OH NO MOLD!!!

[shannont]

I got rained out at the end of a cook and left a towel on top of the SI2 when I brought the food in. My husband being helpful covered the smoker with that damp towel and then again with the regular cover. I cant be mad for him being helpful... but for the first time ever I had MOLD growing on 2 of my racks a couple of weeks later when I remembered the mess I left behind.

I washed and scrubbed the racks but do I need to do a complete clean out of the inside or does mold not contaminate other surface areas? I know I'm gettin all scientific but I sure dont know the answer.

Thanks,

Shannon

 

[bigbirdk]

I think you want to remove the parts you can, give them a good hand scrub, and run then them through the dishwasher. Otherwise, I would say wipe the smoker inside with an alcohol soaked rag and let it dry. Once it has dried, crank the smoker up on the highest setting and let it run empty for a good long while to kill off any mold that, though unlikely, may have survived.

 

[wade]

If you are hot smoking next then simply wash the mold off the inside surfaces with soap and water and then let it get up to temperature before you put in any food. It certainly will not hurt to put the shelves through the dish washer if it is big enough - but this is not essential

 

[shannont]

Thank you so much - I was freaking out.

 

[wade]

Hi Shannont - no need to freak out

Remember that mold spores are around us in the air every day and there will always be some spores or small patches of mold in your smoker whenever you have left it standing for a while. Most are harmless unless you are allergic to them. Simply get the smoker up to about 250 F and most will be killed off. Having said that though, cleanliness is one of the most important considerations when it comes to food safety so get those grates nice and clean before you put the food on them. If you still have any concerns/doubts then you can also place the meat onto a separate wire rack on the smoker shelf.

Happy smoking