Question About Cleaning My Smoker

[grande]

Last week I smoked 4 pork butts &, I have to tell you, the inside of my smoker is a darn mess right now. I was wondering to what extremes people go to clean their smokers.

I was planning on just wiping out the major droppings & make sure that the heating element is clean. Would that do, or should I scrub it down & re-coat it with peanut oil afterword?

 

[roksmith]

clean it?
did you say clean it?

why would you do that?..what are you thinking?
All that time building up a good seasoning just to clean it?

all kidding aside, I really only clean the inside of the smoker once a year.
I'll clean the grates several times a year...but the inside of the smoker only gets a good bath once or twice a year.

usually a good pressure wash with a little of sams club oven cleaner sprayed on first.

..if you clean it too well, it will need to be seasoned right away to prevent rusting.

 

[brianj517]

Honestly, Grande, I'll use a plastic putty knife to scrape out any accumulated fat or grease that has collected on the bottom that missed the catch pan. Of course, I clean the food grates after each use with grill cleaner and a garden hose. Other than that, I have'nt seen a need to "power clean" the inside of either of my GOSMs after 4-5 years of heavy use.

After any extended period of disuse/storage (i.e. if you store it in a shed over winter) I would use a brass wire brush to scrub lightly around the burner holes to dislodge any spiders/webs that may have taken up residence before lighting for the first time.

Cheers,
Brian

 

[geek with fire]

My theory is anything that sticks is seasoning. Evertything else gets brushed or shop vac'ed out. I also wire brush the cooking grates before and after every cook. I also brush oil or light bacon grease after a cook, but my grates are cast iron, so that might not be needed for you.

 

[grande]

Great! Thanks a lot. I will just try to lightly brush out any major droppings (without any elbow grease) & make sure that the heating element is clean & I will be good to go. We'll chalk the rest up to being on the way to a well seasoned smoker.

BTW, I don't plan on storing it for the winter. I'm too busy using it.

 

[pitrow]

I agree with the others... major dippings get cleaned out regularly, and the grates occasionally go in the dishwasher, but the rest usually just stays. Shoot, I think my little chief hasn't been "cleaned" in the 10+ years I've had it.

 

[walking dude]

here here............xactly what i tell folks round here when they say its too cold to smoke..........pffffffffftttttttttt............it NEVER to cold to smoke......just dress warmer..........and if its too windy.......build a wind break...........if i had to shut down from smoking if its too cold.......i wuld end up in the hospital with withdrawal symptoms from non-smoking.........

 

[got smoke]

mine i just put foil on the bottom of the smoker it has worked great so far i got a gas smoker i change it every other time i smoke something.