Grease Fire

S

StLouQue

Guest
It finally happened. While helping my daughter with her taxes, I hastily tossed some lump into the "cold" side of my charcoal basket to maintain the temp. In my rush, I neglected to notice that a few stray lumps fell onto the rim of the firebox. Since the lid could not close completely, lots of oxygen made for lots of flame inside the cooking chamber. By the time I smelled that something had gone terribly wrong, a rack of ribs was charred beyond recognition and the butt was also blackened. The ribs were wasted, the butt was salvageable, but I was to have no tasty bark with this pulled pork. Damn.

The Bandera baffle (mod) has a 4 inch notch burned out. Paint peeled off the cooker front door, and a Taylor digital thermometer was also sacrificed.

So, I gotta make a new baffle, sand and paint, and see Amazon for a new thermometer.

There is a question here: What is recommended for cleaning out the cooker? My thought is to scrape any charred bits from the inside, and then maybe hose out the bitch. Any reason why I should consider scrubbing it out with soap and water, Simple Green, or oven cleaner, and then re-seasoning? I hate to start over, but I guess I am concerned that, perhaps, there is more greasy residue than is safe.

Right. Let me have it.
 
StLouQue said:
It finally happened. While helping my daughter with her taxes, I hastily tossed some lump into the "cold" side of my charcoal basket to maintain the temp. In my rush, I neglected to notice that a few stray lumps fell onto the rim of the firebox. Since the lid could not close completely, lots of oxygen made for lots of flame inside the cooking chamber. By the time I smelled that something had gone terribly wrong, a rack of ribs was charred beyond recognition and the butt was also blackened. The ribs were wasted, the butt was salvageable, but I was to have no tasty bark with this pulled pork. Damn.

The Bandera baffle (mod) has a 4 inch notch burned out. Paint peeled off the cooker front door, and a Taylor digital thermometer was also sacrificed.

So, I gotta make a new baffle, sand and paint, and see Amazon for a new thermometer.

There is a question here: What is recommended for cleaning out the cooker? My thought is to scrape any charred bits from the inside, and then maybe hose out the bitch. Any reason why I should consider scrubbing it out with soap and water, Simple Green, or oven cleaner, and then re-seasoning? I hate to start over, but I guess I am concerned that, perhaps, there is more greasy residue than is safe.

Right. Let me have it.
Click to expand...
I take mine to the car wash.
 
I know your pain. I burned up 15 racks of babybacks 2 weeks ago in my dera due to a grease fire.

I scraped all the crispy parts off the walls and door. I have a foil pan in the bottom of mine to make cleaning it out easier, guess I should have cleaned it out. I tossed the foil pan and put in a new one. Washed down everything with warm water mixed with some Simple Green. Sprayed out the whole thing with a garden hose and let air dry. Reseasoned the whole thing inside and out. Made sure to oil the hinges real good.
 
StLouQue said:
Um, no. The bottom is lined with firebricks.
Click to expand...

Mine too. I wrap the fire bricks with aluminum foil. (Thanks Jorge). When they get nasty just toss the foil and wrap them again with new.

As Midnight suggested, Simple Green is a good choice if you decide to clean. Biodegradable.
 
Fifteen racks of babybacks!? Holy Schnickeys! I got off easy. If my daughter hadn't been here, no one else would have even known. She said, "Dad, is it supposed to do that?"

Repainting the firebox exterior was in the plans for this Spring, anyway. I guess maybe I should go the whole mile. Simple Green and re-season, repaint the outside, new baffle, and DEFINITELY oil the hinges. Might put some planks on the service shelf too.

I used to keep a cookie sheet atop the firebricks, but gave up on keeping them pretty long ago.

Thanks for the tips, guys.
 
At kookers kare for 2005 and 2006, I caught our double commerical KF on fire. It is cold out, so the grease drain plugs - and when you are running hot anyway to get 800lbs of butts done..... Viola! Pit fire. Flames out the stacks mod.

This year was Chris Early's turn. Burned off his grates, and then hit pit took off....

I would start over and reseason. Dont want any of that nasty sooty char hanging around.
 
StLouQue said:
It finally happened. While helping my daughter with her taxes, I hastily tossed some lump into the "cold" side of my charcoal basket to maintain the temp. In my rush, I neglected to notice that a few stray lumps fell onto the rim of the firebox. Since the lid could not close completely, lots of oxygen made for lots of flame inside the cooking chamber. By the time I smelled that something had gone terribly wrong, a rack of ribs was charred beyond recognition and the butt was also blackened. The ribs were wasted, the butt was salvageable, but I was to have no tasty bark with this pulled pork. Damn.

The Bandera baffle (mod) has a 4 inch notch burned out. Paint peeled off the cooker front door, and a Taylor digital thermometer was also sacrificed.

So, I gotta make a new baffle, sand and paint, and see Amazon for a new thermometer.

There is a question here: What is recommended for cleaning out the cooker? My thought is to scrape any charred bits from the inside, and then maybe hose out the bitch. Any reason why I should consider scrubbing it out with soap and water, Simple Green, or oven cleaner, and then re-seasoning? I hate to start over, but I guess I am concerned that, perhaps, there is more greasy residue than is safe.

Right. Let me have it.
Click to expand...


first things first...post some pictures of that burned up biatch.
 
I would scrape out what ya can, then heat it up to 350-400 and then fire the garden hose into the chamber(with a stream nozzle). Instant steam cleaning. Let the steam do the work, rinse and repeat. Then spray with PAM and raise the temps one last time.

I cleaned MOAB this way after it was shut for 8 months and had a science project growing inside. Came out great..
 
BBQchef33 said:
I would scrape out what ya can, then heat it up to 350-400 and then fire the garden hose into the chamber(with a stream nozzle). Instant steam cleaning. Let the steam do the work, rinse and repeat. Then spray with PAM and raise the temps one last time.

I cleaned MOAB this way after it was shut for 8 months and had a science project growing inside. Came out great..
Click to expand...

Interesting, Phil. Are you suggesting there's no danger of warping this thin-ass steel by hitting hot with cold water?
 
All I ever do with mine is scrape out the grease from the bottom when the pit is warm and occasionally scrape out the dry stuff on top, then hit it with a weed burner to burn the grease out.
 
Views of the aftermath

Scorched door
Door.jpg


Formerly a baffle
Baffle.jpg
 
Arlin_MacRae said:
Dat was one hot fahr!
Click to expand...

Yeah, and all because I neglected to notice a couple of stray lump chunks under the firebox lid. Live and learn eh? Fark.

Seeing it in daylight, I've concluded that the largest build-up of grease laid on the baffle and the foil covering my (sand-filled) water pan. I chose to go with sand for easier clean up. Obviously, I got lazy changing the foil. That sumbitch was flaming like an Olympic torch.

I'll be tearing it down to replace the baffle and repaint. This pig WILL fly again.
 
Last edited:
A regular phoenix!
Grease fires in the water pan are the coolest. When they spin like a flaming vortex from Hell you just want to stand there and watch...NOT!
 
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