Food - Drink
Why You Should Never Pour Water
On A Hot
Charcoal Grill
By JOHN J LEE
Everyone and their dad can grill on a propane-fueled grill with their fancy knobs and temperature control, but charcoal grills take a true understanding of heat. Putting them out is no simple matter, as throwing water on a charcoal grill will cause scorching steam and boiling water to jump out, and the quick temperature change can crack your grill.
The best and safest way to finish up with your charcoal grill is to let it sit and burn itself out for about 48 hours. This slow-burn does not require that you directly interact with the ripping heat — just make sure the grill is isolated and out of reach of children and pets.
If you really want to use water or you want your grill cooled down a tad faster, let the flames die down and use tongs to grab the coals and drop them into a bucket of water. The added benefit of this is that you can lay them out to dry and re-use them later.