'Flaming' BBQs- and how to stop them.

Quoted message said:

I have problems with my BBQ. ("Don't tell me." I hear you say!)

Quoted message said:

Also I like my meat, be it beef or lamb, to have a reasonable amount
of fat - also for flavour. But I find that this fat melts, drips
into the charcoal, and bursts into flame. The result is my meat ends
up carbonised in 18" high flams as opposed to being cooked. Yet I
don't see these mounting flames in other people's BBQs, who clearly
know what they are doing more than I do. Nor do I see it in
restaurants.

What is the answer? Am I using the wrong type of charcoal? Is
there a flame-inhibitor spray, perhaps?

A Weber, or other lidded barbecue works very well.

Chris Key

Quoted message said:

I have problems with my BBQ. ("Don't tell me." I hear you say!)

For several years our daughter and family lived in North Carolina (we
live in England, by the way)

snip

Quoted message said:

My problem. Firstly I should say that I like to BBQ on charcoal.

snip

Good choice.

Quoted message said:

Also I like my meat, be it beef or lamb, to have a reasonable amount of
fat - also for flavour. But I find that this fat melts, drips into the
charcoal, and bursts into flame. The result is my meat ends up
carbonised in 18" high flams as opposed to being cooked. Yet I don't
see these mounting flames in other people's BBQs, who clearly know
what they are doing more than I do. Nor do I see it in restaurants.

What is the answer? Am I using the wrong type of charcoal?

Probably not.

Quoted message said:

Is there a flame-inhibitor spray, perhaps?

Yes. It's called water..... An old window-cleaner bottle (spray type)
filled with water works wonders, used wisely (aim for the flames, not
the meat).

Alternatively, in the traditional South-African way, you could use
beer; many purists believe that beer from a glass bottle works best,
however, beer from a can works just as well. Warning: don't use too
much beer for dousing flames, or you might stay sober.

Quoted message said:

I've just cooked a lovely rib-steak on the bone (washed down by a
good bottle of Burgundy = oh the joy of it!) but the outside was
charred to xxxxx, whilst the inside was rare to the extent of being
almost raw. So any help would be most, most, most welcome.

Thanks for ever.

Derek

Cathy

Cathyxyz said:

Quoted message said:

Is there a flame-inhibitor spray, perhaps?

Yes. It's called water..... An old window-cleaner bottle (spray type)
filled with water works wonders, used wisely (aim for the flames, not
the meat).

I like that idea. Thanks!

Quoted message said:

Alternatively, in the traditional South-African way, you could use
beer; many purists believe that beer from a glass bottle works best,
however, beer from a can works just as well. Warning: don't use too
much beer for dousing flames, or you might stay sober.

That was my dad's method. And he never used too much beer when dousing the
flames. 😉

Carol

--
CLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY
United States:
http://www.stopthehunger.com/
International:
http://www.thehungersite.com/

Quoted message said:

What is the answer? Am I using the wrong type of charcoal? Is there
a flame-inhibitor spray, perhaps?

First, remember you're grilling, not BBQ'ing. Grilling requires more
commitment from the cook to actually attend the food and fire. The
furthest away from the grill you should get is to the cooler of beer.

For keeping control of the fire, get yourself an empty spray bottle and
fill it with water. Flames come up, spray them down.

Quoted message said:

I've just cooked a lovely rib-steak on the bone (washed down by a
good bottle of Burgundy = oh the joy of it!) but the outside was
charred to xxxxx, whilst the inside was rare to the extent of being
almost raw. So any help would be most, most, most welcome.

Another trick is to mound the coals in the center only for getting them lit
and hot enough to cook. Once that's done move the charcoal to the sides
and leave the center free (or coals to one side while the other is free).
You've now got a way to cook your food without it being directly over the
fire. Need more heat you just move the food closer to the flame.

Keep practicing. The techniques that work best with your equipment will
come to you.

--

-Jeff B.
zoomie at fastmail dot fm

Damsel said:

Cathyxyz said:

Quoted message said:

Is there a flame-inhibitor spray, perhaps?

Yes. It's called water..... An old window-cleaner bottle (spray type)
filled with water works wonders, used wisely (aim for the flames, not
the meat).

I like that idea. Thanks!

Quoted message said:

Alternatively, in the traditional South-African way, you could use
beer; many purists believe that beer from a glass bottle works best,
however, beer from a can works just as well. Warning: don't use too
much beer for dousing flames, or you might stay sober.

That was my dad's method. And he never used too much beer when dousing the
flames. 😉

Carol

A very wise man! 🙂
Cathy

Quoted message said:

--
CLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY
United States:
http://www.stopthehunger.com/
International:
http://www.thehungersite.com/

Quoted message said:

I have problems with my BBQ. ("Don't tell me." I hear you say!)

BIG old spray bottle of water, adjusted to stream mode - nothing
fancy.

--
The Doc says my brain waves closely match those of a crazed ferret.
At least now I have an excuse.

Quoted message said:

Also I like my meat, be it beef or lamb, to have a reasonable amount of
fat - also for flavour. But I find that this fat melts, drips into the
charcoal, and bursts into flame. The result is my meat ends up
carbonised in 18" high flams as opposed to being cooked. Yet I don't
see these mounting flames in other people's BBQs, who clearly know
what they are doing more than I do. Nor do I see it in restaurants.

You keep saying BBQ, but I assume you mean grill based on the problem
you are describing, so that is how I am going to answer your question.

Have you tried creating a two level fire? Here is how I would do it:
cover half the grill in a layer of two or three pieces deep charcoal
(assuming you are using briquettes or something or a similar size and
shape) and leave the other half charcoal-free. This way, you can sear
your meat on both sides over the hot side of the grill and then move it
to the other side and cover the grill to finish cooking by indirect
heat. ThiI use this method any time when you are cooking a piece of
meat that is too thick to cook through while you are searing it. You
can also move the meat to the side if you have a particularly bad
flair-up while you are searing it.

Quoted message said:

What is the answer? Am I using the wrong type of charcoal? Is there
a flame-inhibitor spray, perhaps?

You could get a spray bottle of water to go after the flare-ups, but
I've never tried this method. Seems like it would just take the temp
of the fire down or create more steam and that doesn't sound great.

Good luck!

anthonyd said:

Have you tried creating a two level fire?

No.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What is the answer? Am I using the wrong type of charcoal? Is there
a flame-inhibitor spray, perhaps?

You could get a spray bottle of water to go after the flare-ups, but
I've never tried this method.

I can tell.

Quoted message said:

Seems like it would just take the temp
of the fire down

Of course it does. That's the intention.

Quoted message said:

or create more steam and that doesn't sound great.

If you use the spray correctly, it works well... never seen any steam
on our "grill" and we do it every other night in summer here in South
Africa....

Cathy

Quoted message said:

I have problems with my BBQ. ("Don't tell me." I hear you say!)

For several years our daughter and family lived in North Carolina (we
live in England, by the way) and I came to appreciate that, due to the
climate, our American friends were masters of the BBQ. I, therefore,
hope that some of them might come to my rescue.

My problem. Firstly I should say that I like to BBQ on charcoal. I do
it solely for the flavour. So I don't have one of those large
machines like cookers on wheels complete with ceramic blocks.

Also I like my meat, be it beef or lamb, to have a reasonable amount of
fat - also for flavour. But I find that this fat melts, drips into the
charcoal, and bursts into flame. The result is my meat ends up
carbonised in 18" high flams as opposed to being cooked. Yet I don't
see these mounting flames in other people's BBQs, who clearly know
what they are doing more than I do. Nor do I see it in restaurants.

What is the answer? Am I using the wrong type of charcoal? Is there
a flame-inhibitor spray, perhaps?

A lot people use cope with the flare-ups bu squirting them with a little
water, just enough to douse the flame without soaking the charcoal. Macho
types like to douse it with beer, I guess with the understanding that the
food will be come beer flavoured and therefor better <?>.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You could get a spray bottle of water to go after the flare-ups, but
I've never tried this method.

I can tell.

Right because I just told you...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Seems like it would just take the temp
of the fire down

Of course it does. That's the intention.

No, it isn't. The intention is to stop the flare-ups that can turn the
outside of your meat into charcoal before the inside is cooked through,
not to lower the temperature of the fire.

What I was saying is that a possible by-product of this method is that
the temp would go down is a bad thing when it comes to searing when you
want really hot coals. Agian, I didn't say you couldn't do it, just
that it would be a concern. Particularly in the case of something
really drippy.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

or create more steam and that doesn't sound great.

If you use the spray correctly, it works well... never seen any steam
on our "grill" and we do it every other night in summer here in South
Africa....

Where does the water go then? If you are trying to tell me the method
works and my concerns are unfounded, that's fine. As I said, I hadn't
tried it before due to the above mentioned concerns. And my two level
method has been working for me for many, many summers as well.

Stavo dormendo su un bancale di lambro quando il post di
[email hidden] mi desto'

Quoted message said:

Also I like my meat, be it beef or lamb, to have a reasonable amount
of fat - also for flavour. But I find that this fat melts, drips
into the charcoal, and bursts into flame. The result is my meat

ends

Quoted message said:

up carbonised in 18" high flams as opposed to being cooked. Yet I
don't see these mounting flames in other people's BBQs, who clearly
know what they are doing more than I do. Nor do I see it in
restaurants.

What is the answer? Am I using the wrong type of charcoal? Is
there a flame-inhibitor spray, perhaps?

Just use the ash you gather when you clen the grill firepit, always
gather the ash in a bag near and keep it.
Spread the ash with a shovel over the coals which are making fire, few
at a time, and wait to see if it needs more. Don't exaggerate or the
coals heat will reduce too much.
Ash is also useful if you want to reduce the heat from the grill, as
you need when you are cooking foods who need less fire and more time.
--
Vilco
Think pink, drink rose'

Hi,

There could be a number of problems and a number of solutions. Youll need
to see what you are doing now to eliminate the ideas I'm tossing out that
don't apply.

There could be: too much charcoal; charcoal hasnt burned down enough
before adding the meat; grill (sorry. We say grill in my part of the US;
BBQ is an end food product not a vessel for cooking) rack (metal thing
that you put the meat on) could be too close to the coals.

Do you use a grill (bbq) with a lid? If so, close lid and partially close
air vents. It takes air to make fire.

Generally, for steaks, I like a hot fire more so than for chops, chicken,
etc. So, some ideas Divide your coals on each end of grill (bbq) and cook
meat in the middle. Move meat over hot coals to sear and then move to the
middle. If you have a small grill, move all coals to one end or one side
and cook meat on the other side.

Some people recommend spraying the fire flame-ups with water from a spray
bottle. I do not. If you spray water on coals, many times the ash will fly
up and coat the meat. Boo, hiss. If you need to put out a flame, lift the
meat off the grill for a second or two.

Dont do away with that fat. It makes for a juicy piece of meat. And keep
the charcoal, too. It makes for Heaven on a plate.

Good luck.

Elaine, too

Quoted message said:

I have problems with my BBQ. ("Don't tell me." I hear you say!)

For several years our daughter and family lived in North Carolina (we
live in England, by the way) and I came to appreciate that, due to the
climate, our American friends were masters of the BBQ. I, therefore,
hope that some of them might come to my rescue.

Let me don my cape and mask, first.

Quoted message said:

My problem. Firstly I should say that I like to BBQ on charcoal. I do
it solely for the flavour. So I don't have one of those large
machines like cookers on wheels complete with ceramic blocks.

Do you have a lid on your grill? It's grilling you're doing, by the
way, not barbecuing.

Quoted message said:

Also I like my meat, be it beef or lamb, to have a reasonable amount of
fat - also for flavour. But I find that this fat melts, drips into the
charcoal, and bursts into flame. The result is my meat ends up
carbonised in 18" high flams as opposed to being cooked. Yet I don't
see these mounting flames in other people's BBQs, who clearly know
what they are doing more than I do. Nor do I see it in restaurants.

What is the answer? Am I using the wrong type of charcoal? Is there
a flame-inhibitor spray, perhaps?

Beer.

Also move the meat away from the hottest coals as needed. Also raise
the meat higher above the coals. Also arrange the coals so that you
have areas that are hotter and areas that are less hot so moving the
meat has the desired effect. All of which is to say: Know your fire.

And if you have a lid for your grill that fits well enough to the
base, you can smother the flames with it as needed. If your grill has
no such lid, I'd seriously suggest getting one that does. Very
useful. In fact, you might end up actually barbecuing!

Do they sell Webber kettle grills in the UK? They're a good product
for the money in my experience.

Quoted message said:

I've just cooked a lovely rib-steak on the bone (washed down by a
good bottle of Burgundy = oh the joy of it!) but the outside was
charred to xxxxx, whilst the inside was rare to the extent of being
almost raw. So any help would be most, most, most welcome.

Thanks for ever.

Aw shucks.

modom

Only superficial people don't judge by appearances.
-- Oscar Wilde

Just a quick note to thank all you kind folks who've come so suddenly
to my rescue. Shooting water at the thing seems to be favourite,
despite a few dissenting voices..

Funny. So simple but I'd never thought of it, myself. Assumed I'd end
up with a sort of volcanic slush.

And as for the fact that we here in the UK (and, I think in most of
Europe) 'barbeque' (I barbeque / thou barbeque-est / he, she and it
barbeques) and you (in the US, I've assumed) 'grill' only goes to show
once more that we are two peoples separated by a common language. Not
that we don't 'grill', of course. It's simply that when we do it
outside and set fire to everything combustable, we 'barbeque'! The
difference is useful in helping friends discover they're doing
something else suddenly.

Never mind, I'll take all your suggestions on board and only good can
come of it.

Thanks everybody.

Derek

Why would you want to "stop" them? Homosexuals generally have the tastiest
*and* most tasteful BBQ's...;-p

--
Best
Greg

anthonyd said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You could get a spray bottle of water to go after the flare-ups, but
I've never tried this method.

I can tell.

Right because I just told you...

Okay, lets get down off our high horses....

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Seems like it would just take the temp
of the fire down

Of course it does. That's the intention.

No, it isn't. The intention is to stop the flare-ups that can turn the
outside of your meat into charcoal before the inside is cooked through,
not to lower the temperature of the fire.

What I meant was: It does lower the temp of the fire - temporarily -
when it douses the flames, but if your coals are hot enough in the first
place, a little bit of water won't put out the fire - seriously.

Quoted message said:

What I was saying is that a possible by-product of this method is that
the temp would go down is a bad thing when it comes to searing when you
want really hot coals. Agian, I didn't say you couldn't do it, just
that it would be a concern. Particularly in the case of something
really drippy.

The trick here is not to cook the "really drippy" stuff with the
"non-drippy" stuff. Certain fattier meats are the culprits - they are
the ones that cause thse flare-ups, as you pointed out. For example we
cook something called "boerewors", which is a rather fatty type of
sausage - this stuff is mean, it causes a lot of these flare ups... so
we cook it separately from the lean steak etc. that we grill as well, so
that they don't get burnt. Actually, I wasn't joking about the beer, it
can add interesting flavour to the meat too if you spray the meat by
mistake! 🙂 This only happens if the cook drinks too much beer, before
the grilling is finished heh heh heh.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

or create more steam and that doesn't sound great.

If you use the spray correctly, it works well... never seen any steam
on our "grill" and we do it every other night in summer here in South
Africa....

Where does the water go then? If you are trying to tell me the method
works and my concerns are unfounded, that's fine. As I said, I hadn't
tried it before due to the above mentioned concerns. And my two level
method has been working for me for many, many summers as well.

If you use a very fine spray of water, and use it very sparingly and in
quick bursts, it just douses the flames and not the coals themselves.
You may get the odd puff of steam, but it goes away so fast, its not
really an issue - promise. 😉

Good luck with your grilling (or whatever its called)
Cathy

--
I don't suffer from insanity - I enjoy every minute of it

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have problems with my BBQ. ("Don't tell me." I hear you say!)

For several years our daughter and family lived in North Carolina (we
live in England, by the way) and I came to appreciate that, due to the
climate, our American friends were masters of the BBQ. I, therefore,
hope that some of them might come to my rescue.

My problem. Firstly I should say that I like to BBQ on charcoal. I do
it solely for the flavour. So I don't have one of those large
machines like cookers on wheels complete with ceramic blocks.

Also I like my meat, be it beef or lamb, to have a reasonable amount of
fat - also for flavour. But I find that this fat melts, drips into the
charcoal, and bursts into flame. The result is my meat ends up
carbonised in 18" high flams as opposed to being cooked. Yet I don't
see these mounting flames in other people's BBQs, who clearly know
what they are doing more than I do. Nor do I see it in restaurants.

What is the answer? Am I using the wrong type of charcoal? Is there
a flame-inhibitor spray, perhaps?

I've just cooked a lovely rib-steak on the bone (washed down by a
good bottle of Burgundy = oh the joy of it!) but the outside was
charred to xxxxx, whilst the inside was rare to the extent of being
almost raw. So any help would be most, most, most welcome.

Thanks for ever.

Derek

We just use a hand-held squeezy plant misting spray, and pay it lots of
attention. Also reduce air flow to the coals if possible, and keep the meat
a reasonable distance from the coals.

Shaun aRe

"Michael Odom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Do you have a lid on your grill? It's grilling you're doing, by the
way, not barbecuing.

Why are some of you being so pointed about this? Here, in England, we are
barbequing when doing this, the device we do it upon, is a barbeque, the
done food, is barbequed food. What you refer to as 'broiling' is what we
call 'grilling' and food is 'grilled' *under* a heat source known as a
'grill'.

We have different nomenclature - so you are incorrect to say he is grilling
rather than barbequing, just as much as he would have been to tell you that
you were grilling, when you said you were broiling - come on folks - this is
a big world ',;~}~

Cheers!

Shaun aRe

Shaun aRe said:

"Michael Odom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Do you have a lid on your grill? It's grilling you're doing, by the
way, not barbecuing.

Why are some of you being so pointed about this? Here, in England, we are
barbequing when doing this, the device we do it upon, is a barbeque, the
done food, is barbequed food. What you refer to as 'broiling' is what we
call 'grilling' and food is 'grilled' *under* a heat source known as a
'grill'.

We have different nomenclature - so you are incorrect to say he is grilling
rather than barbequing, just as much as he would have been to tell you that
you were grilling, when you said you were broiling - come on folks - this is
a big world ',;~}~

Cheers!

Shaun aRe

Confused me too.... when we "braai" which is our equivalent of an
outdoor "barbeque" (or so I thought) we have the coals under a grid and
the meat sits on top of said grid. Think we need to get our wires
"untangled" here 🙂 heh heh heh
Cheers
Cathy
--
I don't suffer from insanity - I enjoy every minute of it