Cleaning Up Bradley Smoker

[Edward176]

I have a question on how much to clean the interior of a Bradley Smoker? I've smoked 3 times now and have wiped it down after every use. I realize that it'll blacken inside and that is a good thing. I've wiped as much grease that I can short of using a sponge and dish soap. Is this sufficient? Or is a more in depth scrubbing called for? 

[tskeeter]

The short answer to your question is very little.  Most folks wipe down the door seal and the seal contact area of their smoker, clean the racks and v-tray, and scrape build up off the puck burner and call it quits.  When the build up on the inside of the smoker cabinet gets to where it starts to flake off, scrub over it with something like crumbled foil to knock off the loose stuff.  And that's about it.

I'd avoid using dish soap and the like in the smoker.  Unless you rinse very carefully, you could leave residue that may transfer an off flavor to what you smoke next.  If you feel a need to clean, I think a wipe with warm water is sufficient.  Or you can use one of the products designed for cleaning smokers.  These are usually available from folks who sell sausage making supplies.

[Edward176]

Thank You tskeeter, I was actually hoping that that was all that was required. The V-Grill, Racks and Bowl I was cleaning and keeping them spotless. But the interior was just wiped to remove any grease. My fear was getting water inside the Smoker and possibly leaking through the corners and damaging/corroding any internal components. 
My other question I have is: is there a larger heating element to throw more heat so the unit recovers quicker. I preheat to 260'F and then loose an hour or 2 trying to get IT up to 220'. Or is this an non issue? I have to smoke inside my garage to avoind wind and cool temperatures.

[TedEbear]

My other question I have is: is there a larger heating element to throw more heat so the unit recovers quicker. I preheat to 260'F and then loose an hour or 2 trying to get IT up to 220'. Or is this an non issue? I have to smoke inside my garage to avoind wind and cool temperatures.

There are several options on this.  Some people have replaced the 500W element with a 900W finned element.  Others have added a second 500W element (that's what I did).  There's a "how-to" article on doing that.  In either case it is recommended to use a PID controller to regulate the temps since the Bradley was not designed to handle more than the stock 500W element and you could risk a fire if you push it beyond that.  Also, remember if you modify it any warranty you may still have will be invalid.

[tailfeathers]

My other  ;) preheat to 260'F and then loose an hour or 2 trying to get IT up to 220'. Or is this an non issue? I have to smoke inside my garage to avoind wind and cool temperatures.

There are several options on this.  Some people have replaced the 500W element with a 900W finned element.  Others have added a second 500W element (that's what I did).  There's a "how-to" article on doing that.  In either case it is recommended to use a PID controller to regulate the temps since the Bradley was not designed to handle more than the stock 500W element and you could risk a fire if you push it beyond that.  Also, remember if you modify it any warranty you may still have will be invalid.

But it turns your Bradley into a whole 'nother animal. ;)

[tskeeter]

Thank You tskeeter, I was actually hoping that that was all that was required. The V-Grill, Racks and Bowl I was cleaning and keeping them spotless. But the interior was just wiped to remove any grease. My fear was getting water inside the Smoker and possibly leaking through the corners and damaging/corroding any internal components. 
My other question I have is: is there a larger heating element to throw more heat so the unit recovers quicker. I preheat to 260'F and then loose an hour or 2 trying to get IT up to 220'. Or is this an non issue? I have to smoke inside my garage to avoind wind and cool temperatures.

One of the things you can do to help with heat recovery is to put a foil wrapped brick or two in the bottom of your smoker.  The brick acts as a heat sink, absorbing heat while you preheat your smoker, and releasing heat when you add meat or after you have opened the door.

Smoking bricks can be your friend.  On a quite cold, windy day I jump started my smoke/cook of an almost defrosted turkey breast by heating four smoking bricks to 400 degrees in the house oven.  Then I transferred the bricks to the preheated smoker, along with the turkey breast.  Two bricks on a rack above the turkey and two bricks on a rack below the turkey.  Worked out well.  Turkey got done on time and was perfectly tasty and juicy.

If you haven't already done so, you might consider buying a remote thermometer so you can monitor the internal temperature of the meat you are smoking without opening the door.  While there are several options, many folks seem to use the Maverick 733 wireless thermometer, or something similar, because the remote display unit lets them check on things from elsewhere in the house.

[SmokeMaster2.0]

I've taken the racks out and the other pieces and I dish-wash them.

Came out to my smoker and there was mold all over the place. I used a vinegar / water solution and then ran the smoker a few times to clean it, but I don't want to run into mold after I don't use it for a few months. Any recommendations on how to avoid mold?

[Edward176]

Hey there SmokeMaster and welcome to the forum. I've never heard of mold in a smoker before, but I suppose anything is possible. After you smoke just wipe out the smoker walls, ceiling, etc and door with a dry paper towel. That'll remove and moisture and film. I then use rubbing alcohol and another piece of paper towel and wipe down the door seal and smoker housing that comes in contact with the door seal, that's it. Then I leave the smoker door open to air dry out, I have my smoker set up in the garage. The racks, V-tray and bowl I soak in the sink and then into the dishwasher. Never had any trouble keeping them clean. I also spray my V-tray and racks with a vegetable spray so food doesn't stick to them. That's it, and after 5 years I haven't had any mold issues. I guess the main thing would be is to keep the door open to your smoker after smoking to let it dry out inside, and wipe it out with a dry paper towel. Hope this helps.   

[Habanero Smoker]

The only time I ever had mold is because food and grease came into contact with a wall, but never experienced mold all over. Make sure there are no food particles and/or grease on the walls before storing it.

In addition to Edward176 recommendations, if you have a persistent mold problem, after wiping down the cabinet maybe run it at 225°F - 250°F for 15 - 20 minutes. I keep mine outdoors under a cover, so I just leave the vent wide open.