Warning: My offset smoker grate collapsed mid-cook last Sunday

I was doing a brisket for a birthday party and about 4 hours in, the grates just gave way on one side. Pit was at 275 and I lost about 10 pounds of meat onto the charcoal bed. Had to pull everything out and brace the remaining grate with firebricks just to finish the cook. Anyone else had this happen with a cheaper offset and found a grate upgrade that actually holds up?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenixw1123d ago

Used to think any ol' grate would get the job done if it fit right, but this story definitely made me reconsider. Did you end up having to cut the brisket into chunks for burnt ends after it hit the coals?

david_jones3823d ago

Yo @phoenixw11, did you end up salvaging any of it for burnt ends or was it a total loss? Used to think any grate would work fine, but after seeing how a bent one can drop a whole brisket into the coals, i'm definitely upgrading to a thicker one. That must have been a pain to scrape off all that ash and stuff.

the_wesley23d ago

Figured I was fine with whatever grate came with the smoker, never gave it a second thought. Then this story hit me, makes me want to go out and buy something thicker right now before my next cook. It's one of those things you just assume is solid until someone shows you it isn't, you know?