Stupid Gasser!!

[dodgeramsst2003]

Ok, so most of this is probably a rant so sorry but it is BBQ related. Yesterday the little lady was coming up to watch the big game so I decided I would cook us some eats. got the smoker up to temp ( 300) loaded the smoke box up with hickory ( I only get about 45min to 1 hr of smoke so no worries about over smoking the bird) Once everything was settled I threw on a beer can chicken, and went back inside. I checked it a couple of times temp perfect, went to leave to go pick her up and though hey I better check that one more time, get to the smoker and WHOA!!!! temp is over 500??????? open up the door to find my wood had actually started a huge fire instead of burning nice and low. Go running around trying to find something to get a blazing firebox out of the smoker with, dowsed with water, and started all over again. Luckily I didn't ruin my bird. I also threw in some wings and a fatty. Had garlic bread, corn and fruit salad to go with it all. Has anyone ever had the wood box go up in a blaze like that? I've run my smoker probably a hundred times or so and never had anything like that happen.

Chris

 

[thillin]

Sounds like it just got hotter this time. Did you use smaller or dryer pieces? I'm just guessing, never seen this type of unit in action.

 

[bbqbull]

Did the wind kick up? Or did it change directions and blow straight into the dampers on the firebox? Or like thillin said some small dryer pieces or more dried out chunk of wood. Maybe a combo of things went south. Thats why I always babysit my logburner. I never leave it for over 5 minutes. Glad the food wasnt ruined as thats the most important part. How was the skin on the beerbutt bird?

 

[jgh1204]

Sounds like a grease fire.

 

[dodgeramsst2003]

The wind direction and speed was the same. Definitely wasn't a greese fire, since the water pan sits between the meat and the firebox. I used a new brand of woodchunks this time, and i usually don't run the unit at 300 so I guess it was just a fluke. I'm hoping someone else with a gasser will chime in if they have had similiar experiences.

Chris

 

[BBQ_MAFIA]

I have one of the Great Outdoors Somkey Mountain Series gas units but have never had this problem. Did you use the cover to the cast iron chip holder. Is it possible that you over stuffed it and the wood was exposed to the direct flames.

Sorry, this is the best I can come up with as I have never had a problem.

 

[dodgeramsst2003]

I did put the cover on the smokebox. I used a new brand of chunks though until I can get out to my uncles to cut up some wood from his farm. I guess I'm just gonna have to keep a closer eye on things from now on.

Chris

 

[swamprb]

I had that happen to me one time. I use chips and always soak them in water, that particular time I mixed some Little Chief Apple sawdust with the Hickory chips and didn't soak them. Turned my back for a few minutes and white smoke and flames shooting out the vents and over 500F! Luckily I had not put the chicken in.

 

[CarbonToe]

I had that happen to me one time. I use chips and always soak them in water

I always soak wood chips on the odd occasion I have use them. If not I find they have a habit of catching.

It’s a major reason I stick with Wood Chunks.

 

[beerguy]

Ive had that happen occasionally when the smoke has just about quit, seems like it hits a flashpoint and its gone. It happens more with the "sawdust" kind of smoker chips than the bigger chips. As I have it offset, not right under the beercan chicken, its not a big problem, even if unattended for a few minutes. I always keep a spray bottle close by to douse such problems.

 

[MrMike]

I've had this problem from time to time with my Brinkmann gasser and with an electric charbroil. I use a combination of the Little Chief dust/shavings and regular hickory chips from Charbroil. I soak the chips and use the dust dry. The dust goes into one pan (the one from my Little Chief) and the chips go into a steel chip box (no cover). I used to use just soaked chips place right on the lava rocks. Doing it that way required a lot of watching - the chips would dry, then catch fire. I pull the upper part of the smoker off, spritz with water, add more wet chips, and replace. Yes, it's a pain. The chip pans help a lot and I've had fewer flareups. I also keep a fairly close eye on the smoker with remote thermometer. So...anybody who says that gassers and electrics are more consistent temperature wise has never really used one....

Mike