Cleaning my electric!

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roberdc

Newbie
Original poster
Jan 13, 2014
2
10
Blackwell, OK
Well, here I reveal what a true novice I am!  Any input on how thoroughly you clean up the insides, the removable pans, etc.?  I feel like I want to sanitize everything, and then I think, "This is smoking meat!  How clean should this really be?"  Just wondering.  My biggest concerns are old drippings rotting and whether to wipe the sides with degreasers.

Thanks,

Bob Clark
 
I clean my grates and the drip pan after every smoke.The interior has a nice patina, and it is textured. I really don't worry.  I have never used a water pan or container to add moisture to a smoke so I have no idea if it promotes "rain", but I doubt that it does.

I  foil the cover to the smoke box and the floor of the smoker to make cleaning the drippings and fat renderings easier to remove (and I pull the foil the day after a smoke). I use a dry paper towel or old tee shirt to give the ceiling a quick swipe before pulling the foil. Any fats or grease that got under the foil I remove with a plastic putty knife, and the residual I get with a couple of paper towels. Then I foil so that the smoker is ready for the next feast.
 
You're suppose to clean em?!?!?!

In all honesty, I'll clean the grates once in a while... but that's about it.
 
I just hit my smoker grates with a wire brush same as my BBQ grill. But my food goes on separate grates that I place on the smokers grates. Makes loading and unloading easier. I then dry wipe the cabinet to remove any moisture or heavy crud. A little light crud adds character and flavor!
 
Last edited:
I heat it up.  I scrape the grills with a heavy duty wire brush.

I heat it up again.  I scrape the grills.

I heat it up again, and the meat goes on.

Everything is sterile.

The brown and black stuff is called seasoning?

Good luck and good smoking.
 
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