question about smoker build

[harpo17]

I'm wondering about a build I'm wanting to try with a 48"x20" steel fuel tank from semi. its a nice size for a cooking chamber, but can the deisel be "burned" or washed out of it? will it affect the cooking or should it be scrapped?

 

[anstissk]

Well, im not going to say that it will work for sure or not.  But i have a 55 gallon oil drum for my smoker and i burned it out 3 times and then washed it with dawn dish soap.  And then burned it out once more and re washed it.  Steel products have pores just like you and i.  Anything that was in that steel will be in the pores in that steel.  I would say if you do like i did you should be pretty safe.  I havent gotten anyone sick at all from my smoker. 

 

[rubbin butts]

Yes it will work fine, but you have to get it to about 450-500 degrees for about 4 hours to cook all the diesel fuel out of the steel. Then scrub it out good.