how clean do you keep your smoker?

[dannylang]

i am a person who likes to keep my smoker as clean as i can, i will clean it as clean as i possible can, i know you probally dont have to be as crazy as i am but i like my smoker clean, so none of the food i serve my family is the best it can be. i looked at videos on u tube and it makes me sick looking at their smokers, how dirty they are. just wondering how clean i really need to keep my smoker, what do you guys, gals think?

 

[greatfx1959]

we are supposed to clean our smokers???? omg dont tell archibalds in tuscaloosa

 

[6GRILLZNTN]

I vacuum out my pellet smoker, and clean the grate after a long cook. I dump the ash and clean the grate of my WSM. Same with my Performer. All of them get a wipedown on the outside with degreaser a couple times a year. That's about it.

 

[Steve H]

Dump ashes and keep the grates as clean as possible.

 

[chilerelleno]

I knock out the ash outta'da wood tray, keep the water tray clean and take a wire brush to any hanging crusties on the grates.
If anything starts flaking on the walls I knock it down with the wire brush, and the grease trap gets cleaned as needed.
Other than that it stays very well seasoned.

 

[Bearcarver]

The only parts I worry about in my MES, I keep clean.
That would be:
The Racks that the Meat sits on---Washed after use.
The Window, so I can see through it---Before every use.
The Water Pan & Floor---Cleaned & covered with new foil, as needed.
The Ceiling & Walls---Check for anything loose & ready to fall off---Before every Smoke.
The 2 sensors on the back Wall of Smoker---Clean when needed.

Bear

 

[actech]

A clean smoker is a tasteless smoker. . I remember when my boss commented on how he just couldn’t get his smoked food to taste as good as others. After some discussion figured out he was cleaning it spotless after each use. Told him to quit cleaning it and now he’s a smoking champ.

 

[BandCollector]

I keep all of mine as clean as possible.

Seasoning and caked on crud are two different things.

I prefer seasoning to the latter.

 

[JC in GB]

I scrape the grates and remove any buildup that could catch fire before every cook. I line the heat diverter with foil and change that every 3 cooks. I also clean the smoke stack every 3 to 4 cooks.

 

[chopsaw]

I fire up the gas grill and throw the racks from my mes on to burn the stuff off .
Knock off any loose stuff inside . I run the MES at 275 for an hour or 2 even if I'm not smoking anything .

 

[normanaj]

I am also an MES owner and I do exactly what Bear does,nothing different.

 

[chopsaw]

I do too , keep the limit wiped down , and re foil as needed . Therm is by passed .

 

[phatbac]

Scrub the grates and steam clean my smoker before every smoke. Try to keep clean as possible.

Happy Smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)

 

[GaryHibbert]

The exterior of my MES gets wiped down whenever the spider webs and dust get a bit too thick (the MES sits outdoors on my covered deck).
The grates get scraped and go through the dishwasher after every cook.
The grease tray gets washed or turfed after every cook.
The interior gets wire brushed when the black crap starts falling off on the food.
That's about it.
Gary

 

[johnmeyer]

Cleaning your smoker seems to be a topic that comes up a lot. If you want to see more replies, check out these very similar threads:

Do you clean your smoker?

Do you clean your smoker to reduce Creosote taste?

To clean or not to clean

 

[smokerjim]

I just heat them up good and scrap anything that's loose off, grates I usually hand wash

 

[Norwester55]

I scrub the grates and wipe down the inside with white vinegar. Scrape any residue off the firebox.

 

[kelbro]

I clean mine every 20-30 years whether it needs it or not.

 

[smokerjim]

I clean mine every 20-30 years whether it needs it or not.

wow you clean it that often

 

[towtruck]

I clean my smoker and bbq like I clean my cast iron pans....knock anything that could mold off and burn everything else into carbon.