Carlos Javier Sanchez | Contributor/Carlos Javier Sanchez | pixelreflexmedia.comBehind every high-profile pitmaster is a supporting cast of characters who keep the fires burning and the briskets cooking.
Why? Due to the low-and-slow cooking process, different size briskets make it hard to know when they are done. For instance, if you cook a 10-pound brisket and a six-pound brisket at the same time, the six pounder will finish cooking earlier than the 10 pounder and will need to be pulled from the smoker sooner.
If this grease is not periodically cleaned out, it can ignite and cause a fire that spreads from the smoker to the rest of the restaurant with devastating consequences. Pit cleaners will don hazmat-like suits and climb inside the smoker to scrape the grease from its surfaces. Many pit rooms are not air-conditioned, so this job is one of the hottest and dirtiest in a barbecue joint, especially in the summer.