Black slime on grates

[Paulie Walnuts 440]

Hey after several cooks I normally bring the smoker temp up a bit higher around 325 to get the grates hotter and scrape the grates but no matter what I do I still have this black slime on the grates. Today I used my benzomatic torch to burn the slime off which worked but can only cover a small area. Any ideas what I can do to remove this slime because it's on the bottom of my food and leaves a nasty residue on the plates and does impart a rancid flavor on my food.

I have seasoned wood when I burn in my off set smoker and I can tell you there is no sizzle or water pouring out of the wood when i burn.

 

[SmokinAl]

It’s just residue from the last smoke. It is no problem. Look inside the smokers of some of the best BBQ places in the world & their pits are anything but clean. If I haven’t used my smoker for a while I use a weed burner to sterilize the grates, when I use it to start the fire.
Al

 

[Paulie Walnuts 440]

Ok makes sense and as far as like crust build up the grates are clean of that it's that damn slime i can't get rid of but I noticed some do use a weed torch to burn that slime off. After burning that stuff off should I then get the smoker up to maybe 300 and spray some canola oil to let that bake in?

 

[PolishDeli]

That slime is one of two things (or a combination of both).
(1) A buildup of partially polymerized fat
(2) Creosote

Id expect it to be mosty (1).
But this description sounds more like (2): "leaves a nasty residue on the plates and does impart a rancid flavor"

WD40 will help dissolve it.
Then scrub with a wire brush, soap, and hot water.

Burning it off is the easiest way to do it though.

 

[jcam222]

Burn it off with a weed burner or pressure wash the grates. I’d think both would work.

 

[Paulie Walnuts 440]

Great thank you for the info!

 

[BigW.]

Dill pickle juice does a good job a cleaning grates.

 

[Paulie Walnuts 440]

That's pretty good to know..dill pickle juice...

 

[mike243]

well if wd40 will work gas will be quicker lol ,no way I am putting wd40 on any grates, Dawn dishwashing liquid and a big wash tub will clean almost any thing, I use a small electric pressure washer on mine, then heat to 500 or so for 30 minutes, if it can live thru all that I deserve what ever it can do to me lol

 

[mcokevin]

I wash my grates with soap and water after a long cook. A bunch of small pieces of food and hardened fat winds up stuck to them, and that and the water / drip pans get moldy quickly if left alone . Doesn’t take too long to wash the grates when I’m putting the smoker away the day after a cook.

 

[gmc2003]

Once I take the meat off the smoker/grill I use a wire brush and clean the grates off while they're still hot.

Chris

 

[Paulie Walnuts 440]

I normally clean grates off after a cook but this black slime tar stays on its odd even after bringing temps up to 350 degrees for a half hour or so.

 

[JWFokker]

Spray with canola oil and allow to sit a while before you clean the grates. It cuts through the grease and makes it much easier to remove.

 

[culpepersmoke]

A couple times a year I'll take my smoker to the car wash and pressure wash the whole thing inside and out. In between trips to the car wash I will occasionally build a big fire in the fire box and get the smoker as hot as possible, then spray the grates with a water hose, close the lid and let the steam clean it up.