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An explosion (almost...)

FM Former Member
A very strange thing happened last night approximately 30-45 minutes after starting to smoke a leg of pork (picnic ham). Had not I been standing in front of it, I would not had noticed anything. Smoke was coming out of the top hole and some out of the door (right corner, they told me this is normal). Suddenly, a big gush of air and some smoke came out of all sides of the door, as if pressure had been building up inside in an air tight chamber. As I mentioned, the top hole was not closed, and I had just changed the foil in the bottom to make sure there was no grease plug. I am 100% sure I made a hole in the foil at the drain site. The only explanation I can think is that the pork leg as it was starting to get warm, released a lot of air... The leg was just purchased from Sam's, it was in a sealed plastic pouch and did not smell bad when I opened it. All I did was remove the skin and applied a rub and sat for 3 hr in the fridge. So, it was pretty cold when it went into the smoker. Any other explanations or similar experiences?
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FM Former Member
Thanks for your response, I went back and did a search on "puff" and "boom" and found several posts. Maybe there should be a warning in the manual NOT to open the door for the first hr after placing food inside. Someone could get hurt if you are opening the door at the same time that this ignition is taking place...
FM Former Member
I agree it is not a problem.

This happens in all smokers that are semi air-tight. read the forums of the big green egg for instance, they all mention it.

ASK GLH,,,,DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR,,,HAHA

Any time you have gases hot enough to combust, coming in contact with oxygen, you will get spontaneous combustion. All these conditions exist in a smoker. Even if the timing of opening the door was such that you had it flash in your face there isnt enough heat there to hurt you, it would make you jump I bet. My fireplace insert even does this, shoots a little smoke out the air vent into the house, thats when you smell smoke and wonder why.
FM Former Member
quote:
Originally posted by ecelis:
Thanks for your response, I went back and did a search on "puff" and "boom" and found several posts. Maybe there should be a warning in the manual NOT to open the door for the first hr after placing food inside. Someone could get hurt if you are opening the door at the same time that this ignition is taking place...


First hour? The door is not to be opened until the meat is done. It might not ever get done if you opened it every hour!
FM Former Member
This happened to me. My wife said something happened in the smoker and that I better check it out????

DumDeDum De Dum......I open the door only to find a massive (picture exploding star) fireball!!!!! I closed the door and latched er back up!!!

Like GLH's signature....KEEP THE DOOR CLOSE....

I never pay any attention to it anymore.

dan
FM Former Member
I just got my smokette yesterday and when the aforementioned pop went up while I was seaoning it I pretty much dove for cover. It has also happened twice since i started my first real smoke about an hour ago. I am using cookshack wood. I wonder if atmospheric conditions could have something to do with it? Regardless, I am glad my CS smoker is not about to blow and take me with it.
FM Former Member
Why do you think the latch looks like it's one of those you might find on the Space Shuttle? lol. It's heavy duty, isn't it?

Just keep it closed, let it bang a little (I've heard mine once or twice) and check it close to finishing time.

I think the "bang" helps drive the rub deeper into the meat. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Later,
C'Nooga
wheelzwheelzSmmmmoooookin'!
Tossed a small 4# butt into the ST this AM and had my first "boom" ever.

Two weeks ago the heating element went south and I ordered a new one from ST. Took two days for anyone to return my calls BTW!

Got the emelent and installed (Man! these puppies are loaded with insulation!).

Can't logically atribute the BOOM to the heating element but it sure makes a fella wonder! Confused

Addendum: Explosion #2 fours later... Eeker
Last edited by wheelz
FM Former Member
I agree with everyone that the puffs and bangs and explosions are not the meat. I was watching my smoker while I was doing some small strips of jerky and was getting puffs out the hole and sides.

It is the wood burning and igniting the gases. It could happen also in response to the door being open as a rush of air creates the exact amount of gas and oxygen required for the ignition.

Someone with too much time on their hands could drill a hole in the side and place a pressure gauge that could measure the pressure increases during these episodes. I would guess they are only around 1 to 5 psi pressure surges.

Richard
FM Former Member
It would be interesting to know what kind of wood is being used when the pops occur, to see if that's a common factor. I haven't yet tried mesquite in my new 008, but it was far and away the most likely to pop and/or flashback in the ceramic cooker I used. Same for lump charcoal made from mesquite.
FM Former Member
quote:
Originally posted by Wheelz:
I was using 4 oz of hickory and two lumps of Real wood Kingsford.


OK, I'm guessing that your pop was caused by unburnt gas from the lumps of charcoal. They're just sitting there smoldering, not actually burning up like they were meant to do.

Result is there's some amount of unburnt, combustible gas being given off, and it tends to be heavier than smoke, so it settles into the bottom of the cooker. Then, when the heating element cycles on and gets up to *just* the right temperature, BOOM.

But why add charcoal lumps to your wood box? (Asked the new guy.)
FM Former Member
quote:
Originally posted by KathyE:
The charcoal is to make a smoke ring


Thanks for the quick comeback. Now that you mention it, I believe I've also seen this somewhere else, either in another thread here or maybe when looking into the Bradley smokers.

I may try a small chunk of lump charcoal one of these cooks, just to see what happens. I'll probably use one of the quicker-burning brands like Cowboy or their house-brand clones.

By the way, in the cooking I've done so far in my SM008, I've been impressed with how completely the wood chunks are reduced to ash. I'm guessing that means maximum smoke from minimum wood, which seems good.
wheelzwheelzSmmmmoooookin'!
quote:
Originally posted by y.a.Bob:
quote:
Originally posted by Wheelz:
I was using 4 oz of hickory and two lumps of Real wood Kingsford.


OK, I'm guessing that your pop was caused by unburnt gas from the lumps of charcoal. They're just sitting there smoldering, not actually burning up like they were meant to do.

Result is there's some amount of unburnt, combustible gas being given off, and it tends to be heavier than smoke, so it settles into the bottom of the cooker. Then, when the heating element cycles on and gets up to *just* the right temperature, BOOM.

But why add charcoal lumps to your wood box? (Asked the new guy.)


Then "why" after hundreds of smokes, nearly always using Kingsford, do I get an explosion...? Confused
FM Former Member
quote:
Originally posted by Wheelz:

Then "why" after hundreds of smokes, nearly always using Kingsford, do I get an explosion...? Confused


So as I understand it, you've done hundreds of cooks with the Kingsford lump, with no pops, and now, all of a sudden you're getting pops.

I'll stick with my original guess. (Please note the word "guess"!)

The new factor seems to be the new heating element, which just might get hotter or glow a bit more when it's on, compared to the old one, causing any combustible gasses in the compartment to light off.

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