Pit Fire!

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Captain Morgan

Chef Extraordinaire
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
14,162
Location
Myrtle Beach
not on mine...I went to a fundraiser for the local Humane Society,
and there was some volunteers cooking hamburgers and hot dogs
on a big custom pit, so I of course immediately went up to take
a look.

Found out the pit belonged to a woman's husband, and they just
have it for fun, no catering or competeing. Well they've been
cooking burgers for a while, and the flames are licking up through
the grate while they're putting on more fresh meat.

Yep, within 2 minutes, it was out of control, flames curling up and over
the lid, which was propped open with a wooden stick. Smoke is going
everywhere, people are running up asking if they needed the fire
department, and those guys were standing there looking like deer in
the headlights.

So I stepped back there, grabbed a spatula and knocked the stick (which was now smoking) out, the lid comes down with a big whoomp, and
voila...no more fire. I poured water over the stick and told em
not to open it for a while, and let the grease burn off more slowly.

Amatures,...sheesh!
 
Any of you official firefighters out there got an honorary badge or something for a heroic citizen? ;)

You were the right man in the right place, Cappy. :)

--John 8)
 
The lid slamming was funny.
Good work man at stepping up when needed.
 
Love a good pit fire. As long as it's not my pit! :LOL: Funny that some folk have no clue when it happens. I love going to the park here in town and watch all the rookies burning up food on the little park grills. :LOL: Women screaming at men and the men just say "it's under control, don't worry." Mmmm........ Black chicken. :LOL:
 
Funny thing that you mention this Cappy. 'Bout the same thing happened to me last Friday. Cept, I knew it was going to happen.

I wanted to cook for me students before they graduate next week and decided to do some of my famous Jerk Chicken, Blue Cheese / Saute'd Onion and Pablano 1/2 lb Burgers, and Beer Brats.

Well, I didn't have the time to dedicate to smoking every thing, so I opted to use the gas :evil: grill from the MWR Division on the base. The reason why I cringe when I mention this, is because the ones they have has a steel plate with holes drilled in it just above the burners.

Well, knowing that flare ups are an obvious event, I placed some foil pans under the cooking grate on top of the plate to catch the grease. Well, it saved me until it came time to pull the last 3 burgers off. About the time the last burger came off, all of the grease in the foil pans lit off at the same time.

I had about enough time to slam the lid shut and walk over and turn off the gas and walked away. Sat back and watched the lid bow from the heat :shock: and was reminding myself why I hate that grill and how glad I was that it wasn't mine. I also vowed that I will never allow myself to use it again. Luckily, the lid can open from both sides and there was a gap at the top so the heat and pressure didn't build up to make it worse.

Once the fire went out and I let it sit for about an hour, I opened the lid to remove what was left of my foil pans and toted it back to the base MWR office.

Just another reason to boycot gat!!!
 
Cappy invented fire? Cool! I saw the movie they made about you, Quest For Fire.

This makes me think (which happens every now and then). My char-griller has a grease can on the bottom but I have never thought to clean the inside. I actually love the smell of it.

Should I clean the inside of the grill

OR

as long as the grease is draining, should I not be worry about it?

I do still use it as a grill and occasionally have hot coals in the main body.
 

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