Smoking in a gas grill - major flair ups when grilling after

[drobviousso]

Hi folks, I've been lurking for a while, but I'm breaking radio silence since I have a problem that could turn into a disaster.

I have a Weber Spirit gas grill that I've occasionally use to barbecue. The next time I use the grill after barbecuing for high heat grilling, I've noticed that I had more flare ups. Last night, the flare ups were bad enough that I ruined half the burgers I was grilling, and the 'flare ups' turned into a small fire. I had a fire extinguisher on hand, but the fire went out after about three minutes on it's own.

I'm pretty sure that barbecuing is leaving some kind of fuel on the flavorizer bars, and the fuel is building up while barbecuing, only to ignite when high heat it turned on under them a few days later.

At first, I thought that fuel might be incompletely burned wood (aka smoke residue) that is burning at the higher temperature of grilling, like what can happen with a dirty chimney. But while I was thinking about it today, I think it's more likely that the fuel is fat from the meat. The flare ups / fire was only on the flavorizer bars and base of the grill, not any other surface. That would make sense, and I don't normally have a pan to catch the drippings when I've been barbecuing.

I'd like to get the opinions of some of you though, to see if I'm thinking about this the right way. If I clean the grill and use drip pans in the future, am I safe to keep barbecuing in the gas grill? Is there anything I have to do after barbecuing to get ready for grilling? Would I be better off getting a dedicated smoker and just using that?

[day_trippr]

I'm betting your grill guts simply got coated in dripping fat during your "barbecue", and if you don't clean that stuff off and then hit grilling temperatures, it shouldn't be too surprising that the fat catches on fire.

The solution is obviously to clean your cooker after you use it for "barbecue" before using it to "grill"...
Cheers!
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[zysmith]

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Chris from Uxbridge,MA
Kingsford barrel grill with offset smoker
Weber Silver B gasser

[zysmith]

x2
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Chris from Uxbridge,MA
Kingsford barrel grill with offset smoker
Weber Silver B gasser

[KILLITANDGRILLIT]

I have a Weber Genesis and had the same issue a few years back. But you are correct, clean grill up well and use a drip pan next time to catch drippings.

[drobviousso]

Thanks, that's what I thought. Just wanted to gut check what I was thinking.

[Canadian Bacon]

All the fat from the previous cook was still on your grill and flavor bars,next time do a little burn off after each cook to get rid off the excess grease.
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[Uncle John]

[thsmoker]

I had a nasty grease fire after BBQing ribs and then grilling later. Used a lot of propane on each of the cooks too. Decided to get a smoker and use the gas grill for grilling only.

Could do the cleanup. But on my weber gas grill, there is a pan under the bars that actually caught on fire -- would need to keep that clean also. My fault for not cleaning it very often, but the added grease from the ribs really caused the problem. Dont think a burnoff after the cook would have been wise either. Good thing you had the fire supressor close by in case it got bad.

[tinovr]

I've had that slide out pan catch on fire as well... can ruin an entire meal... I alway seem to forget to clean that out..
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