Well That Was A Disaster

smokingmeats · Oct 19, 2014

Went out to pull the brisket I put on at 6am this morning, and it turned out I had a grease fire raging in my WSM. My smoker is now ruined (deformed and warped) from the heat.

I dont know what Im more pissed about, the fact that Im without a smoker now, or the fact that I woke up at 515 am and had been working on this brisket the whole day.

On the bright side, I smoke in my garage (semi-controlled climate) and that didnt burn down. But it was close.

If any of you know of a good smoker in the minneapolis/st paul area that is on the market, let me know because Im now in the market!

Harbormaster · Oct 19, 2014

How did you get a grease fire in your WSM?

You're lucky you didn't lose your garage. (In the future you should probably cook outside.)

What warped? Are you sure it can't be repaired?

smokingmeats · Oct 19, 2014

Harbormaster said:
How did you get a grease fire in your WSM?

You're lucky you didn't lose your garage. (In the future you should probably cook outside.)

What warped? Are you sure it can't be repaired?

The fat from the brisket had dripped accumulated in the water pan and caught on fire.

The top isnt circular any more, and the mid-section is shaped like a rugby ball.

landarc · Oct 19, 2014

that must have been a huge grease fire to deform the steel. Indeed, lucky the garage didn't ignite

5string · Oct 19, 2014

Before you scrap it, call Weber customer service

charlie d · Oct 19, 2014

Scary. I'm hoping it isn't an attached garage.

ssv3 · Oct 19, 2014

Wow! Seems like you avoided disaster. Count your blessings and Im with Harbormaster on not smoking in the garage.Especially unattended.

IamMadMan · Oct 19, 2014

Fortunately you lost a brisket, maybe a WSM, but the dwelling is still intact.

I hope everything works out for you...

THoey1963 · Oct 19, 2014

Wow. Dodged a major bullet there. I guess another good reason to have a Maverick type probe where you can catch the sudden increase in heat...

Glad you didn't lose your house.

Happy Hapgood · Oct 19, 2014

I've never heard of that happening either. Did you happen to take any pic's for insurance reasons etc. ? Must have been some smoke damage with a grease fire like that.

dkelly75 · Oct 19, 2014

oh man that sucks, you are lucky nothing else burned. Sorry for your loss.

Vision · Oct 19, 2014

Can you post pictures? Never heard of this, can't understand what you're referring to.

AlwaysSmokey · Oct 19, 2014

Total freakin bummer. I feel your pain. Sorry about the sh*%@y experiance. But, one day you'll be laughing about it. :-o

Harbormaster · Oct 19, 2014

Your fire had to be pretty damn hot for the accumulated brisket fat to catch fire in the water pan. I have fat come to a slow boil, but it's never gotten that hot.

If you're going to use the water pan dry, you should have an "air gap" or insulator between the bottom of the pan and what you're catching the grease in (water pan wrapped in foil I presume). Put in a clay flower pot base, wadded up foil, crushed cans (my preferred method), something so the grease doesn't get so hot.

All things considered, you got taught a $350 lesson that could have been much more expensive.

SmittyJonz · Oct 19, 2014

BUILD A UDS. :wink:

bbqbull · Oct 19, 2014

I am sorry for your horrible experience.

I am no expert here but burning fat on top of water is pretty rare. I assume the water had evaporated and the melting fat hit the hot pan.
Did you trim your brisket of most of the fat?

Team DD · Oct 19, 2014

Glad everyone is okay after that.

smoke ninja · Oct 19, 2014

Vision said:
Can you post pictures? Never heard of this, can't understand what you're referring to.

Yes im confused myself. How did you have it setup? Did the grease catch fire in the pan or overflow? Please explain

smokingmeats · Oct 19, 2014

smoke ninja said:
Yes im confused myself. How did you have it setup? Did the grease catch fire in the pan or overflow? Please explain

The fire was coming from the grease pan. My guess on what happened. I over filled the smoker with coals and the flames got to large. I didnt have any water in the pan so it was just grease in there. One of the flames caught the grease, and then the whole pan caught on fire.

DetTigersFan · Oct 19, 2014

smokingmeats said:
The fire was coming from the grease pan. My guess on what happened. I over filled the smoker with coals and the flames got to large. I didnt have any water in the pan so it was just grease in there. One of the flames caught the grease, and then the whole pan caught on fire.

Wow that's pretty crazy... Glad it didn't ignite your whole garage :shock:
Did you take any carnage pics of your WSM? Sounds like it was a really hot fire...

Well That Was A Disaster

Knows what a fatty is.

somebody shut me the fark up.

Knows what a fatty is.

somebody shut me the fark up.

is one Smokin' Farker

Knows what a fatty is.

somebody shut me the fark up.

somebody shut me the fark up.

somebody shut me the fark up.

somebody shut me the fark up.

Knows what a fatty is.

is Blowin Smoke!

is Blowin Smoke!

somebody shut me the fark up.

somebody shut me the fark up.

Watching over us.

Full Fledged Farker

somebody shut me the fark up.

Knows what a fatty is.

is one Smokin' Farker

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