Lining with foil to Keep Clean?

[jwed980]

I know most people cover the bottom of their smokers (and whatever else that can be protected from drippings) using aluminum foil to make cleanup easier.

I wonder if there are others who line the entire inside as well...

I thought I'd try this to see of I might keep the inside of my smoker "like new" for as long as possible.

I used 8mm x 3mm magnets (very powerful) help hold the alum foil in place. We'll see if they can survive the heat from hot smoking.

-John

 

[dward51]

Nah..... Just foil the bottom and let the smoke build up everywhere else. This was early on, it's way darker than that now.

 

[muddydogs]

Why do you want to keep the inside clean? A smoker is supposed to be seasoned well and not cleaned, just knock the big stuff off and keep smoking. I have a 20 year old gasser that has never been cleaned, it has a nice brown and black patina to it. Scrub the racks, change the bottom foil when it gets cruddy but leave the sides and top alone unless they get a build up of gunk from food or creosote from smoke and then just knock off the big stuff and loose stuff. Best thing one can do with a new smoker is smoke something that needs spritzed, nothing seasons a smoker better then a little honey and apple juice spritzing over spray.

 

[motocrash]

Nah..... Just foil the bottom and let the smoke build up everywhere else. This was early on, it's way darker than that now.

Dave,what model is this?

Bill

 

[gmc2003]

I'd be more worried if you have any kind of memory in you smoker controls or therms using magnets.

Chris

 

[ristau5741]

I put a metal bowl of lava rocks underneath whatever I am smoking, cover the bowl with aluminum foil, with a slight indentation so the drippings collect. When done, I just take the foil off the bowl and toss.

maybe a light scrape down to remove some of the creosote when it starts falling from the top of the inside of the lid. but not much else

 

[johnh12]

I never knew BBQ was a clean sport. o_O

 

[jwed980]

Why do you want to keep the inside clean? A smoker is supposed to be seasoned well and not cleaned, just knock the big stuff off and keep smoking. I have a 20 year old gasser that has never been cleaned, it has a nice brown and black patina to it. Scrub the racks, change the bottom foil when it gets cruddy but leave the sides and top alone unless they get a build up of gunk from food or creosote from smoke and then just knock off the big stuff and loose stuff. Best thing one can do with a new smoker is smoke something that needs spritzed, nothing seasons a smoker better then a little honey and apple juice spritzing over spray.

Yeah - I knew that it's supposed to be seasoned.

I just can't help looking at what thirty-some turkeys and maybe thirty-some racks of babybacks have done to the inside of my ol' gasser over some years...

I'll just let it go and get over it.

Thanks,
John

 

[pops6927]

 

[troutman]

I had a gasser made by DCS back in the '90s, very expensive SS model. Anyway I used to clean it pretty regularly but one day I just quit doing it, figured the patina build up would be good for flavoring my cooks. Well one particularly hot day I was grilling something pretty fast and hot and at the time went back into the house. A few minutes later I look out the window and the entire grill is engulfed in flames, I mean it was a towering inferno. Obviously the grease had built up so heavily that it ignited with all the available heat around it.

I quickly ran out and literally dove for the propane bottle fearing a general explosion. I managed to get that out and had to take my kitchen fire extinguisher and put the resulting fire out before it burned down my deck.

Obvious moral to the story is don't be worried about years of seasoning and so-called patina. Just don't let grease build up in your smoker. Be sensible about cleaning your cookers, but forget about being anal in cleaning it all sparkling after each cook.

 

[jwed980]

I know what you mean. Runaway grease fire in the grill is d@mn scary. Had it happen in my Weber-Q Mini tabletop grill. UNBELIEVABLE fireball! I keep that one cleaner now - lesson learned.

-John

 

[dward51]

Dave,what model is this?

Bill

It was a MES 30 Sportsman Elite Analog (they were sold at Gander Mountain, Bass Pro and Cabelas). I bought it when Gander Mountain went out of business for abour $110. It's heavily modified. I completely dissassembled a brand new and unused smoker to add insulation, extra rack holders for 8 racks, added a stainless smoke stack, enlarged the air inlet at the bottom, added a nomex door gasket, and changed out the heating element to a 1,500 watt model. I also use an Auber Instrument PID "in a box" to control the temp. I call it the MES Custom SS. Works great....

Here is a thread on the build

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/mes-custom-ss-model-mods-pic-heavy.264396/