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Charlie Oven User Manual and Care Guide
LUXURY OUTDOOR COOKING. MADE EASY.Welcome to the Charlie FamilyWe’re delighted you’ve joined us. Your Charlie is more than just an oven, it’s the start of countless great meals, relaxed gatherings, and memorable moments spent cooking outdoors. Built to last and designed to make charcoal cooking effortless, Charlie will help you bake, roast, grill, smoke and most importantly... entertain. We’re here to help you get the very best from your oven, so dive in, get cooking, and enjoy the journey.
Summary of Contents1. Health and Safety2. Setting Up3. Diagram4. Positioning and Moving Your Charlie5. Lighting and Controlling the Temperature6. Do’s and Don’ts7. Taking Care Of Charlie8. Adjusting the Door9. Cooking Heights10. Adjusting the Charcoal Height
Health and SafetyBefore starting with your Charlie, ensure you have read the health and safety instructions in their entirety.Outdoor Use Only - Keep 5cm Away From Inner Oven and Chimney Carbon Monoxide RiskCombustiblesAre Hot to the TouchNever Use Lighter Fluid Never Move the Oven Always Have Two or AccelerantsWhile HotPeople for InstallDon’t Use Plastic or Only Use on Load Use for Cooking Glass UtensilsBearing SurfacesPurposes OnlyThe Charlie Oven is not intended for use by those with reduced physical, sensory, or mental capabilities, or lack of experience or knowledge, unless they have been given supervision or instruction concerning the use of the Charlie Oven by a person responsible for their safety. Please keep children and pets safely away from the oven and any flammable or dangerous materials associated with its use, at all times. The Charlie Oven is not for use by children. Carbon Monoxide: Burning charcoal or wood releases carbon monoxide, a colourless, odourless gas which can be deadly. Use only outdoors, in a well-ventilated space. Never use in a house, garage, tent, caravan, motorhome, boat, or any enclosed or semi-enclosed area. Be aware of symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, which include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, and confusion. 1.
Setting UpOne of the best things about Charlie is that it comes from the factory pre-assembled and ready to go in a couple of minutes.FITTING THE CHIMNEYThe only assembly needed on the Charlie is fitting the chimney. This is stored inside the oven during shipping. Once removed, simply slot it into the top of the oven.LOCKING THE CASTORSOnce your oven is unpackaged, and in its perfect location in your garden, simply press down on the tabs of the castors to lock them in place. This will stop your Charlie from moving.FITTING THE GRATESThe grates come wrapped in paper to protect them during shipping. To get started, unwrap them and place them in the oven as shown.2.
DiagramGet to know CharlieCHIMNEY:The removable chimney is the only assembly you will need to do when you receive your Charlie. Simply slot it into place.TOP AIR VENT:The top air vent is one of your controls for allowing airflow through the ovenHANDLE:The handle opens the door but is also your main holding point when moving the oven.THERMOMETER:The thermometer allows you to see the temperature inside the oven.LOWER AIR VENT:The lower air vent is the second control for airflow for the oven.Open this to let air into the oven.ASH DRAWER:The removable ash drawer neatly collects the waste ash ready for disposalWHEELS:The locking castors allow you to easily move your oven and secure it once in place.3.
Positioning & Moving Your CharlieThe beauty of Charlie is that it’s easy to move, and is versatile at fitting into your garden or outdoor living space.Keep 50cm between the oven and any structure above.Keep 5cm between Hold handle when the oven and any moving oven; have flammable material.support behind it.Only use and move on hard flat weight bearing surfaces.IN-DEPTH GUIDE:Use the oven outdoors only, in an area with unrestricted ventilation. Never cover or obstruct the chimney or any part of the oven while in use or cooling. Place it on a flat, hard, weight-bearing surface at least 5cm from flammable materials. The free-standing oven weighs over 160kg, is top-heavy, and may only be moved on its castors over flat, hard surfaces. Always use at least two adults (one at the front and one at the back), ensure the door is closed, and lock the two front castors once positioned. Never move the oven while in use or before it has fully cooled. The tabletop Cheeky Charlie Oven must be placed on a flat surface capable of supporting 120kg. When used with its base unit, the oven and base must be securely strapped together before moving, and all of the above moving requirements apply.4.
Lighting & Controlling The TemperatureLighting and controlling the temperature is easy and can be done in four simple steps.Watch on YouTubeFill the charcoal basket with approximately half a football’s worth of charcoal. This is usually sufficient for 95% of the times you will use the oven. If you are intending to use the oven at high temperatures, between 300°C and 400°C add 50% more charcoal. Use a natural firelighter and a lighter to set fire to the charcoal.Open both the lower and upper vent fully. This will let air into the oven which will increase the temperature inside. Depending on the temperature you desire, the oven will be up to temperature within 10 to 30 minutes.Once the oven hits the desired temperature on the thermometer, push both vent pulls in to about a knuckle’s distance away from the oven (2.5cm). This will allow a trickle of air to feed the oven for many hours and maintain the temperature you have set.When you have finished cooking, push the upper and lower vent pulls in fully. This will cut off the airflow and start to cool down the oven slowly. You can re-use any leftover charcoal next time.5.
Do’s and Don’tsFollow these easy Do’s and Don’ts to avoid any disappointment or damage with your Charlie.ALWAYS COOK WITH THE DOOR CLOSEDAlways cook with the door shut, opening only briefly to add or remove food, check progress, or adjust fuel. Cooking with the door open can damage the door seal and paintwork, and allows smoke to escape from the door instead of the chimney. Always make sure the door is firmly latched shut, with the seal in contact with the frame. Cooking with the door ajar at high temperatures can damage the seal and paintwork.NEVER EXCEED 400°C (750°F)Do not exceed 400°C (750°F). This can damage the oven and door seals. Be especially careful when adding wood chips to charcoal, as it can cause temperature spikes. If the temperature rises above 400°C (750°F), remove the wood immediately.Do not add already-lit charcoal or wood. Unlit fuel will ignite quickly when placed on hot coals. Do not use deflector plates or cover oven surfaces with foreign objects, as this can cause hot spots and damage. Only use cooking racks and dishes designed for the oven.ALWAYS USE HIGH QUALITY CHARCOALDo not use logs of wood in your oven. Charlie is designed to operate primarily off Charcoal. Small wood chips can be used to add an extra smoky flavour, but should be limited to small amounts to avoid excess heat and bitter taste. Always use a high quality lumpwood charcoal that is dry and has been stored correctly. Look for a seller that has large chunks of charcoal instead of small pieces.6.
Taking Care of CharlieTaking care of Charlie is simple. There are only a few easy steps to follow to keep your oven clean and maintained.Watch on YouTubeHEAT CLEANTo get rid of excess oil, fat or grease in the oven, simply bring it up to 400°C (750°F) to burn any dirt off. This will turn everything inside the oven into a fine white ash which can be swept through into the ash tray.The oven’s heavy insulation means it takes several hours to cool completely. While still warm, brush the cooking racks with a wire brush. Wait until fully cool before handling the grate or ash. The spark arrest inside the chimney will need occasional cleaning.CLEARING THE ASHAt the end of a cook, you will want to remove excess ash from the cooking area. To do this, simply start by brushing any ash through the grates to below. Any large bits of charcoal that stay on top can be left for cooking next time. One of the grates can then be lifted to reveal any excess ash in the valley. Open the vent and sweep this ash through the hole.After approximately 10 cooks, the ash pan can be removed by pulling it out and disposing it in a bin or over plants in your garden.CLEANING THE OUTSIDEIf the outside of your oven needs cleaning, we recommend using a soft sponge and soapy water to clean the exterior. Anything that can be used on a car can be used on Charlie but be sure to use non-abrasive materials when cleaning to avoid scratching.7.
Adjusting the DoorThe only adjustment your Charlie will ever need is a slight adjustment of the door. This simple guide walks you through this process.Watch on YouTubeThe only part of the oven requiring adjustment is the door latching mechanism. Over time, as the seal beds in, you may need to adjust the tension to keep the door sealing properly.Use the 5mm hex key provided to turn the hex screw on the door handle boss. Clockwise tightens, anticlockwise loosens. The seal is correct when the door sits snugly without movement, but does not require excessive force to lock into the six o’clock position. You may see a slight gap (about 1mm) around the door. This is normal. The seal is not intended to be 100% airtight, and a small amount of smoke may escape, especially when cooking fatty foods or with added wood.8.
Cooking HeightOne of the special things about Charlie is the ability to cook at many heights. This page shows some of the foods you can cook at different heights and the benefits of doing so.Watch on YouTubeTOP LEVELIdeal for cooking with gentle indirect heat, making it perfect for roasting, baking, and slow simmering. Also suitable for hanging food, such as a leg of lamb.MIDDLE LEVELGreat for your roasts and cooking vegetables, the middle of the oven is the perfect area to get a good level to cooking heat.BOTTOM LEVELPerfect for cooking with direct heat for food such as steaks, cuts of meat and anything that benefits from direct heat and a char.9.
Adjusting the Charcoal HeightBy changing the height of the charcoal, you can increase the charcoal capacity of the Charlie substantially for longer cooks.UPPER LEVEL:Perfect for most cooks. Simply load approximately half a football’s worth of charcoal on top of the grates.CHANGING HEIGHTS:To change the height of the charcoal, simply remove the grates, remove the height adapter and then re-install the grates at a lower level.LOWER LEVEL:Ideal if you are looking to do a longer cook that requires more charcoal capacity. By lowering the grates, you can fill Charlie up with more charcoal for long burns.10.
Enjoy Your Charlie!We hope you enjoy cooking with your Charlie as much as we do.If you need any further assistance, help or information, please feel free to reach out to our customer service team who will gladly help you.