Charcoal BBQ FAQs

Charcoal BBQs offer traditional outdoor cooking and the flavour of cooking over hot coals. You can vary the charcoal arrangement and airflow for different methods. Explore our charcoal BBQ range to compare the available styles.

Yes. Start with simple meals, learn when the coals are ready and practise creating a cooler area alongside direct heat. Allow time for lighting and cooling, and read the instructions before your first cook.

Choose charcoal if you enjoy preparing a fire and managing the coals. Gas offers convenient ignition and heat controls. If you want both options in one unit, consider the Cascade Dual Fuel BBQ, which has separate gas and charcoal cooking areas.

A kettle has a rounded cooking chamber, while a barrel offers an elongated layout. Compare cooking space, access and features on the Teide Kettle Charcoal BBQ and Bromo Barrel Charcoal BBQ product pages rather than choosing by shape alone.

Think about your usual guest numbers, portions and whether you need space for indirect cooking. Measure your garden location and allow the clearances specified in the manual. Leave enough working space to handle hot tools safely.

As a guide, the Teide is listed for 3 to 6 people and the Bromo for 6 or more. Teide has a 57cm diameter cooking area, while Bromo has a 71cm x 36cm cooking area. Actual capacity depends on the food and cooking method.

A ceramic kamado stores heat in its thick body, making temperature changes slower. A metal kettle or barrel has a different construction and care routine. See our kamado BBQ FAQs if you are comparing ceramic cooking with a conventional charcoal BBQ.

Yes, check the individual product page and assembly instructions. Complete the stand, cooking chamber and other required components before lighting. Plan enough help for the heavier parts, and do not use a BBQ with missing or incorrectly fitted components.

Use BBQ lumpwood charcoal or briquettes approved for your model. Lumpwood pieces vary in size, while briquettes are more uniform. Never substitute household coal, treated timber or other fuels intended for a different appliance.

Yes. Current Teide and Bromo manuals provide quantities for both lumpwood charcoal and briquettes. Use suitable BBQ fuel and follow your own model’s loading limit. Ceramic kamados have different recommendations, so do not assume the same fuel advice applies.

Follow the model’s manual. Current guidance recommends no more than 1kg of lumpwood or 40 briquettes for Teide, and 1.5kg or 60 briquettes for Bromo. Briquette sizes vary. Do not transfer one model’s loading limit to another BBQ.

Where your manual permits it, a small amount of food-safe smoking wood can add flavour to charcoal cooking. Choose wood sold for smoking food. Do not burn painted, treated or reclaimed timber, and do not use the BBQ as a garden bonfire.

Both can provide smoke, but they burn differently. Use only the type and quantity permitted for your cooking set-up. Start modestly and adjust for the food you are cooking, rather than filling the BBQ with smoking wood.

We do not recommend lighter fluid. Use suitable solid BBQ firelighters and the lighting procedure in your manual. Never use petrol, paraffin or spirits, and never pour any lighting liquid onto hot or burning charcoal.

Dry, unburnt charcoal may be reusable once completely cold. Remove ash and small debris before the next cook, then add fresh fuel as needed within the loading limit. Never return hot or partly burnt charcoal to its storage bag.

Burn time depends on fuel type, quantity, airflow, weather and cooking temperature. A long cook may require refuelling where permitted. Plan and monitor the cook instead of relying on a fixed number of hours per bag or charcoal load.

Remove packaging and protective films, complete assembly and clean as instructed. Follow the first-use heating procedure in your charcoal BBQ instruction manual. Current Teide and Bromo instructions require the charcoal to remain red hot for at least 30 minutes before the first cooking.

Clear cold ash, check the vents and place permitted fuel on the designated charcoal grate or tray. Use suitable solid firelighters and follow the model’s lighting sequence. Our guide to lighting a charcoal BBQ offers preparation advice, but your model’s manual takes priority.

Put charcoal on the designated charcoal grate, pan or tray described in your manual. The upper cooking grill is for food. Do not place burning fuel directly against an unprotected bowl or in an area intended for gas burners.

A chimney starter can be useful if suitable for your BBQ. Follow its instructions, place it on the specified heat-resistant surface and wear heat-resistant gloves when handling it. Keep people clear when transferring coals and stay within your BBQ’s fuel limit.

Current Teide and Bromo lighting instructions begin with the lid and vents open. Follow the sequence for your own model and adjust the vents for cooking once ready. Do not apply a ceramic kamado’s lighting method without checking your metal BBQ instructions.

Readiness varies with fuel, weather and lighting method. Current Teide, Bromo and Cascade Dual Fuel instructions allow about 30 minutes and require a coating of ash before cooking. Check the coals and your manual rather than relying on a short fixed waiting time.

Damp fuel, poor airflow or an unsuitable lighting arrangement can make ignition difficult. Use dry fuel, clear cold ash and follow the lighting instructions. Never try to rescue a struggling fire by adding petrol or liquid lighting fuel.

Only refuel if your manual permits it. Use the intended access point, suitable tools and heat-resistant gloves. Allow newly added fuel to establish before continuing the cook as instructed. Avoid stirring ash over food or adding any lighting liquid.

Adjust airflow through the vents and use the permitted charcoal arrangement. More airflow generally makes the fire burn more strongly. Make gradual changes and allow time for the temperature to respond. Some models also have an adjustable charcoal tray.

Check for damp fuel, insufficient established coals or ash blocking airflow. Follow the preheating vent settings in your manual. Do not overload the BBQ to compensate. If a vent or charcoal tray is damaged, stop and contact Fire Mountain for advice.

Too much fuel, strong airflow or wind can make the fire too intense. Reduce airflow as your manual directs and move food to a suitable cooler area. Do not pour water over hot coals or use improvised methods to remove burning fuel.

Direct cooking places food above the hot charcoal. It suits foods that benefit from grilling, but needs supervision to prevent scorching. Leave room to move food away from the strongest heat where your cooking set-up allows.

Where permitted, arrange charcoal so food can cook in an area without coals directly beneath it, usually with the lid closed. Follow your model’s layout and fuel limits. Our BBQ cooking FAQs explain when indirect heat can help with thicker foods.

Use the method appropriate to your recipe and BBQ. A closed lid helps retain heat for indirect cooking, while some grilling involves opening to turn food. Follow the manual’s limits and open carefully to avoid escaping heat and smoke.

Only adjust a tray using the mechanism and procedure provided for your model. The Cascade Dual Fuel BBQ has an adjustable charcoal pan, but other models differ. Wear suitable heat protection and never lift or reposition hot internal parts by hand.

No. It measures heat near its location inside the cooker. Grill-level temperature can differ, and neither reading confirms the centre of your food is cooked. Use a clean food thermometer to check doneness.

You can cook meat, fish, vegetables and other dishes using a suitable cooking method. Check that any pan, basket or stone is approved for your set-up. Our BBQ cooking FAQs cover preparation, temperatures and different foods.

Yes, provided it is cooked thoroughly and handled hygienically. Keep raw chicken and utensils separate from cooked food, allow enough time for the centre to cook and check it with a food thermometer. A charred outside does not prove it is safe.

For foods requiring thorough cooking, UK guidance recommends a core temperature of 70°C for two minutes or a recognised equivalent combination. Check the thickest part with a clean food thermometer and follow any food packaging instructions.

Direct heat may be too intense for the food’s thickness. Use a permitted cooler or indirect cooking area and check the centre before serving. Add sugary sauces later so they have less time to scorch.

Start with a clean cooking surface, allow it to preheat and use a small amount of suitable oil where appropriate. Give food time to develop a cooked surface before turning. Avoid excessive oil dripping onto the charcoal.

Yes, where the model supports a suitable indirect set-up and controlled airflow. Monitor fuel and temperature throughout. Do not assume a steady thermometer reading makes it safe to leave the BBQ unattended.

Only use a compatible pizza accessory and a cooking set-up permitted by your model. A pizza stone sold for one BBQ is not automatically suitable for another. Check our BBQ accessories and ask our team if you need compatibility advice.

Yes, with careful separation. Prevent raw meat juices touching cooked food or ready-to-eat items, use clean serving plates and separate utensils, and check each food properly. See our BBQ cooking FAQs for raw food handling and serving guidance.

Trim excess fat, avoid excess oil and keep old grease out of the cooking chamber. Leave suitable space to move food away from a small flare-up if safe. A large grease fire needs a different response from an occasional flame beneath food.

Smoke during lighting is normal, but damp fuel, too much smoking wood or fat hitting the fire can create excessive smoke. Check fuel quality and keep grease deposits under control. Position the BBQ safely without directing smoke into enclosed areas.

Use a firm, level, non-combustible surface outdoors with the clearances in your manual. Keep it away from fences, plants, furniture and overhead coverings. Our BBQ safety FAQs explain safe positioning, children and pets, and preparation checks.

No. Charcoal produces carbon monoxide, including while smouldering after cooking. Never light, cook with or cool a charcoal BBQ in a home, garage, shed, tent or other enclosed space, even if doors are open.

Do not use it beneath an ordinary gazebo or parasol, or on a balcony. We recommend a suitable non-combustible surface rather than wooden or composite decking. A mat or open-sided canopy does not automatically make an unsafe position suitable.

Avoid strong winds, storms and heavy rain. Wind can blow embers and disturb heat control. Do not move a lit BBQ under unsuitable shelter to continue cooking. If conditions become unsafe, stop and follow the shutdown instructions.

No. A responsible adult must supervise the lit BBQ, and people must stay clear as it cools. Wait until the fuel is extinguished and the whole BBQ is completely cold before moving it.

Keep people away and do not move the BBQ. Follow the manual’s emergency guidance; on a lidded BBQ, keep the lid closed for a contained grease fire. Never throw water on burning fat. Move away and call 999 if it spreads or cannot be controlled safely.

Follow your model’s shutdown procedure. On many lidded BBQs, closing the lid and vents restricts oxygen so the charcoal goes out gradually. Keep the BBQ outdoors and supervised as needed while cooling. Never assume the coals are out because flames are no longer visible.

We do not recommend pouring water into a hot BBQ. Steam, splashes and sudden cooling can cause injury or damage. Never use water on burning fat. Extinguish the BBQ using the procedure in its manual.

Wait until the BBQ, charcoal and ash are completely cold. Cooling depends on the fuel load and cooker, so a fixed number of hours is not a reliable safety test. Do not touch coals to check or fit a cover over a warm BBQ.

Ash can obstruct airflow, affecting heat control, and retained moisture can encourage corrosion. Remove it only when completely cold and follow the model’s ash collection instructions. Keep the vents clear before the next cook.

Wait until it is fully extinguished and completely cold. Collect ash in a suitable non-combustible container away from combustible materials. Never put hot or smouldering ash in a wheelie bin. Follow your local council’s disposal guidance.

Check the grills, ash and grease areas before each cook. Clean cooking surfaces and remove cold ash after use, with deeper cleaning according to the manual and your cooking frequency. Heavy grease build-up needs attention before the next cook, regardless of the calendar.

Once cold, use the cleaning method specified for each material. Remove grease and loose deposits without damaging coatings, rinse where appropriate and dry thoroughly. Do not treat a metal BBQ like porous ceramic. Browse our BBQ accessories for suitable cleaning tools.

No. Current Teide and Bromo manuals prohibit both. Hand-clean the components according to their surface instructions. Avoid aggressive cleaning products or tools that can damage enamel, coatings or other finishes.

Extinguish it, allow it to cool completely, remove cold ash and grease, and dry the cleaned surfaces. Protect it in a suitable dry location or with a correctly fitting cover. Never bring warm or smouldering charcoal into an enclosed storage space.

Yes, with appropriate protection and care. Use a suitable cover only when the BBQ is completely cold, prevent moisture and debris building up, and inspect it regularly. A cover does not replace cleaning, drying or maintenance.

Give it a thorough clean, remove ash and dry all components before storage. Follow the finish-specific care instructions, including for cast iron where fitted. Check fixings, vents and the charcoal tray before using it again.

Keep unused charcoal dry and away from heat and ignition sources. Store firelighters in their original packaging as directed, out of reach of children and pets. Do not store either beside a hot BBQ or return partly burnt fuel to the bag.

Do not use it if damage affects stability or safe operation, or if the charcoal tray is weakened or perforated. Light surface marks need different care from structural corrosion. Contact Fire Mountain with photographs if you are unsure.

Check our BBQ spare parts for available components and match the exact model and product code. If you cannot identify the correct part, contact Fire Mountain before ordering. Do not improvise supports or adapt an incompatible fuel tray.

Visit our user manuals page for Teide, Bromo and Cascade Dual Fuel instructions, along with archived ranges. Check the product code matches your BBQ. Ask our team if you cannot find the correct document.

No. Keep charcoal in the designated charcoal chamber of the Cascade Dual Fuel BBQ. Never place charcoal over gas burners. Follow the separate operating instructions for each side, and confirm any simultaneous-use restrictions in your own model’s manual.