason for this is that most of the time our grill is no longer watched, and this can be a fire hazard.
Another reason for putting out your charcoal fire quickly is that you might like to reuse the old charcoal that is left.
Eddie’s Tip! The easiest way is just to let it die out by itself and let it burn to ashes.
This makes it easy to clean your grill. However, it might take a long time before the fire is out.
What Does A Fire Need?
A fire needs 3 things to get started or to keep it going.
- Heat
- Oxygen
- Fuel
To put out a fire, you need to take away one of these 3 things. So, what is the best way to put out a charcoal grill safely?
Fuel
Taking away the fuel is not really an option, so there are 2 options left. Heat and oxygen.
Heat
Taking away the heat can be done simply by using water. This can be a good idea when you try to put out a charcoal grill quickly at the park or when you use a grill with no lid.
Just do it slowly and be aware of the fact that this can cause steam.
Oxygen
We all know that you can regulate the temperature in our grill with the vents. If you don’t know how to do that, you can read my how to use the vents on a charcoal grill article.
That means that we can use the same vents to starve the charcoal of the oxygen it needs to keep on burning.
In general, charcoal grills have two vents. One at the top and one at the bottom.
It is my experience that the quickest way to put out a charcoal grill is by using the following steps.
Step 1: Right after you take the food off the grill, shut the bottom vent of the grill.
The reason for this is that it stops the flow of oxygen to the fire, and the heat can still escape through the top vent.
Step 2: After a minute off 2 shut the top vent.
Since the fire was already not getting any more oxygen from the bottom, it is now time to shut off all the vents and starve the fire from having oxygen.
How Long Does It Take to Put Out A Charcoal Fire?
Of course, the quickest way is to dump a bucket of water on the hot coals. If you go this route, make sure to do it slowly to avoid getting burnt.
However, this question is almost impossible to answer. It all depends on the size of the grill and the amount of charcoal you use.
It makes sense that a bigger grill that contains a big load of charcoal needs more time to be put out than a small camping charcoal grill.
I have used this method of starving the fire from oxygen many times on my average-sized grill, and it takes about 30 minutes till it is cooled down enough for me to put the grill cover back on.
FAQ
Here are some questions and answers about putting out a charcoal grill the right way.
Can I pour water on my charcoal grill?
You can pour water slowly on your charcoal grill to put out the fire quickly. Just be aware that it can create hot steam
How do you put out a charcoal grill without water?
Putting out a charcoal grill without water can be done by closing the vents to cut off oxygen to the fire.
How long does it take for charcoal to burn out?
On a charcoal grill, it might take up to 3 hours for the charcoal to burn out completely.
How To Put Out A Charcoal Grill – My Experience
As I have mentioned above, I think it is important to put out a charcoal grill after cooking for safety and to try to save charcoal to be reused.
Especially if your charcoal grill is placed where you can not see it after cooking, it is a safety precaution to put it out as fast and safely as possible.
Eddie’s Tip! have is to keep a fire extinguisher for the grill available for any type of emergency
Any tips or ideas on the subject? Feel free to leave them in the comments.
Eddie van Aken – The Grilling Dutchman
Eddie van Aken is the founder of The Grilling Dutchman, where he teaches practical, no-nonsense BBQ and outdoor cooking. With years of hands-on experience working with grills, smokers, and live fire, he focuses on techniques that actually work in real backyards.
When he’s not cooking, Eddie tests and reviews outdoor gear and equipment for PracticalBackyard.com. Learn more about Eddie van Aken.