Cleaning the smoker

[BruceJ]

Do you all just wipe the inside down with water after use or do you use a degreaser/soap wipedown? I've read the more one uses the smoker the better the flavor gets to be, but I do want to keep it bacteria free and clean.. I'm not concerned about the smoke residue, only the bad gunk...

Thanks for any help.

[tskeeter]

It's fairly difficult to get bad gunk in your smoker.  Smoke does a pretty effective job of discouraging mold growth, and the like. 

I, like many members, clean my puck burner religiously and the cabinet every few years.  In fact, I cleaned mine just last weekend, as part of making some repairs.  But, at best, my cleaning was pretty superficial.  I ran a putty knife over the walls of the smoker and knocked off anything that was flaking.  And sucked up the debris with the shop vac.  Cleaning done for another couple of years.

I do wipe down the smoker with a damp rag (no soap or degreaser) after smoking salmon.  The salmon seems to leave a slight odor, and wiping the smoker down reduces the odor.

And I wipe down the door seal and the seal contact surface every few smokes.  This keeps smoke residue build up in the seal area from making the door stick closed (no need to ask how I figured that one out).

[beefmann]

i  do a  general wipe down  after  each  smoke,... generally to get the  grease /  moisture  build up...  after  each   smoke... and as necessary  a  steam  cleaning in areas that i cant reach  easily or once a   year which  ever comes first,,, steam cleaning is a  bit   messy so be  fore warned

[Habanero Smoker]

Hi BruceJ;

Welcome to the forum.

You definitely will want to wipe away any grease or gunk that is in your smoker after each cook; especially the drip tray and bowl; those should get a good cleaning. For the walls, I just use a dry cloth or paper towel, to remove any gunk or grease. For moisture I just leave the door open, until the cabinet is dry. If after wiping I have any concerns about grease and/or moisture, I will run the smoker "dry" at 250°F for 30 minutes or so, before storing it for the next cook.

I like to keep as much seasoning on as possible, so if I see flaking I will crumble up some newspaper or aluminum foil and brush the walls with that. I wipe down the door seal, and the area the seal comes in contact with; after each cook. Using isopropyl alcohol of at least 70% does a great job in cleaning the seal. I have a good supply of alcohol swabs, and they do a great job cleaning. After cleaning with alcohol, wipe dry with a paper towel. I clean my generator at least once a year, in late fall, sometimes I have to do it twice a year, it all depends on how much I use it, and how much debris I see building up on the rail guide.

[BruceJ]

Thanks for the info... I'm not a regular smoker so I did want to keep it clean in between smokes... looks like a basic wipedown on the inside, the door seal will get a good cleaning. Yes, the drip pans get a good cleaning after each use.

[Sniper-T]

cleaning???  seriously?  oops.  I think I may be negligent!  lol.  I usually just crank the heat up as high as it will go for an hour before I smoke before dialing it down. lol.  what exactly do you guys do with the generator?  I typically just give it a shake when I am done!

[Habanero Smoker]

After or just before the smoke/cook; while all parts are cool, I will use a small paint brush, or a large round artist paint brush to brush any loose particles that have collected on the drive guide and on top of the generator. Depending on how often I use it, I will take the cover off and give the inside of the generator a thorough cleaning. I generally do this once a year; around this time of year. Though occasionally I had to clean it after six months.