Hello all;
This cleaning up issue has become critical as I am now smoking stuff 4-5 times a week. Fish is easy, but cleaning up after smoking 30lb of pulled pork is a chore. I've tried spraying the trays and pans, etc., with different oil sprays, but nothing seems to help. It takes a lot of elbow grease to get rid of the burned on drippings. And, I don't like using the dishwasher all that often, as the cycle takes nearly 2 hours and the smoke film on the bottom of the "V" pan leaves a bit of a film on the dishwasher filter.
Are the non-stick jerky trays durable enough for everyday use? And is there any way of making the "V" pan easier to clean. I'd love a non-stick "v" pan!
Thanks, Rich
The non-stick Jerky Racks will not last long. I never have that much of a problem. I spray the racks with Pam before the cook and place a high temp screen on them. After the cook I soak everything in very hot soapy water for awhile. Then I knock off practically all of the food particles. Then I take an SOS pad to the drip tray and get most of the smoke residue off of it, then place everything into the dishwasher.
A kitchen brush and sos pads work pretty well. Not procrastinating and not letting it harden on even more is a good choice. I try to get my stuff soaking as soon as everything is cool enough to handle with a bare hand. I don't think there's a way to make the process quick an painless, though. I don't put a whole lot of effort into cleaning the v pan. As long as the grease and food clumps are gone, it can stay a little sooty like the rest of the cabinet.
Quote from: Wildcat on August 08, 2010, 03:41:55 PM
The non-stick Jerky Racks will not last long. I never have that much of a problem. I spray the racks with Pam before the cook and place a high temp screen on them. After the cook I soak everything in very hot soapy water for awhile. Then I knock off practically all of the food particles. Then I take an SOS pad to the drip tray and get most of the smoke residue off of it, then place everything into the dishwasher.
Ditto! That is pretty much what I'm doing now. I'm trying to find a way not to have to do it quite like that 4-5 times a week!
When you said "high temperature on them" what did you mean?
With thanks, Rich
The high temp jerky screens that YardandPool sells will help in the clean up of the racks.
They will take temps up to like 500*.
As a word of warning ..... you need to keep you v-tray fairly clean.
Don't continue to use it over and over with out cleaning it.
The opening CAN become clodded and you COULD have a grease
fire and that is not good.
Something I use that works reall good is Dawn Power Dissolver.
Scrape V-tray as good as you can then spray it Dawn Power Dissolver
on, let it set 20 minutes and use a stiff brush. If you have to, repeat
that application.
Have you considered a MAPP torch?
Burn that stuff off? Turn it to ASH... ?
Does anyone know if the parts can TAKE that heat?
(MAPP is considerably hotter than propane)
Its pretty hot alrighten ;D. I could see people burning holes in their v-trays.
I built two wooden soaking trays for this purpose. Add some dish detergent with water and let them soak for an hour or so and the clean up is easier. Pictured is just one of the soaking trays and I don't concern myself with the smoke residue on the drip pan, just the grease.
(http://bassboatowners.com/p/soakingtray.jpg)
(http://bassboatowners.com/p/soakingtray2.jpg)
i agree with r1d2 on this issue, a container to hold the trays , water , a dish soap with a degrease agent and let soak
This is a serious problem
I put teh pressure washer to mine a couple of weeks ago at 2200 psi and I could not get some of the stuff off
Oven cleaner seems to work the best for me
Smokerville
I too have found the best way is soaking them. The V-pan is usually the toughest and I will sometimes soak it for a day which makes it fairly easy to remove. If you are doing a lot of smokes you may want to consider having more than one V-pan that way you can leave one soaking. V-pans are only $13.99 at Yard & Pool. Here's a link....
http://www.yardandpool.com/Bradley-Smoker-Replacement-V-Shaped-Drip-Tray-p/driptray.htm
Mike
PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash) (http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/powdered-brewery-wash.html)
I have never tried this stuff, but one member highly recommends it. I always meant to order some, but never got around to doing it.
I put everything in a plactic bucket outside..spay every thing with spray oven-cleaner. Wait for about 30 min and spray off with water and all is like new! I may have a few spots that I spay again, but that's it. ;D
Quote from: JDNC on August 21, 2010, 05:07:27 AM
I put everything in a plactic bucket outside..spay every thing with spray oven-cleaner. Wait for about 30 min and spray off with water and all is like new! I may have a few spots that I spay again, but that's it. ;D
I think I will neuter mine. Sorry I just had to do it. The devil, you know. :D :D :D
I have 2 different ways of doing mine and comes up like new each time,
1st one is to fill the sink with 4 or 5 inches of hot hot water and add dishwasher detergent and let it soak for half an hour or so then wipe it down and rinse works good for lightly soiled (fish etc...)
next way for more heavily soiled and stuck on is this degreaser I found at our local princess auto, its made by saftey kleen and I was having problem cleaning the residue off the v tray I tried everything including BBQ cleaner and still had to scrub, I went out to the shop and grabbed my spray bottle of degreaser and as soon as I sprayed it on you could actually see it immediately run off and I do mean run off, left it as new, quick but thorough rinse and dry and they are as good as new
Which degreaser are you using Tim?
Oops my bad, just re-read the bottle
Multi Kleen Plus
made by Kleen-flo
cleans trucks and smokers lol
Thanks everyone. Lots of good advice.
Unfortunately, Yard and Pool does not seem to ship to Canada.
Sure they do. I've ordered from them a number of times. Just give him a call and will look after you. Make sure you tell him to ship it USPS and not UPS. UPS is rough on the brokers fees for us Canucks.
Mike
Yeah and they are rough on the freight also. I got horror stories.
Quote from: Mr Walleye on August 22, 2010, 12:31:06 PM
Sure they do. I've ordered from them a number of times. Just give him a call and will look after you. Make sure you tell him to ship it USPS and not UPS. UPS is rough on the brokers fees for us Canucks.
Mike
Hi Mike... I tried their website and only US addresses can be entered... so I should call?
Quote from: Smokeville on August 24, 2010, 01:48:37 PM
Quote from: Mr Walleye on August 22, 2010, 12:31:06 PM
Sure they do. I've ordered from them a number of times. Just give him a call and will look after you. Make sure you tell him to ship it USPS and not UPS. UPS is rough on the brokers fees for us Canucks.
Mike
Hi Mike... I tried their website and only US addresses can be entered... so I should call?
Yes and ask for Bryan at Y&P
Smokerville
Like CRG said, just give Brian a call and he will fix you up and ship to Canada no problem. I think it's just his web site is restricted to the US.
Mike
Quote from: Smokeville on August 24, 2010, 01:48:37 PM
Quote from: Mr Walleye on August 22, 2010, 12:31:06 PM
Sure they do. I've ordered from them a number of times. Just give him a call and will look after you. Make sure you tell him to ship it USPS and not UPS. UPS is rough on the brokers fees for us Canucks.
Mike
Hi Mike... I tried their website and only US addresses can be entered... so I should call?
Smokerville,
If you like send me a PM with what you need and your shipping address and I would be glad to give you a quote.
Bryan
Clean up is really not that bad at our house. I take off what I can of the drippings - burnt on pieces that have fallen on the pan or racks and place them in a sink of VERY hot water with Dawn dish washing soap. If the crud on the pan etc is really bad I will add some Cascade granules in the water and swish to dissolve. Place several dryer sheets on top of the pan and the racks - submerged in water and walk away. By the time the water has cooled off to room temp, the baked on crud for the most part can just be easily washed off. I get boxes of the dryer sheets at the dollar store. I do not like using them in the dryer - but always have them on hand in the kitchen in case I have burnt on food.
Quote from: Holtnotes on October 18, 2010, 11:22:31 AM
Clean up is really not that bad at our house. I take off what I can of the drippings - burnt on pieces that have fallen on the pan or racks and place them in a sink of VERY hot water with Dawn dish washing soap. If the crud on the pan etc is really bad I will add some Cascade granules in the water and swish to dissolve. Place several dryer sheets on top of the pan and the racks - submerged in water and walk away. By the time the water has cooled off to room temp, the baked on crud for the most part can just be easily washed off. I get boxes of the dryer sheets at the dollar store. I do not like using them in the dryer - but always have them on hand in the kitchen in case I have burnt on food.
Dryer sheets???? You stumped me, what purpose do they perform?
I'd like to know about the dryer sheets too.
I just use Dawn Power Dissolver and it works well. It also works on the inside of the glass doors on my fireplace insert. Or any other gunk.
HMMMM Can not tell you the scientific reason why the dryer sheets (fabric softener sheets)work - but they do. Besides the cascade and dryer sheets - you could also put paper towels over pans etc and saturate with white vinegar - will work too - just not as quickly and you will still end up with the SOS pad out. Heloise said you should use dryer sheets, so I use dryer sheets - I wonder if you could use liquid fabric softener and just add it to the hot soapy water? - HMM too much trouble because I literally spread the sheets over the crustiest parts to soak - guess you could saturate a paper towel with it - do not know if the benefit would be the same or not.
I'll have to try the Fabric Sheets...
Currently I've been using using "Soft Scrub Total" Kitchen Cleaner.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=18188.0
Heck, it worth a shot.. Thx for the idea.
Hi Holtnotes and welcome to the forum.
Dryer sheets... Thanks for sharing that.
Although not really the science behind it, I found the following write up on this site, http://www.doityourself.com/stry/dryersheets
"Fabric softener sheets are claimed to clean baked on foods from cooking pots and pans. Place a sheet in a pan, fill with water, let sit overnight. Next morning sponge it clean. The antistatic agent apparently weakens the bond between the stuck on food between the pot or pans surface. The fabric softening agents helps to soften the baked on food."
Mike
Hey Holtnotes thanks for sharing...
I tired this last night on a rack that I left in one of my smokers that had been in there since Saturday (Chicken).
After waiting about an hour or so went to the sink and it seemed to work without any scrubbing.
I will update this post later today with a few pic's if it works out with today's smoke.
Here's what works for me:
Racks
Put them in the sink with very hot water, enough to cover them completely, and dish washing soap. Let soak for at least an hour. Rinse them using an abrasive sponge to get off whatever is left sticking to them. Place them in dishwasher. Make sure you rinse any dish washing soap off so it doesn't end up in the dishwasher. I have never tried dishwasher soap but will the next time around.
V tray
I use heavy duty oven cleaner from Costco called ProForce on the top side. This stuff is industrial strength and works great. Scrape anything that sticks after the oven cleaner. Make sure all the slots and holes are open and clear. I don't bother with the bottom side at all.
Water Dish
I use the oven cleaner on this as well.
Bottom Tray
Is made from aluminum so DO NOT use oven cleaner on it. I just occasionally wash it in the sink and then put it in the dishwasher.
Rubber Gasket
I wipe this down with a rag using Simple "Soilent" Green. Non toxic and guts the grease well.
Exterior
I use Simple Green to clean the exterior as well.
Interior Sides
I never touch this unless there is a big goober ready to fall off on my food. :o
Heating Pad
I occasionally clean this off with fine sandpaper.
Heating Element
I just check it and the cover occasionally to make sure no food particles have fallen onto them.