# Do you clean your smoker?



## valien (Jan 11, 2010)

Well, got a question and not sure what's the best method. Do you clean your smoker after a smoke? 

I've smoked a few fatties and haven't cleaned out the smoker at all (leave the burnt/crips stuff on the grill, etc). I figure it adds seasoning to the next batch...

But is that bad? Should I be cleaning the grills and scrubbing the smoker down? 

Thoughts? 

~V


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## chisoxjim (Jan 11, 2010)

For the WSM, and the GOSM I clean the racks, and empty & wash the water bowl right after the smoke or the next morning, also is any grease leaches out I clean that up.  I never clean the inside,  I worked to hard to get it seasoned.


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## dick bullard (Jan 11, 2010)

Never used to clean my regular grill after cooking just brushed it off with a wire brush next time.  Of course the grill gets a lot hotter than the smoker.....don't think it would be a health issue, then of course if any kind of small critters (Bugs) decided to use it for a diner...then that's adifferent story.  At present yes I do soak and wash my wire shelves in my smokers after every smoke........although too I have seen some of the shelves on some of the "Big Boys" smokers and they don't look like they have ever been cleaned !!  Just my thoughts ....

                          Rick


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## nwbhoss (Jan 11, 2010)

What he said for my GOSM


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## olewarthog (Jan 11, 2010)

I have a CG & I clean after cooking. It is usually the next day, but I do clean it. I reheat the cast iron grates on my gasser, clean off any residue with a wire brush (I don't scrub very hard) & give them a good wipe down with cooking oil to keep them from rusting. I brush all the ash out of the SFB. I line the bottom of the cooking chamber & the top of the baffle with HD foil. I normally replace the foil after 2-3 cooks.


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## orlandosmoking (Jan 11, 2010)

Same here on my MES. I also line the water bowl with foil for easier cleanup and clean the bottom drip pan as needed (several smokes) and re-line with foil.

Don


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## beer-b-q (Jan 11, 2010)

I Clean the racks...


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## valien (Jan 11, 2010)

I do foil the water pan and makes cleanup there much easier. I'll probably start scrubbing the grill racks now..hehe :D Don't want any extra critters munching on anything!

Thanks for all the input.


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## triplebq (Jan 11, 2010)

I ONLY clean the water pan . I do not touch anything else . My smoker gets used to much to clean . Then after each cook I kinda slam the top down and it knocks the crud off the inside lip .


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## fire it up (Jan 11, 2010)

I don't clean anything but my grates after each smoke, never good to leave bits of food on the cooking grates.
For the water pan I use a little tin foil loaf pan and just throw it out and replace with a new one before each smoke, other than that I only clean the smoker a maximum of 2 times a year.


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## chisoxjim (Jan 11, 2010)

i do that as well,  really makes clean up easy like you said.


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## tjoff (Jan 11, 2010)

I use the tin foil in the water pan and grease pan in my GOSM.  I pull the racks out the day after I smoke and put them on the gas grill and turn it on get it hot and hit the racks with the grill brush cleans them up really nice and then put them back in the smoker.  It takes about 5 mins to clean the racks and empty to dirty foil. I do not clean the insde at all.


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## morkdach (Jan 11, 2010)

i clean mine bout every 2 years clean the racks after every cook and wash water pan after every cook


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## acemakr (Jan 11, 2010)

My cleaning is limited to the racks and the water pan.


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## mballi3011 (Jan 11, 2010)

I don't really clean my grills/smokers but I do start the heat really high for about 10 minutes and them hit them with the brushh and get most of the klingons off. Now I break down everything in the spring and fall and re[lace any worn out or broken parts and re-work the lava roacks on the grills.


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## coffee_junkie (Jan 11, 2010)

I wash the racks before I cook, because I am usually to tired after eating que to wash them. I also foil my water pan of my GOSM. I have had my gasser for four years now and was just thinking I might pull er into the shop in give it a good cleaning, with the exception of the seasoning on the smoker walls.


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## jirodriguez (Jan 11, 2010)

I clean my grates right after I'm done smoking (while things are still hot). And I line the bottom of my chargriller with heavy foil - so all I generally have to do is wait for all the drippings to solidify in the bottom then wad up the foil and toss it. Other than that I might just need to wipe out a little bit of greas with a paper towel.... Oh and as somebody else mentioned, clean out the ash tray.


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## coyote (Jan 11, 2010)

when I fire em up I try to take the temps well in to the 300o area. then mist with a spray bottle and water. it creates steam and and washes dust and crud off. I use a SS wire brush on the racks. or a heavy scraper that I put a good sharp bevel on. then spary the grates with a nonalchohol based food spray pam  , crisco. then put the food on and regulate to the temp I want to cook at.


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## meateater (Jan 12, 2010)

I clean the water pan and burn the racks. Other than that I just hit with a wire brush here and there.


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## smokin-jim (Jan 12, 2010)

I soak and wash my racks after each smoke. I spray them with PAM before they go in to help with cleanup. Note** be careful food slides around very easy on PAM.

I also foil my water pan to aid in cleanup. It makes it much easier.

I have an upright gas smoker, and I will clean the grease out of the bottom but I leave the rest alone. 

If I don't clean up the grease it drips, and I have this image of my dog running around with her head on fire because she couldn't leave it alone. 

Just my 2 cents, but clean grills are best in my opinion.


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## bamboofisher (Jan 12, 2010)

I clean the grates and the water pan before I start smoking.  I also wipe off any grease spots on the bottom too but that's about it.


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## motolife313 (May 17, 2017)

Doesn't really seem necessary to have a 2" drain if the smoker rarely needs to be clean then? Do you guys use the drain often at all? Was thinking about putting one in mine


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## grillmonkey (May 17, 2017)

I clean my side-fire-box smoker after each cook while it's still hot. I turn it so the drain is down hill and spray the cook chamber with a water hose, essentially steam cleaning it. I leave all the vents open so the remaining coals can dry it out. A few days later, I brush out the ashes from the fire box.


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## phatbac (May 17, 2017)

I clean my smoker before every smoke. I scrub with wire scrubber and  wipe with paper towels. I heat to 400 degrees in the cook chamber and spray with garden hose. Steam cleans the smoker. 

Happy smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)


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## vennismokin (May 21, 2017)

I only clean my water pan and dump my ashes for rust protection. The racks I lightly rub off before each use with a scotch brite, before I cook just to get any old bbq sauce etc off, I treat my racks similar to a cast iron pan, that old stuff on there keeps food from sticking and adds flavor.


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## jimmyinsd (May 22, 2017)

I usually clean the racks with a wire brush prior to using it again,  but no I dont clean out the actual smoker itself, that grease prevents rust and since I do a lot of my cooking on UDSs they are so thin that any amount of rust is a bad thing IMO.  I will usually throw out the foil drip pan, but thats about the extent of my cleaning procedures unless something spills or necessitates a more thorough cleaning.


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