Ceramic Grills Tips and Tricks

The information provided here is for general purposes and for those new to ceramic grills/smokers. The tips, tricks, and descriptions discussed here can be applied in a generic sense to most ceramic smokers. Note, of course, that company designs vary.

We’ll discuss:

• Fuel for Ceramic Grills/Smokers
• Loading the Firebox
• Lighting the Fire
• Controlling the Temperature
• Shutting Down

Lump Charcoal

While it is possible to burn common charcoal briquettes as fuel for ceramic smokers, we recommend natural, or lump, charcoal for best results. Most charcoal briquettes that you might be familiar with are produced by grinding wood charcoal into dust and then reassembling it into uniform briquettes with various materials, including petroleum products. Some of these materials give off distasteful odor and more significantly, leave a great amount of ash, which is an important factor when choosing fuel for ceramic grills/smokers. Lump charcoal, on the other hand, is just what it sounds like. It’s simply lumps of partially burned hardwood, such as hickory, maple, or mesquite.

All lump charcoal is certainly not created equal, but for the most part, it burns clean and leaves very little ash. Because ceramic grills/smokers are designed to draw air through itself to perpetuate a steady, even fire and heat, the clean-burning quality of lump charcoal is especially useful for maintaining clear air passages throughout the cook. Lump charcoal is widely available, and it can be purchased in most big box stores and outdoor cooking shops.

Hardwood Chunks / Chips

Also, a few chunks of hickory, pecan, mesquite, etc., can be used to add a smoked flavor to just about any cook on ceramic grills/smokers. Many cooks also use wood chips or pellets of various types. These may be soaked in water or other liquids prior to the cook, depending on your preference.

Tip: It is possible to use pieces of hardwood as cooking fuel in some ceramic grills/smokers. Use a hardwood fire when cooking at high temperatures, such as when searing steaks. Check with your manufacturer for specific information.

Loading the Firebox

Many ceramic grill cooks simply pour the lump charcoal from the bag to the firebox and usually have great results; however, for those who want to refine their ceramic grill fire-building skills, the type of cook (such as a high-temperature or long low and slow) can determine how the firebox should be loaded for best results. There are a few details to watch when setting up ceramic grills/smokers for these different types of cooks. Ideally, when loading the firebox, arrange the charcoal in a pyramid fashion, being careful not to completely block the airflow holes on the sides of the firebox (for longer cooks, it might not be possible not to cover the holes partially).

The following list is comprised of general suggestions for different types of cooks. Remember that many cooks are successful just from pouring out the bag, but if you’re the kind of cook who likes to experiment to get better results, follow these suggestions:

• For a higher-temperature, short cook (searing steaks) it’s best to load the firebox with larger pieces of lump for a hotter fire. Because you are cooking for a short period of time, you should fill the firebox about half way. Note that you can also use a small amount of charcoal and hardwood chunks for high-temp cooks.
• For a long, low-and-slow cook of eight hours or more, it’s best to fill the firebox up to the fire ring to ensure you won’t run out of fuel. Remember that ceramic grills/smokers are capable of cooking more than 24 hours on a single load of charcoal.
• Although it’s not necessary to sort your charcoal, it’s always good to avoid the dust and small pieces that sometimes accumulate in the bottom of the bag, as it might restrict airflow. Sufficient airflow is the key to a successful cook!
• You might have lump charcoal left over after a cook. One of the many advantages of ceramic grills/smokers is that you can actually re-use the lump. Just give it a stir with the ash tool so that the ash will fall to the bottom of the grill, light the old lump (see below) and add a fresh lump on top to the necessary level (be careful not to smother the fire when adding the new lump.

Lighting the Fire

When you’re ready to cook, lighting ceramic grills/smokers should be one of the first things you do. There are several methods to use in lighting the fire in ceramic grills/smokers. We will discuss three in this section:

• Newspaper
• Firestarter Cubes
• Electric Charcoal Starter

Tip: It’s best to avoid any type of starter fluid when using ceramic grills/smokers. You will find the methods below a great way to quickly and efficiently start your fire.

Before beginning any of the following methods:

1. Open the ceramic grill lid.
2. Open the bottom draft sliding door all the way.
3. Remove or leave off the ceramic top or open the sliding metal top to its widest position.

Important:  Never leave ignited ceramic grills/smokers unattended with the dampers open all the way. Doing so might damage ceramic grills/smokers and the surrounding property!

Lighting the Ceramic Grill with Newspaper

1. Loosely crumple several pieces of newspaper and place them on the ceramic grate at the bottom of the ceramic grill.
2. Add lump charcoal on top of the paper making sure to leave the air holes in the firebox unblocked (for now) and leave several pieces of the paper exposed for lighting.
3. Light the newspaper in spots.
4. After the newspaper ignites, close the lid.

Lighting the Ceramic Grill with Firestarter Cubes

Wax fire-starter cubes are widely available, and they can be purchased at most big box stores.

1. Load the firebox with lump charcoal and place a single firestarter cube in the center of the lump.
2. Using a kitchen match or a BBQ butane lighter light the cube.
3. Close the lid.

Note: Don’t be fooled by the “false” reading you will experience on ceramic grill thermometers when using firestarters. Instead of reading the ambient temperature of the air in the cooker, the thermometer will initially read the flame from the wax until it dies down after a few minutes.

Lighting the Ceramic Grill with an Electric Charcoal Lighter

If your ceramic grill is near a source of electricity, you might enjoy the convenience of an electric charcoal lighter. Before proceeding, please read the instructions and warnings that were included with your electric charcoal lighter. Be sure to keep all children and animals clear of the process.

1. Place a base layer of charcoal in the grill.
2. Position 4-5 inches of the lighter element on the base layer with lighter element on the base layer with lighter handle well outside the fire area.
3. Pyramid remaining charcoal over lighter element loop. Do not cover element with charcoal past support bracket.
4. Plug in the lighter.
5. Close the lid, leaving the lighter in the grill for approximately 8 minutes. Do not leave unattended.
6. Unplug lighter and open the lid.
7. Remove the lighter from charcoal and rest lighter on positioning bracket to air cool.

Controlling the Temperature

In this section, we’ll discuss the method for controlling the temperature of ceramic grills/smokers. Unlike with many metal grills/smokers, you can maintain a precise temperature in your ceramic cooker. Controlling the temperature is a straightforward endeavor, and with a little practice you’ll easily be able to maintain the desired level for the duration of the cook time.

First, we’ll discuss the dual-damper system for controlling heat and smoke in the ceramic grill.

Bottom Sliding Damper – This damper controls the air intake and therefore controls the heat.

Top Damper – This damper controls the airflow/heat as well, but it also controls the amount of smoke for the ceramic grill.

Here’s how the system works:

• The air enters through the bottom damper and is then distributed upward through the bottom grate as well as through the air holes in the firebox.
• The top damper continues to draw the air upward and out through the opening.
• While the design seems simple, it is extremely efficient for producing a precise and even-burning fire.
• As the fire burns, the natural ceramics absorb the heat and radiate it toward the food from every direction.

Next, we’ll walk you through a method for maintaining a 350-degree temperature.

1. Light your fire and watch your thermometer carefully.
2. When the thermometer reads 300 (50 degrees below your target temperature), close the dampers to at least 1/4", but more if necessary.
3. Watch your thermometer for the indicator to stabilize.
4. Determine whether you need to allow more air to raise the temperature or lessen the airflow to lower the temperature.
5. Tap the lower vent in the appropriate direction (open to raise the temperature, closed to lower), and watch for the temperature to stabilize. Ceramic grills/smokers will cook for many hours at this temperature.

The following are general notes and tips about temperature control:

• During long cooks, you might have to slightly adjust your dampers once or twice to maintain proper temperature. This adjustment is necessary at times due to uneven burning of the charcoal.
• If you are using old (used from a previous cook) charcoal, make sure the air holes are clear in the firebox and bottom grate.
• As a rough rule of thumb, ¼” opening or closing the bottom damper will make a difference of about 40 degrees.
  Sometimes, a gentle tap of the sliding damper is all you need to achieve your target temperature.
• Remember the bottom damper controls the temperature and glow of the charcoal, while the top damper controls the temperature and the smoke flavor. So, if you open the top damper more, temperature will increase and smoke flavor will decrease.
• If by chance you are having trouble reaching a high temperature, and you’re sure you have the dampers adjusted correctly, check your lump: Do you have enough lump in the cooker? Is your lump damp?

Shutting Down the Ceramic Grill

When you are finished with your cook, it’s time to shut down your ceramic grill. Remember that any remaining lump charcoal can be used for your next cook.

1. Close the lower damper completely.
2. Leave the top damper in its current position for five minutes, and then close it. Leaving the top damper open will keep your ceramic grill drier and safe from excessive moisture accumulation.

The fire will “starve” shortly due to the lack of oxygen brought about by closing the dampers.

Now that you have read through this general guideline for grilling on ceramic grills/smokers, make sure to check out some of our recipes for ceramic grills/smokers.