Hello all — a little backstory before I ask for some guidance.
On October 3, 2014, my dad lost his battle with liver cancer.
My dad’s passion for cooking started long before I was born. Both of his parents immigrated to the United States from Greece in the 1950s, and if you know anything about Greek culture, you know that food runs deep in our roots. Cooking wasn’t just something my dad did, it was a huge part of who he was and how he brought people together.
At some point in the late ’80s or early ’90s, my dad had a custom hog smoker and grill built. He called it "The Big Unit"
It started out red, but eventually he had it custom painted for his favorite football team, the Cleveland Browns. It became this vibrant orange beast with a simple brown and white stripe running down the middle.
The big unit went everywhere with us- camping trips, family gatherings, and of course, Browns tailgates. It holds a lot of memories for me.
After my dad passed away, my mom decided to donate it to our church. We thought it would continue to get used and enjoyed, but unfortunately, it ended up sitting there much more than it was being used.
Recently, I was asked if I wanted to bring it home. Of course I said yes.
So now, nearly 12 years after my dad’s passing and just a couple months before my 30th birthday, I’m standing in front of this absolute beast, staring at it and realizing…
I have absolutely no idea where to start.
I know it has been sitting for quite a while, and I want to bring it back to life, not just as a smoker, but as something that can continue being part of our family for years to come.
So, if you know anything about restoring old smokers/grills, cleaning, replacing parts, or just where the heck I should begin, I would love some guidance.
On October 3, 2014, my dad lost his battle with liver cancer.
My dad’s passion for cooking started long before I was born. Both of his parents immigrated to the United States from Greece in the 1950s, and if you know anything about Greek culture, you know that food runs deep in our roots. Cooking wasn’t just something my dad did, it was a huge part of who he was and how he brought people together.
At some point in the late ’80s or early ’90s, my dad had a custom hog smoker and grill built. He called it "The Big Unit"
It started out red, but eventually he had it custom painted for his favorite football team, the Cleveland Browns. It became this vibrant orange beast with a simple brown and white stripe running down the middle.
The big unit went everywhere with us- camping trips, family gatherings, and of course, Browns tailgates. It holds a lot of memories for me.
After my dad passed away, my mom decided to donate it to our church. We thought it would continue to get used and enjoyed, but unfortunately, it ended up sitting there much more than it was being used.
Recently, I was asked if I wanted to bring it home. Of course I said yes.
So now, nearly 12 years after my dad’s passing and just a couple months before my 30th birthday, I’m standing in front of this absolute beast, staring at it and realizing…
I have absolutely no idea where to start.
I know it has been sitting for quite a while, and I want to bring it back to life, not just as a smoker, but as something that can continue being part of our family for years to come.
So, if you know anything about restoring old smokers/grills, cleaning, replacing parts, or just where the heck I should begin, I would love some guidance.
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