Using a Collapsible Grill as a Fire Pit After Dinner

How a flat pack charcoal grill doubles as a small fire pit after the cook, and the rules to follow.

After dinner, a lot of owners just keep the fire going. Slot Grill's FAQ says the steel is thick and durable enough to handle fire pit heat, so you can cook on it and then hang out around it. Here's how to do it responsibly.

How

1. Finish cooking and clear the grates. Lift them off with gloves once they've cooled a bit, or leave them on as a spark screen.
2. Add small splits of dry hardwood a few at a time.
3. Keep the fire small. It's a compact firebox; a towering fire is the wrong idea.
4. Let it burn down completely before bed. Drown and stir, or let coals burn to cold ash where water is scarce.

Rules first

• Only where campfires are allowed, and never during a burn ban.
• Stable, non-combustible ground, well clear of tents, vehicles and trees.
• Water or an extinguisher at hand. Never leave it unattended.

S'mores and dessert

Toast marshmallows over coals rather than flames. Grilled peaches or pineapple on the last coals are another good finish; see grilled fruit.

Fire safety on any collapsible grill

• Outdoors only. Burning charcoal makes carbon monoxide, which you can't see or smell. Never use it in a garage, tent, camper, vehicle, boat cabin or under a roof or awning.
• Non-combustible, level ground. Soil, gravel, sand, concrete, pavers or a fire-safe pad.
• Clearance. Away from walls, vehicles, tents, overhanging branches and dry grass. Kids and pets kept back.
• Seated tabs. Check every tab is fully in its slot before you add fuel.
• Water and gloves at hand. Hot steel looks exactly like cold steel.
• Leave it alone until cold. Don't move or take apart a lit or warm grill.

Mistakes new flat pack owners make

1. Too much charcoal. A small firebox gets very hot. Start with half a chimney and add.
2. No cool zone. Without an empty end, a flare-up has nowhere to go.
3. Cooking on black coals. Wait for gray ash.
4. Old ash left in. It blocks airflow; empty it before every cook.
5. Heavy oil when seasoning. Thin coats cure; thick coats turn gummy.
6. Packing it warm. Wait until steel and ash are cold, every time.

The one-minute care habit

Most carbon steel problems come from skipping the last minute of a cook. After the grill cools, scrape the grates, empty the ash, and wipe a whisper-thin coat of oil or Seasoning Balm on the cooking surfaces. Store it dry. That habit is the difference between a grill that darkens into a slick patina and one that shows orange freckles every spring. If freckles do show up, it's not a disaster: see surface rust.

Questions people ask