Charcoal grilling is one of the most rewarding ways to cook outdoors.
While it can take longer to get a charcoal grill started when compared to a gas grill, once it’s going, you’ll enjoy excellent heat control and smokey flavors.
As the solid fuel is consumed, the heat can taper off.
You’ve probably wondered, how long will a charcoal grill stay hot?
A charcoal grill can stay hot for hours if you need it to.
Here’s how you can maintain heat for your next grilling session.
A Quality Charcoal Grill Will Stay Hot for Hours
To determine how long will a charcoal grill stay hot, you need to consider the cooking temperature.
- If you are searing at the highest possible temperature (450°F and up) then your coals will last around 30 – 40 minutes in most cases.
- If you are cooking at a lower temperature for slow grilling (around 225°F) then coals could last for four hours or more.
You can keep a charcoal grill going indefinitely if you have the fuel available.
You can top up coals during the cooking session.
Which is the Best Type of Charcoal to Use to Keep Your Grill Hot?
You can use briquettes or lump charcoal in your grill.
Lump charcoal gets much hotter but it doesn’t burn as long, so you may need to replace the coals for a longer cooking session.
Briquettes burn longer but at a lower temperature, so they aren’t always as good for rapid searing.
Briquettes sometimes contain additives that can cause flavor contamination, so it’s important to choose a 100% natural bag of charcoal.
- Jealous Devil Natural Hardwood Charcoal is lump charcoal made from dense hardwood. It can burn hotter than briquettes and almost as long. In an open grill, the fuel will typically burn for at least four hours at lower temperatures. In a smoker, you could get up to 20 hours of burn time.
- Kingsford Original Charcoal Briquettes are designed for rapid searing, or, long-burning for over four hours at lower temperatures. Cornstarch is used as a natural binder so you won’t experience any of the chemical odors or flavors that lower-quality briquettes produce.
KETTLE-STYLE Grills are Easier to Keep Hot
Kettle grills will stay hotter for longer than flat-bottomed or large drum-shaped grills.
Even the best kettle models are relatively affordable and will give you four or more hours of consistent heat from high-quality lump charcoal or briquettes.
The Weber Original Kettle is one of the most popular and reliable grills available today. It’s also affordable, especially when considering the quality. Has a one-touch cleaning system that provides a hassle-free ash cleanup.
If you want a more high-end option, consider the Weber Premium Kettle. It features a useful one-touch cleaning system that cuts down on the mess when emptying ash and debris.
Char-Broil is a reliable alternative to Weber. The TRU-Infrared Kettleman grill has the technology to evenly distribute heat and eliminate hot and cold spots for more consistent cooking.
Charcoal Grilling Provides an Authentic Taste
Charcoal cooking provides excellent flavor and even the best grills are relatively affordable.
You can keep your grill burning for hours at lower temperatures, and could maintain high-searing heat beyond 45 minutes when you have plenty of fuel on hand.
It’s easy to keep a charcoal grill hot when you choose a quality grill and the best briquettes or lump charcoal.
