Seasoning question

[chooch]

So I got a new 6 rack and the bisquettes arrive today. Question is, is it necessary to re-season every time you switch up flavor bisquettes or no? Otherwise I just got the big pack of hickory, thinking that's what I'll use most. But in the event we want to use maple or cherry, are we gonna have to wipe it down and re-season it again with the new flavor to prevent the original seasoning flavor from contaminating the smoke?

Also, if I season today, can the smoker just sit until later in the year before I actually use it, or, can I just season it once and just leave it like that for an entire year, barring rack or tray cleanings of course.

Mostly concerned with flavor takeover from previous smoke, and if there's a prob with leaving the film on the walls for a year or so without wiping down.

Thanks

[Tiny Tim]

The main reason for seasoning the smoker is to burn off the residual oils from the manufacturing, packaging, and handling processes.  So, to answer your question, no, you don't have to re-season each time you change wood variety.  And, I'm sure you've read this already, but never clean the walls of the smoker other than to brush loose bits or a heavy grease coating off.

Enjoy the new toyool. :)

[FLBentRider]

I concur with TT - leave the seasoning be.

If I had to re-season every time I switched flavors - zowie that's more cleaning / seasoning than I'd ever want to do.

[squirtthecat]

I let mine sit all sealed up (of sorts) over the winter...  Probably 2+ months.

I did throw a couple hours of hot smoke at it (while I re-washed the racks/vtray/pan) before I used it again - just to scare off any critters that might have been living in it.

[chooch]

Thanks for the replies guys... I gottit that the smoker walls don't get cleaned all the time. I guess more to the point would be, if I usually smoke big meats in hickory, then I decide to smoke some salmon or chicken with a lighter wood, are there any hickory flavors imparted due to the previous hickory smokes?

[FLBentRider]

Thanks for the replies guys... I gottit that the smoker walls don't get cleaned all the time. I guess more to the point would be, if I usually smoke big meats in hickory, then I decide to smoke some salmon or chicken with a lighter wood, are there any hickory flavors imparted due to the previous hickory smokes?

I've never noticed any "smoke carryover" - in fact, I'm the only one in my house that can tell one flavor of smoke from another!

[beefmann]

i only seasoned it the first time and it was to burn off and  remove the oils in the process  of making the unit. and i never have  re seasoned it in 5 years of  owning it

[KyNola]

Chooch, welcome aboard.  Don't worry about smoke carryover.  The darker the walls of your smoker get, the better.  Most importantly though, thank God you're burning HICKORY!  In Kentucky where I reside everything tastes better with hickory. ;)

[Tenpoint5]

Chooch,
I can't fathom the thought of letting it sit for the winter or for a year. You bought it to smoke meat! Smoke some meat buddy!! Chicken, Beef, Pork, Venison what ever it is remember this If you can eat it you can smoke it!! What I am getting at here is you want your smoker to get well broken in, when it is it should look something like this!!

[Wildcat]

Kinda like charcoal/wood grill/smokers. You only clean just a few select areas. IMHO it takes at least a couple of months to really get it seasoned.

[chooch]

O I've been itchin' to get smokin'  ;D

I'm going to Costco today for some ribs, then to a local free-for-all butcher near work on Tuesday for some pork belly to make bacon.

I'd like to do the ribs today since it's decent weather outside. Was thinking of just smoking for 3 in hickory, then mopping with open pit the last 3. I figured I'd wait on trying rubs for a while.

Any other simple cuts of meat suggestions? Pork roast or something? Not a huge fan of chicken. I've stocked up mostly on hickory but I've got all the other woods as well with the exception of the beam, mixed wood and cherry.

Deer season is Nov 19,20,21 around here so I'm waiting till then for jerky, seeing as how it's a bit expensive to make jerky from store bought meat.

Thanks for the welcome guys.

[squirtthecat]

A pork loin is an easy smoke...    And tasty too!

Meatloaf...  Everyone loves smoked meatloaf.

[chooch]

Got the standard pork ribs, gonna start those in a minute, also just picked up a beef brisket. Gonna root around for a good brisket recipe. Also gonna check rubs out I guess for these ribs if cooking time allows. Need them done by 6:00 pm tonite and it's already 11:00am.

[Sailor]

Chooch,
I can't fathom the thought of letting it sit for the winter or for a year. You bought it to smoke meat! Smoke some meat buddy!! Chicken, Beef, Pork, Venison what ever it is remember this If you can eat it you can smoke it!! What I am getting at here is you want your smoker to get well broken in, when it is it should look something like this!!

I seasoned my smoker and have used it a lot and it sure didn't come out with a hamzilla like that  ;D

[GusRobin]

I seasoned my smoker and have used it a lot and it sure didn't come out with a hamzilla like that  ;D

Did you forget to put the magic wood pucks or did you just use the regular?