The day a grease fire turned my brisket cook into a disaster show

Last Saturday, I was doing a 16-hour smoke on a prime packer brisket for a buddy's 40th birthday party, and around hour 12 a grease flare-up from a clogged drip tray torched the whole bark side before I could grab the fire extinguisher. Ended up serving it anyway with sauce, but everyone knew it was basically charcoal-anyone else had a single bad moment ruin a full day's work?

2 comments

2 Comments

haydenbutler27d ago

Basically charcoal" is being generous. You served up a story for that birthday party, and the brisket was just a prop. I've had a grease fire wreck a pork shoulder before, but at hour 12 you're already emotionally committed. That's the worst part. You're thinking about the beautiful smoke ring you had going and then poof, you're serving briquettes with a side of sauce. At least your buddy's 40th will always be memorable for the right wrong reasons. Next time just tell everyone it's a "charred bark finish" and charge double.

thea85727d ago

wait did your rub have sugar in it? i feel like that makes grease fires way worse cause it just caramelizes and burns before you can even react