Flashbacks

War_Eagle_2244 · June 2012

I have experienced several massive flashbacks when cooking
steaks at high temps. I like to get the
dome temp up to about 700 with the bottom vent wide open and the daisy wheel
completely off to get the cast iron grates as hot as possible. Once I get the dome temp up around
700, I put the daisy wheel back on, slid wide open. The temp drops very quickly to around
500-600. When I burp it, opening about 2
inches, I always get a huge flash with flames rolling out for 3-4 seconds. Obviously, it’s not good for the gasket and
it makes it really difficult to put the food on and then to flip it. Is
there anything I can do differently to reduce the flash…short of cooking at
much lower temps?

Do the pizza experts experience something similar when cooking at such high temps? TIA

Sundown · June 2012

not really necessary to go that high (700º) to sear a steak. 500º will sear most steaks quite well.

Then, when you burp Egg, try opening the dome about 1/2 an inch two, three or four times first. That works for me most of the time.

The lack of knuckle, arm, facial hair and eyebrows is a sign of a Real Egger.

njl · June 2012

The lack of knuckle, arm, facial hair and eyebrows is a sign of a Real Egger.

Real egger or noob egger? I admit, I've singed off the hair on the back of my hand and forearm a few times...but I'd think with experience, this is something that would stop happening at some point.

Rich_ie · June 2012

Try taking the DW off for a few seconds before you burp.

troutgeek · June 2012

If you didn't behave yourself during the 60's and 70's, there's probably no way to avoid flashbacks.

Rich_ie · June 2012

If you didn't behave yourself during the 60's and 70's, there's probably no way to avoid flashbacks.

LMAO!! So true. ;D

gdenby · June 2012

Any time the Egg is over 500, and vents are closed, a flashback is almost inevitable for a few minutes. I actually practiced it (wearing a welding glove, and goggles.) i'd get a good searing fire going 500 - 600F, then shut the vents, wait about 30 seconds, and open. There would be moment when smoke rushed out, and then the flash.

As I understand it, when the Egg is hot enough to have a blue flame coming out of the top (700+,) that is super hot carbon monoxide burning as it hits enough oxygen. It takes a lot of burping to flush that.

As above, searing can be done at much lower dome temps. Most of the sear comes from the IR coming from the glowing lump. That drops off with distance. You can get a good sear if you take off the fire ring, and put the grate on that. Harder to reach in and turn the meat, but with it being an inch or so away from the IR source, its getting at least 1800F.

booksw · July 2012

I just read Naked Whiz's page on flashbacks: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/flash.htm I am cooking steaks tonight and, after reading his experiments on flashbacks, it sounds like I have only been pretty lucky till now at not seeing one (and stupid to think that wearing long gloves would prevent badness from a flashback)! Maybe leaving the chimney wide open before AND during searing per TRex method (even though my ribeyes are only 1" thick)?

lousubcap · July 2012

@ booksw-When I sear (Trex) steaks it is with the dome open so no flashback issues. Then shut dome and adjust vents for around 400*F during the rest phase. Slowly open BGE when rest complete and finish cook. Also, I don't try Trex on any steak unless at least 1 1/4" thick-too problematic for me-FWIW- Happy B'day USA!

MikeG · July 2012

Best way to avoid flashbacks is to have one scare the Allah out of you. Mine actually changed my haircut to include bangs where none existed before.

Some folks (me) just have to learn the hard way for a lesson to stick.

jmm888 · August 2012

Best way to avoid flashbacks is to have one scare the Allah out of you. Mine actually changed my haircut to include bangs where none existed before.
Some folks (me) just have to learn the hard way for a lesson to stick.

I definitely learned my lesson tonight. I was just starting my second adventure with the EGG after getting it this weekend. Temp was at about 650, and I started to "burp" the egg after a few seconds of opening the lid an inch or so, I started to pull it up and "poof". I now have blisters on all of my knuckles and no hair left on my arm.

I have heard all of the stories of flashbacks but didn't think it was all that common of a thing to happen...now I know!

Tjcoley · August 2012

Learned my lesson early on, however watching my son "take a look" before I could warn him and watching him drop the lid from about 5 inches high made me glad I went with Nomex instead of commando. Dropping a gasketless lid that far can not be good.

bettysnephew · August 2012

I have had good luck with the 1" burping method by doing it 3 - 4 times before tipping the lid up if the temps are elevated. I have a LOT of respect for flashbacks and flashovers after having experienced one in a house fire when I served as a volunteer fireman in my hometown. My partner and I were doing an occupant search and he pulled a door open too quickly - WHOOM! - the entire room engulfed almost instantly. Fortunately we were in full Nomex and air packs or we would have been toasted also.

Mayberry · August 2012

I had the same problem when I started. Using the leftover lump from last cook, combined with starting new lump in a chimney, letting burn for 10-12 minutes, and then dumping the chimney of new lump on top of old lump and stirring, has drastically reduced flashbacks for me....even at 600-700 dome temp. The new lump has fresh VOC's, which cause the worst flashbacks, from what I've read. I know others here don't use the chimney, but I personally feel I get meat on the grill a lot quicker using this method. All small pieces and dust fall out the bottom, too, and never make it into my Egg.

Eggucated · August 2012

@ booksw-When I sear (Trex) steaks it is with the dome open so no flashback issues. Then shut dome and adjust vents for around 400*F during the rest phase. Slowly open BGE when rest complete and finish cook. Also, I don't try Trex on any steak unless at least 1 1/4" thick-too problematic for me-FWIW- Happy B'day USA!

I'm with Lou, I sear with the dome open, then shut down to reduce the temps. Then before opening the dome back up, I take off the daisy wheel and open the bottom to get some air flowing. About 30 seconds later I burp it as well. Seems to be working for me so far, and I donated a lot of arm and hand hair to figure this out.

JerkChicken · August 2012

Searing should be done with the dome lid open since the purpose of searing is only to brown the surface of the meat and not actually cooking it.

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