How much charcoal in your kamado?
Once you’ve bought a kamado, you’ll want to get started right away, of course, and enjoy the most delicious recipes. However, lighting your kamado for the first time may raise a few questions. At Big Green Egg, we believe in explaining everything clearly, so you can cook with confidence. On this page, we will answer the question: how much charcoal should you use in a kamado?
How much charcoal should I put in my kamado?
The amount of charcoal your kamado needs depends, of course, on which model you have. For example, you’ll use more charcoal to fill the Big Green Egg 2XL than you would for a Big Green Egg MiniMax. Nevertheless, there’s a useful rule of thumb. The method for filling a kamado with charcoal is the same for all Big Green Egg models. At the bottom of every EGG is a ceramic fire box containing the coal grid. On top of that sits a ceramic inner ring, also known as the fire ring. As long as you fill the fire box with charcoal up to the top, you’re good to go. The charcoal should not rise above the rim of the ceramic fire box. The ceramic inner ring is also a useful indicator to ensure there’s enough space between the grid and the glowing charcoal.
When should you refill the charcoal?
After your cooking session, close the air regulator at the bottom of the ceramic base and the rEGGulator. The charcoal can stay in the Big Green Egg – it extinguishes due to the lack of oxygen and can be reused for the following cooking session. The next time you use your kamado, simply top up the charcoal to the rim of the ceramic fire box. Before topping up, stir the charcoal in the kamado using the Ash Tool. This causes ash and small bits of charcoal to fall to the bottom, where you can remove them using the Ash Tool and the Ash Removal Pan via the air regulator at the bottom of the ceramic base. This ensures optimal airflow. Top up the charcoal and your kamado is ready for use again. There are also separate coal baskets available for each model. These sit inside the fire box and make it easy to remove ash and smaller charcoal fragments, and to refill the charcoal.
Can I refill charcoal while cooking?
Generally, you won’t need to refill the charcoal in the Big Green Egg during a cooking session if you’re using good quality charcoal with a long burn time. The Big Green Egg is highly efficient thanks to its insulating design, so it uses charcoal sparingly. Only in the case of very long, high-temperature cooking sessions – or if you forget to add enough charcoal beforehand – might you need to top up your kamado with more charcoal partway through. If that happens, it’s good to know it’s possible. However, topping up glowing coals works differently than when you’re lighting fresh charcoal. In this case, use the Ash Tool to first move the glowing charcoal to one side of the ceramic fire box. Then add fresh charcoal into the space you’ve created. This allows the new charcoal to ignite quickly, while maintaining optimal radiant heat towards the cooking grid. If you were to spread fresh charcoal directly over the glowing coals, it would block the heat radiation. As a result, the temperature at the bottom of your Big Green Egg will rise sharply, which is best avoided.
BIG GREEN EGG DEALERS
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THE BEST CHARCOAL FOR YOUR BIG GREEN EGG
Every cooking session with the Big Green Egg starts with the right fuel. The key to a delicious dish? Using top-quality charcoal – because the result partly depends on the type of charcoal you use in your kamado. One thing is certain: the flavour of ingredients cooked over high-quality charcoal is unbeatable.