You’ve probably seen a few references from us about baking on the Char-Griller AKORN Charcoal Grills. Baking and charcoal don’t seem like they go together, but the versatility of the AKORN makes it easy to use a charcoal grill to bake all sorts of delicious things.

Before you jump right into whipping up brownies or a cake and setting it in the AKORN to bake, there are a few things that you need to know. Here’s a complete guide to baking on the Char-Griller AKORN.

1. Charcoal is NOT like an oven

This likely goes without saying but baking on a charcoal grill is not like baking on an oven (or a pellet grill). You have to actively work to get the temperature where you want it initially. This means managing the dual dampers and making sure the air flow is allowing the grill to be hot enough to bake, but not too hot to burn whatever you are making. This requires a little bit of patience and adjusting but thanks to the AKORN’s design and triple-walled steel structure, once you get the grill to the proper temperature it will stay there for hours.

2. Keep the grill closed

We get it. You want to peek and check on the progress of what you’re baking, but every time you check on what’s baking, you let the heat out of the grill. That means that it takes longer to get back up to temperature and can alter how your final product turns out.

3. Preheating is absolutely necessary

When we were running tests for this article we baked a brownie on the AKORN. We started the charcoal about 20 minutes before we started making the brownie. After we dumped the charcoal in, we closed the lid and opened the dampers. Before we knew it, the AKORN was at 450 degrees! We needed it at 350 degrees, so it took some time to cool it down. Make sure that you leave enough time for your AKORN to get to the proper temperature.

4. Use the Smokin’ Stone

The key to baking on the AKORN is indirect heat. The Smokin’ Stone not only helps you smoke meat low and slow, it also helps you get the ideal convection style heat transfer for baking. By allowing the heat to circulate up and around what’s baking instead of directly on the bottom, it creates the perfect oven environment for baking.

5. Add chips and chunks of wood for additional flavor

While you aren’t necessarily aiming for a smoky flavor (although, if that is what you are aiming for, go for it), adding some chips and/or chunks of wood can add some fun flavors to whatever you are baking. We recommend pecan, cherry or apple for the best flavors.

6. Be patient

If it is your first time baking on your AKORN, it’s probably going to take some time to get the temperature and timing down. Be patient. Trust us, it will be well worth the wait.

If you have been wondering if the AKORN is truly a do-it-all grill, let this be the end to your doubts and questions. With this guide, you’ll be able to go from searing up some steaks and veggies for dinner to popping on a delicious dessert to enjoy after dinner.

Want to give baking on the AKORN a shot? Try Guinness Cupcakes with Whiskey Salted Caramel Buttercream.