# Preheat smoker temp to kill germs



## backyard bbq (May 28, 2013)

Hi everyone,
I convinced a friend of mine to go UDS.  Now that he has it built he was questioning me about getting the preheat temp up high enough in order to kill off and germs or bacteria.  His smoker gets up to 330ish.  If I remember correctly the temp to destroy all the bad stuff is 250 for 15 min or so.  Does that sound accurate?  Also now that I was thinking about it, how do folks keep cold smokers clean?
Thanks everyone and hope you all had great BBQ for the holiday!
Brendan


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## stanton (May 28, 2013)

backyard bbq said:


> Hi everyone,
> I convinced a friend of mine to go UDS. Now that he has it built he was questioning me about getting the preheat temp up high enough in order to kill off and germs or bacteria. His smoker gets up to 330ish. If I remember correctly the temp to destroy all the bad stuff is 250 for 15 min or so. Does that sound accurate? Also now that I was thinking about it, how do folks keep cold smokers clean?
> Thanks everyone and hope you all had great BBQ for the holiday!
> Brendan


Brendan,

don't worry about the bugs.  I don't know a single cooker that does anything more than light the pit and take it to cooking temp before putting on the meat.  The meats are covered in salt and sugar, both of which retard bacterial growth.  Reheating of foods for sale requires a reheat temp of 165 and then holding above 140.  So, unless your friend cooks below 165, he is going to be fine.

The key is to keep the grate clean.  Brush it after every cook.  Not so much for sanitation, but for the next cook.  Nobody likes that greasy black stuff on the meat.  Also, brush off the inside of the lid if the creostote gets thick.  It will keep it from dropping down on the food if you drop or bump the lid during the cook.

Someone else will have to comment on cold smoking.

S.


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## daveomak (May 28, 2013)

I preheat my electric smokers to 250 + for awhile to kill stuff....  Don't know what is recommended...  250 kills everything in pressure canning so that is the temp I use...  I could be wasting my time.....  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






  ....   Better safe than the alternative is the way I figure it....

UDS, when it comes to raising the temp, getting it back down could be a  problem....  Never used an UDS myself....   

I figure, cleaning a smoker to make it sanitary, could be an exercise in futility.....  I'm not a "clean freak" when it come to my smokers......  Smoke is supposed to have some "sanitary" effect, at least when it comes to preserving meat....  

Dave


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## mr t 59874 (May 28, 2013)

DaveOmak said:


> Smoke is supposed to have some "sanitary" effect, at least when it comes to preserving meat....
> 
> Dave


Dave, May I quote you when I go to bed and my wife says "I smell like smoke"? 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Tom


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## daveomak (May 28, 2013)

Mr T 59874 said:


> DaveOmak said:
> 
> 
> > Smoke is supposed to have some "sanitary" effect, at least when it comes to preserving meat....
> ...


LOL........   Tell her, "The bed sheets have bed bugs and I am just fumigating them"....


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## kathrynn (May 28, 2013)

Just don't use the words Dutch Oven....you will not wake up!

Kat


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## fwismoker (May 28, 2013)

Tell your friend he's just wasting fuel and time because like Dave says it takes too long to come back down to temp. Preheating to 175-200 is plenty good along with the direct heat/smoke and a scrape on the grill grate.


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