So after reading this forum on the sly, my wife bought me a Char Broil American Gourmet (at the sugg

[rickc1]

I had been using an ECB for the past year or so and though I have not posted here much I learned quite a bit, and had sevearl successful smokes using the mods here and the Minion method.  I also grilled with the ECB a LOT, and had no problems.

Got the Char Broil put together and have not smoked on it yet, but have grilled on it twice.  I'll sort out the heat issues (need to use a lot less charcoal with this one!), but what is everybody doing with this as far as cleaning out the ash?  This one doesn't have the removable tray and I used a double thickness of tin foil underneath the grate-- and of course it tore when I was trying to take it out and got ash everywhere.

Maybe I'm stupid, but there has GOT to be a better way.  Is there one, or is this a good smoker but a PITA to grill with?

Thanks guys,

Rick

 

[Fife]

 

[bmudd14474]

If the ash is cooled down then use a shop vac.

 

[SmokinAl]

That's a great idea Brian! I may start doing that with my WSM.

 

[realtorterry]

I have the same one for awhile now. I also use the foil on the bottom. When done I close everything to let it cool, usually the next day! then carfully lift it out. It has also split/broke on me. I have a small firplace shovel to help get it out, & some times I have to use a small piece of cardboard to scrape it up. It only takes a few minutes. Then I blow the rest out or use old towels!! 

 

[rickc1]

Thanks guys-- and I did get aggravated and use a shop vac the second time I used it.  I guess there's really not much of a better way!

One thing I did like about the ECB is all I had to due was wait a day and then dump the charcoal pan into a trash bag, fish the charcoal grate back out, and I was good to go.  No dragging out the shop vac and extension cord.  Oh well...

I also have found the Char Broil's ceramic cooking grates a real pain to clean.  It looks like you can't just shut the lid when you're done and most of the stuff will burn off and you can clean it as with metal in a minute or so.  That was with a chipotle/lime marinade, we'll see if cleaning's any easier with plain old hamburgers.

Thanks again, and I'm already digging around the site here for mods for smoking to even the heat out.

Cheers,

Rick