Seasoning the WSM

[bama bbq]

How many followed Harry Soo's seasoning method of seasoning the WSM? ...or did you use some other method? ...or none at all - just fire it up and cook?

 

[dsorgnzd]

The part about  "burning off any remaining manufacturing residue" with a hot  fire and empty WSM is  logical.  But wasting meat just to create a smokey/greasy coating on the inside is, in my opinion, just that - a waste of meat, charcoal,  and time.  My WSM never tended to overheat when new, because I checked the fit between the  parts and adjusted them as necessary to be sure they were all as close to perfectly round as I could get them, and I also adjusted the fit of the door to minimize air leakage. If you prefer to rely on a coating of grease/gunk to seal the WSM, you'll get it from cooking anyway. Just start cooking.  (And no, I don't think I know more than Harry about anything - especially anything related to cooking bbq.  This is just my own opinion.

  )

 

[sprky]

All I do is spray it down with a cheap cooking spray and fire it up with some smoke. I gotta do this every year as I wash mine down good when I store it with the camper. 

 

[SmokinAl]

Same as Sprky, I just sprayed it down with Pam & fired it up. I think a good idea is the first thing you smoke should be a pork butt, so all the grease gets all over the inside of the WSM right away. They run a lot better when they get all gunked up.

 

[bama bbq]

Thanks guys.  Think I'll go with a butt.