Black "Dust" Inside my WSM.....

[skyclad]

I wasn't sure where to post this question, so please let me know if this isn't the right spot...
Have a general question, and I'm sure most of you guys will wonder why I don't know this already.........which is what makes forums so cool.........you can ask "dumb" questions and still save face....:)
Anyway, I was wondering what the very small black flaky stuff is inside my WSM'S lid after smoking.. I've washed/wiped this stuff out now several times.. It looks like it is the paint that is flaking off, but that could not be as I've smoked many times now in this smoker.. Anyway, washed it out again, but just wondering what this stuff is and the best way to deal with it.. Thanks in advance for any info on this....!

 

[tropics]

It is just sot build up,I brush it into the trash,then wipe with paper towel or damp cloth.It shows after 2 sometimes 3 cooks.
Richie

 

[gmc2003]

I agree with Richie, I just use a soft plastic scraper then a good wipe down. No dumb questions, everyone's been there.

Chris

 

[skyclad]

Thanks to you guys for getting back on this.. I was hoping that was what it was, but it looked like paint to me earlier today and wanted to make sure.. I'll just plan on that being part of the BBQ process and clean up each time.. Thanks again...!

 

[troutman]

Just wired brushed and rinsed the unit to the left this weekend, just soot;

"a black substance formed by combustion or separated from fuel during combustion, rising in fine particles, and adhering to the sides of the chimney or pipe conveying the smoke; especially:the fine powder consisting chiefly of carbon that colors smoke"

so says Websters....

 

[Rings Я Us]

I use a wire brush in the lid and get loose stuff off. if it's not going to fall on the food I leave it . lol

 

[noboundaries]

When I use my Kettle and WSM regularly, the fatty soot stays stuck to the lid. If either sits for a week or two, or longer (that doesn't happen often), I always check the inside of the lid. You'll see the soot curling away from the lid, ready to drop onto the meat.

Still figuring out the pictures thing. The inside of my Kettle lid is shown above. The inside of my WSM lid is shown below. The stuff will flake off if not scraped every once in a while.

 

[ammaturesmoker]

That's nothing.....I've got a kettle with twice that.

 

[Rings Я Us]

i put an M-80 in my empty water pan and shut the door of the ECB. Come back in a few seconds and there is a pile of black dust in the pan and everything looks New inside.
Lol

 

[SmokinAl]

Yep if you leave it sit too long without use, that's what happens.
But as said above it comes right off with a wire brush.
Al

 

[noboundaries]

My Kettles sat on the side of the house for several years as I used a gasser. I decided to learn smoking with them. When I opened them up, there were 2 inch or larger sheets of irregular, paper thin, black stuff all over the grates. I initially thought the ceramic coating was coming off the inside of the lids, but quickly realized it was soot that had worked loose as the lid expanded and contracted with the weather. A quick scrape, all gone.

I was doing jerky a few weeks ago in the WSM. Since it is a low temp smoke, 165F or less, I noticed little black flakes on the jerky. Looked under the lid and saw the soot curling away from the metal. Low temp smokes may do something similar to the above, causing the soot to work loose.

 

[troutman]

i put an M-80 in my empty water pan and shut the door of the ECB. Come back in a few seconds and there is a pile of black dust in the pan and everything looks New inside.
Lol

M-80, dude that's some funny stuff! We can't get those down here any more, just M-60s. Loved the 80s, was always told it was equal to a quarter stick of dynamite.