I'm sure there's lots of these threads on here somewhere but it's always worth mentioning especially coming into grilling season. Please share any tips you have as well as stories or pictures that pertain to the topic.
While we're grilling or smoking for our family and friends safety should be a primary concern. Whether you use an electric, charcoal or wood fire in your cooker all the elements are there to ruin your weekend or cause serious damage to property or lives.
Elements needed for a fire: Take away pieces from the pyramid and you can't have fire
1) Fuel
2) Heat
3) Oxygen
Common sense tips if you have a fire.
If you have an electric smoker- Pull the plug and close the lid/doors. Seal up the cooker and deprive the fire of oxygen
Propane cookers- Turn off the knobs and close off the valves to your tank. Seal up your cooker and deprive it of oxygen.
Charcoal or wood burners- There's no luxury of killing the fuel so you gotta kill the oxygen supply. Close the doors, intakes and exhaust.
Must do's and haves.
1) Do keep a charged fire extinguisher near your cooking equipment
2) Do not leave smokers or grills unattended- where there's smoke there IS FIRE! I know many of you love your automatic temp controllers but they won't automatically put out your fire if you have one!
3) Keep a welding blank nearby- This could be used to smother your fire
4) Keep your cooker a safe distance away from other flamables...i.e your house or garage.
5) ***Use caution when your cook produces lots of grease***
6) Keep welding gloves close by in case you need to pull burning food out or close the cookers lids/doors as to not burn yourself.
Since we're dealing with animal fats flammable grease is our primary concern. Let's talk more prevention.
1) Clean the grease/gunk build up in the bottom of your cooker. I'm not saying you have to clean it with soap and water but at least scrape out the heavy stuff. It will just add fuel to your fire.
2) Double pan your drippings pan if you use one...especially foil pans. A pin hole leak dripping on your heat source can lead to a fire.
3) Use sturdy drip pans. Foil can bend and spill grease so be careful or use heavy duty foil pans. The last thing you want is to spill or have your greasy drippings spill over your electric/propane burner or wood/charcoal fire.
Let's not have this happen. Stay safe and grill safely this Summer!!!
While we're grilling or smoking for our family and friends safety should be a primary concern. Whether you use an electric, charcoal or wood fire in your cooker all the elements are there to ruin your weekend or cause serious damage to property or lives.
Elements needed for a fire: Take away pieces from the pyramid and you can't have fire
1) Fuel
2) Heat
3) Oxygen
Common sense tips if you have a fire.
If you have an electric smoker- Pull the plug and close the lid/doors. Seal up the cooker and deprive the fire of oxygen
Propane cookers- Turn off the knobs and close off the valves to your tank. Seal up your cooker and deprive it of oxygen.
Charcoal or wood burners- There's no luxury of killing the fuel so you gotta kill the oxygen supply. Close the doors, intakes and exhaust.
Must do's and haves.
1) Do keep a charged fire extinguisher near your cooking equipment
2) Do not leave smokers or grills unattended- where there's smoke there IS FIRE! I know many of you love your automatic temp controllers but they won't automatically put out your fire if you have one!
3) Keep a welding blank nearby- This could be used to smother your fire
4) Keep your cooker a safe distance away from other flamables...i.e your house or garage.
5) ***Use caution when your cook produces lots of grease***
6) Keep welding gloves close by in case you need to pull burning food out or close the cookers lids/doors as to not burn yourself.
Since we're dealing with animal fats flammable grease is our primary concern. Let's talk more prevention.
1) Clean the grease/gunk build up in the bottom of your cooker. I'm not saying you have to clean it with soap and water but at least scrape out the heavy stuff. It will just add fuel to your fire.
2) Double pan your drippings pan if you use one...especially foil pans. A pin hole leak dripping on your heat source can lead to a fire.
3) Use sturdy drip pans. Foil can bend and spill grease so be careful or use heavy duty foil pans. The last thing you want is to spill or have your greasy drippings spill over your electric/propane burner or wood/charcoal fire.
Let's not have this happen. Stay safe and grill safely this Summer!!!
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