tips for cleaning the offset?

[netspyder]

so, there i was today getting ready to grill some brats and pork steaks, and i open the door to my fired up offset and flakes fell from the door. guess it's time to give this guy a once over. any advice from the veterans? should i take a scraper to it before power washing it, or just go at it with the power washer? should i use detergent or not? figuring on having to run it a bit after and get a coat of oil on it.

tip - now's a perfect time for those folks that told me not to do direct grilling in the cook chamber of my offset to say "i told you so".

 

[cptnding]

I always just give the inside a good cleaning with a wire brush. I have never seen a need for soap and water in my cookers.

 

[chopsaw]

I would just brush off the loose stuff and carry on . I always used a paint brush . If there’s a lot of grease use a plastics scraper , leave the rest .

 

[chp]

I take a similar approach. I have a plastic paint scraper I use. That is all I have done for years. I am just getting into a restoration on an offset and the only thing I am planning for the inside is the same scraping after I have built enough fire throughout to season the outside.

 

[Retired Spook]

I have a scraper sitting right next to the smoker and I always give the door a scrape to knock off any loose flakes before I smoke anything!

Those black flakes falling on my food after sitting in the smoker for a few weeks or months give me the heebie-jeebies.

About once a year I remove the grates and give the entire inside a good scrape and scoop it all out into the trash. My grates are always relatively clean because I always go psycho on them with a wire brush before, and after a cook.

 

[DougE]

Knock the loose stuff in the cook chamber off with a wood wedge or plastic scraper and carry on.

 

[JckDanls 07]

Scrap clean... remove all debris... build a really hot fire... let the chamber get over 350... then spray the inside with a water hose and close the lid... be very careful doing this as the steam is very hot...

 

[chp]

Scrap clean... remove all debris... build a really hot fire... let the chamber get over 350... then spray the inside with a water hose and close the lid... be very careful doing this as the steam is very hot...

I have to be honest, risk versus reward, I am not sure I would want to do that.

 

[philpom]

If it's a greasy mess I'd build a very hot fire and use plenty of water to steam it out. If it's just a dry flaky mess then scrape it out and move along.

:) Don't grill in the cook chamber!

 

[JckDanls 07]

I have to be honest, risk versus reward, I am not sure I would want to do that.

Why is that CHP... I do it ths way every time I fire up my smoker... Grates (stainless) are nice and clean...

 

[chp]

Why is that CHP... I do it ths way every time I fire up my smoker... Grates (stainless) are nice and clean...

I can see putting a pan of water inside and building a hot fire to steam the inside, but putting cold water onto hot steel doesn’t seem like a good idea. It also seems like more of a risk for steam burns. I am sure you have a system that works for you, it’s just not for me.