Hi folks. Got my first smoke down range last night........back ribs and a nice pork loin. All went well and the grub was a big hit. Question is, other than scraping out the obvious food drippings on the grills and catchpan, do I wash out the inside walls of the cabinet to get rid of the brown smoke residue or do I just leave it and call it "seasoned"?
Leave it. The darker it gets, the better the food will taste. When it finally gets so built up that it begins to flake, simply take a wadded up piece of aluminum foil and brush the flakes off the walls.
Larry is right. All you really need to clean are the racks. V tray and water bowl. I do use a small brass brush and clean the puck burner after each smoke. Crud will build up on it and cause it to not burn as well. I also use a rag with some rubbing alcohol and clean the door gasket and the area where the gasket seals. If this gets too sticky you may damage it when opening, so keep it clean. Like he said, the darker the inside gets the better. Enjoy. :)
Tks for the replies....most appreciated.
I agree with above, keep the excessive build up clean,,, along with the flakes.. wash the v tray and racks... wipe off any grease / fat / oils that may be around the heating element, helps to keep the fires away
Clean the door seal.