Watching a guy in Memphis lose a whole brisket to a flare-up changed my fire management for good

I was at the Memphis in May contest a couple years back, just walking around the pits. Saw a guy on a team open his offset to check his brisket, and a huge gust of wind blew right into the firebox. The fat dripping from the brisket caught and the whole thing went up in flames in about ten seconds, just black and ruined. He was using a really wide fire grate and had way too much air flow. Ever since then, I keep my firebox door just cracked an inch, not wide open, and I switched to a tighter grate to keep the coals more contained. Anyone else have a horror story that made you change a basic step like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

lily5111mo ago

Ever see a pork butt turn into a charcoal briquette? That was me, left the damper open too wide on a windy day. Now I barely crack it and watch the smoke like a hawk.

jakerivera1mo ago

Read a tip about using a water pan to help with temp swings. It adds some humidity and acts like a buffer. Might be worth a shot on those gusty days.