Had to bail on my brisket mid-smoke after a flare up

I was at a backyard comp outside Austin last Saturday when my offset got a grease fire that shot up to 400 degrees in about 30 seconds. Pulled the brisket off, threw it in a pan with some beef broth, and finished it in the oven inside. Ended up tasting fine but the bark was totally soft and I placed dead last. Has anyone else had to oven finish a competition brisket and still get a decent score?

2 comments

2 Comments

rodriguez.cora24d ago

Did you wrap it at all before the fire hit?

thea_knight24d ago

I saw something about that on a survival show once... they said if you don't wrap the food somehow, even just in leaves or foil, the direct flame just chars the outside and the inside stays raw. Especially if you're cooking something like a potato or fish, the skin gets all black and cracked but the middle is still cold. I guess wrapping it helps trap the steam so it cooks through even, like a little oven inside the fire. Never tried it myself but it makes sense from what I've read.