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Power Outage and Emergency Cooking on a Charcoal Grill

When the power goes out after a storm, a charcoal grill becomes the kitchen. The Slot Grill Compact stores flat, needs no electricity, gas or tools, burns charcoal or cooking wood, and sets up in about a minute. Here's how to use it safely in an outage and what to keep on hand.

Build an outage cooking kit

• Slot Grill Compact (and a griddle for pans of food)
• Charcoal stored dry in a lidded bin; enough for several days of cooking
• Chimney starter, newspaper, natural starters, multiple lighters and matches in a waterproof container
• Tongs, spatula, gloves, headlamp or flashlight
• Instant-read thermometer (battery)
• Heavy-duty foil, foil pans, a pot or kettle for boiling water
• Metal ash can with lid
• Cooler(s) and a way to get ice

Fridge and freezer food safety

U.S. food safety guidance: a refrigerator keeps food safe for about 4 hours if unopened; a full freezer holds about 48 hours (24 if half full) if the door stays closed. Keep doors closed as much as possible. Use a thermometer: discard perishables that have been above 40°F for 2 hours or more. Cook thawing meat first, and cook it to safe temperatures. When in doubt, throw it out.

Cooking order in an outage

1. Refrigerated perishables first (meat, dairy-based dishes).
2. Then thawing freezer items.
3. Then pantry foods and canned goods (heat in a pot on the grate or opened cans on the griddle, not sealed cans).

Boiling water

If authorities issue a boil-water advisory, follow their instructions. A pot on the grate over a strong bed of coals can bring water to a rolling boil. Cooking over charcoal is fully outdoors, so set up where you can watch it safely.

Setup after a storm

• Look for downed power lines, debris and standing water first. Stay well away from lines.
• Set up in the open, on a non-combustible surface, away from the house and anything that burns.
• Don't grill in high winds.

Store it ready

Keep the grill clean, dry, lightly oiled and stacked flat with your kit, so it's ready when you need it. Rotate charcoal so it stays dry.

Quick-start checklist

• Grill seasoned and dry; old ash emptied
• Stable, level, non-combustible spot with clearance
• Charcoal lit in a chimney, ashed over
• Two-zone fire built, grates preheated and oiled
• Thermometer, tongs, spatula and gloves within reach
• Clean tray ready for cooked food

Common small-grill mistakes (and the fix)

1. Cooking before the coals are ready. Black-topped coals give smoky, weak heat and sticking. Wait until they glow under a light coat of gray ash.
2. Wall-to-wall coals. With no cool zone, every flare-up becomes a burn. Leave at least a third of the firebox thin or empty.
3. Crowding the grate. 146 sq in fills fast. Leave space between pieces so you can move them, and cook in waves.
4. Moving food too early. Let it sear and release on its own; it sticks until a crust forms.
5. Cold, dirty grates. Preheat for a few minutes, scrape, and wipe with an oiled paper towel held in tongs.
6. Wet food. Pat meat and vegetables dry before oiling and seasoning. Moisture steams instead of searing.
7. Judging doneness by time or color. Small fires vary. Use a thermometer.
8. Leaving ash in the firebox. Old ash chokes airflow. Empty it once cold before the next cook.
9. Putting the grill away wet. Raw carbon steel needs to be dried and lightly oiled. See rust prevention.

After the cook: burn-down and pack-down

1. Let the remaining coals burn down. Don't leave a fire unattended.
2. When ash and steel are completely cold, dump the ash into a metal container with a lid, or dispose of it where the venue or campground allows.
3. Scrape the grates, then wipe the cooking surfaces with a light coat of oil or Slot Grill Seasoning Balm.
4. Lift off the grates, slide out the V side panels, pull the end pieces and stack. The Compact packs to about 1" thick.
5. Store it dry. A bag or old box keeps soot off the rest of your gear.

Safety basics (every cook)

• Outdoors only. Never use a charcoal grill indoors, in a garage, tent, camper, boat cabin or vehicle. Burning charcoal makes carbon monoxide, which you cannot see or smell.
• Stable, level, non-combustible surface. Bare soil, gravel, sand, concrete, pavers or a fire-safe pad. The Compact's 2⅞" air gap between the table and the bottom of the coal bed helps minimize radiant heat to the surface below, but it is still a live fire.
• Clearance. Keep it away from tents, vehicles, siding, overhangs, dry grass and anything that can burn. Keep kids and pets back.
• Follow local rules. Burn bans, campground, park, venue and HOA rules come first.
• Water or a fire extinguisher nearby, plus heat-safe gloves for handling grates and panels.
• Ash stays hot for a long time. Put it in a metal container with a lid and never pack hot steel or ash into a vehicle.

Cooking in wind, rain, cold and heat

Taking this recipe on the road

The Compact packs about 1" thick and weighs about 14 lb, so this recipe travels to a campsite, tailgate, river bank or job site as easily as it cooks on the patio. A few habits make it safer and easier away from a kitchen:

• Prep at home. Trim, season or marinate meat, chop vegetables and mix sauces in the kitchen. Pack each in a sealed bag or container labeled by cook order.
• Keep raw meat cold and separate. Pack it at the bottom of the cooler, sealed, below ready-to-eat food. Keep the cooler at 40°F or below with plenty of ice, and keep it in the shade.
• Two sets of tongs and platters: one for raw, one for cooked. Never put cooked food back on the tray that held raw meat.
• Bring water and soap for hands and tools, plus paper towels and a trash bag.
• Pack the thermometer. It matters more outdoors, where wind and cold change cook times.
• Plan for ash. Bring a metal can with a lid and follow the venue's disposal rules.

For more, see the camping, tailgate and river trip guides.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a charcoal grill in my garage during a power outage?

No. Never use a charcoal grill indoors, in a garage, carport, covered porch, tent or vehicle, even with doors open. Carbon monoxide can kill.

How long is food safe in the fridge without power?

About 4 hours if the door stays closed. A full freezer holds about 48 hours (24 if half full). Discard perishables above 40°F for 2 hours or more.

Can I boil water on a charcoal grill?

Yes, a pot on the grate over a strong bed of coals can reach a rolling boil. Follow any official boil-water instructions.

What should be in an outage cooking kit?

A charcoal grill, dry charcoal, a chimney and starters, lighters, tools, a thermometer, foil, a pot, a headlamp and a metal ash can.

Slot Grill Compact

12-gauge carbon steel · about 14 lb · 16.25" × 9" cooking area · packs about 1" thick · made in Texas · ★★★★★ 4.92 (77 reviews)

$89.97$99.97

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All specs and prices are from SlotGrill.com. Always grill outdoors on a stable, non-combustible surface and follow local fire rules.