# how clean is clean?



## stoneysmama (Nov 29, 2007)

OK, got the new smoker set up today!  Reading the booklet, I see they recommend cleaning everything with hot soapy water and cleaning out the inside of the smoker every time.  How religiously do you follow this kind of advice?


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## rip (Nov 29, 2007)

I clean the racks and water pan everytime, thats all I do.


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## cowgirl (Nov 29, 2007)

Me too.


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## walking dude (Nov 29, 2007)

yeah.......don't clean out the smoker insides.......you need to cure it first......you clean out the seasonings........you have to re-season it......


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## t-bone tim (Nov 29, 2007)

I just do the racks and water pan also , and of course the ash , give the inside walls a scrape when required ( form any build up ) with a putty knife or such , maybe once or twice a year depending on usage , along with hot soapy water if you want ,,, but racks and water pan every use , my .02 worth


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## richoso1 (Nov 30, 2007)

I'm with what Walking Dude says, don't create a need to reseason.


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## allen (Nov 30, 2007)

Clean your racks,every use, clean out your fire box every use, and then wipe off the shaft of your thermometer about every 6-10th use. smoke build.with soap and water and then wipe off with a wet rag


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## bbq bubba (Nov 30, 2007)

Just remember, smoker manufactures rarely have a clue about actual smoking and maintenance!!


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## smokeys my pet (Nov 30, 2007)

DITTO TO ALL>


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## deejaydebi (Nov 30, 2007)

I agree racks, water pan and ash pan is all you need most of the time.

If you get a grease build up a putty knife works good or a pressure washer with a degreasing agent.


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## lisacsco (Nov 30, 2007)

If you are not sure what to do, just take every grill you buy, smoke something good in it, then throw it over the hill....ask BBQ bubba to buy you another one....he will  :)

if you send him your bacon he also slices it and returns it in pretty little bow wrapped packages!!


bubba da'MAN


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## zapper (Nov 30, 2007)

Oops! I must have missed that "Clean after every use" part!


I clean the water pan "Before" every use. (Usually the pan is too hot right after use and the operator is too tired)

I clean the grills with fire and a wire brush before each use for the same reason as above. I am of the blackened grill school, not the shiney grill school

I will clean out any ash and rinse off or replace the lave rocks as needed.

I hose out the cobwebs if I notice any, otherwise it is purification by fire!


Somewhere there is a method for cleaning out birds nest from a smoker I recall


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## cman95 (Nov 30, 2007)

Racks yes, inside of smoker NO. I love to open the lid on my smoker and take a deep breath............AHHHHH, the smell. Yum...yum!!!


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## av8tor (Feb 17, 2008)

Speaking of cleaning the water pan, do you folks line the water pan with foil before each use?


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## flash (Feb 17, 2008)

Yes, it makes the clean up alot easier. As to cleaning the rest of the smoker.....
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   Maybe the grates, but never the inside walls. My 32+ year old ECB has not complained yet.


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## triman22000 (Feb 17, 2008)

I have found that lining it with foil can create more of a mess if it springs a leak. So I get an alluminum pan from the store that is about the same size and use that instead the clean up is even easier that way.


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## richoso1 (Feb 17, 2008)

I clean the racks that I use, the others stay out of the smoker so there's no need to clean all the racks all the time. Using dry paper towels, I wipe down the cabinet, but never scrub it. Anything left at the bottom of the cabinet just gets broomed out. I do washout the water pan after each use.


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## shooterrick (Feb 17, 2008)

While smoker still hot a light water spray and close lid.  According to Ben Lang the steam will do most of work for you if you do this and open drain at bottom.  Finish by scraping grease pan if needed and wiping down outs ide of unit.  Think i got that right but you can go to www.pigroast.com for complete info.


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## smok'n steve (Feb 18, 2008)

I am with Shooter on steam--really works, but you need heat to make it!

 Good habit----- If you go to 350 before every cook, you have killed all those little ba***rds(germs)  then , just wash em away with water and steam out your drain hole. Oh yeah, save your deep fry oil and keep things well oiled too:-)

Steve


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## walking dude (Feb 18, 2008)

i don't understand you guys at all............why do you want to lose all that seasoning?
and then have to reseason...........i clean the grills well............but i just use a putting knife and just scrap any extra fat/grease out?

like flash said, i have ecbs that have NEVER been cleaned in over 30 years........

d88de just scratches his head


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## smok'n steve (Feb 18, 2008)

Same here......the steam cleaning is on the hot cast iron grates, no need to brush all the insides unless there is excess build up.  The baffle under the grates occasionally needs a scrape or the grease can flame up if your are grilling at 500 degrees:-)  

Note:  Keep all vents and dampers closed when not in use so as not to invite any little critters!!!!!!


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## shooterrick (Feb 18, 2008)

I agree that you should not lose your seasoning by cleaning too much, but a good steam shouldnt hurt the smokers season, just remove excess gunk.  I did this with my old unit and when fired up still smelled great.  It is a matter of as Steve said killing the bad things and rinsing them out the drain.  Sounds like a good idea to me.


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## stacks (Feb 20, 2008)

Any grease left in the bottom of the cooking chamber I putty knife out after the unit is cool. I use a wire brush and a damp cloth on the grates. Clean out the fire box (as the ash collects moisture from the air and promotes rust). I have never cleaned, washed, scraped, or scrubbed the inside. I was told as a young lad just starting with my first ECB to NEVER clean the inside walls after initial seasoning. Don't know if its right or not but its worked for me.


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## pitrow (Feb 20, 2008)

I was watching Dirty Jobs on TV the other day and they were at some BBQ joint, didn't catch where. One of the jobs was cleaning out the smoker. They said they do it about once a week. They just cleaned out the grease and drippings and such and then gave everything a hit with the pressure washer and a light scrubbing. They said they don't want it TOO clean.

Seems like sound advice to me. Typically I just clean out the grease and such so it doesn't go rancid, maybe throw the grates and drip pan, etc in the dishwasher every once in a while if they get nasty. The rest just gets better with age. I'm pretty sure my little chief has never been cleaned in the 10 plus years I've had it.


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