Overheated

MrPhilGrillTX

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Grill
EX6 (+ a kettle from 2003)
So I was doing a brisket today and being perhaps stingy with loading the pellet hopper. Had it up to 140s or so about 7-8 hours in maybe. Don’t recall what time.

I got a low temp warning so I rushed out and put more pellets in and checked if the fire was still going. Couldn’t see that it was so used a lighter to light the pellets and try to save the cook. Got smoke going and the grill was smoking again.

Went back to the garage and ignored my timer to go check on the grill. Then forgot about it until later and peeked out at it.

IMG_3232.jpeg


This is what I saw.

So I opened the lid and found this:
IMG_3231.jpeg


That was a 16.4 lb brisket on an EX6. It is literally half the size it was when it started. I've moved it to the oven to finish (which was always the plan).

I'm guessing that was pretty exciting for a while there.
 
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Guess I'll be calling customer service tomorrow or Monday to get a new upper rack. I realized while cleaning it up, that I forgot to spread the pans back out when I relit the pellets.

I don't know what happened to make it overheat, but the controller was dumping pellets when I was trying to relight it. So my theory is it just kept going. There were no unburned pellets, but a lot of drippings on the side of the burn pot cover/flame deflector thing. The big central flavorizer had a lot of drippings as well. So I'm wondering if the greased dripped off the brisket and ignited.

I was targeting 225 with B&B pellets. It had essentially run out, but not alerted me because of the way the pellets were hanging around. Although, now that I'm looking at it, I did get an alert, but didn't notice it.

I'm assuming it over did the pellets trying to get it restarted, and then that overreaching pellets burned the brisket. Given the ash and crispy bits that came off the brisket, I think it was actually on fire.

It appears I didn't get an alert about the overheat because it was after 10 and my phone was in do not disturb. Either that or I didn't notice for some reason.

I've run out of fingers counting the things I should have done differently, but first among them is I'll let it go out or shut it down instead of trying to relight it next time I get a low temp warning. Second is I'll keep the hopper more full and not try to finesse it.

I'm sharing this to share my grief at the loss of brisket, annoyance that it happened, and to warn others about this situation.
 
As I think about it more, I'm not sure why I got the low temp - it was in the 60s - and the auger was full of pellets even tho the hopper was low.
 
Turns out the brisket wasn’t a complete waste. Once I cut off the crispy carbon bits there was decent meat underneath. I’ve had worse brisket from pros. Now, I’m not saying this is the next fad for competition like the burnt ends, but it was quite edible. Especially the point. I did miss the seasoning from the rub.
 

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Well all is fair in love and war. Carry on soldier.
 
For all of those that said the Smokefire couldn't do much of a bark, the crust on this one was like eating literal bark. :ROFLMAO:
 

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