I smoked two batches of fish albacore bellies, now it smells fishy. What can I use to clean the inside?
PS I always use foil to line the inside bottom and the smoke box top.

after i did my smoked albacore, i sprayed my 009 down (the inside) with simple green and ran a few pieces of hickory through it. the only thing that held the smell for a while was my grills. didnt impart a fishy taste on my bbq though.

I'd say just cook the next meat with hickory,and you'll never know.

Simple green,greased lightning,etc,will clean.

If I've foiled well,I often just grab a windex/vinegar spray and wipe out with paper towels.

Back when we could get good fish,I smoked a lot and never had odor problems in a Cookshack.

I will try the vinegar.

After that I will put 4 oz of hickory at 225 for a few hours .
If not then I will turn to a complete cleaning with simple Green.

Thank you,
Brian E.

This is wierd.. every time I hear someone on this subject. I guess I've smoked about 50# of YF Tuna, BF Tuna and Albies.. After removing the foil and scraping down the insides.. I can't say it has ever done anything negative to the next smokes of even chicken or turkey. Maybe I'm doing something wrong

Like Smokin' says.

The only thing I spray is under where the bottom foil sets.

Co cook like it real clean.

Well if it does smell like fish, the neighborhood cats will like it and give ya a visit..I dont think you want to be that kind of popular.

PrestonD

I have done herring twice and did not smell anything, just the normal smell of a smoker.
Did you buy them(fresh -frozen?), catch them? Were they given to you? If a fish smells it was not properly cleaned and/or stored properly. Herring is a very stinky fish even when they are still alive in the bucket. I caught the ones I smoked on dec 29, 2005. Brought them home, scaled, cleaned, and put them in the fridge in a salt brine to draw more blood out. Then put them in a brine with more flavor enhancing ingredients for a couple of hours, drained, dried, smoked.

A friend of mine caught them.
They were frozen in vacuum pack bags, thawed in refrigerator rinsed and did not smell then I submerged into brine forced all air out of zip lock bag for 12 hours.
Smoked at 180 for 2 hours turned up to 225 for 30 minutes more.
Same thing I have done before with Norwegian Salmon, which never left such a strong smell.

I smoke a lot of fish being around the gulf coast area. These smokers can get fishy especially if you are a fish lover. I have tried a product named Bio-Zap. It's an outstanding product. Just be on the safe side, rinse down the smoker real good after each and ever use with Bio-Zap product.I've been using this for years. It actually works!!

Happy Que'n,
Smoky
Texas BobbaQ

...and don't forget to re-season the smoker afterwards with a nice fatty butt or shoulder!

an old insurance trick to remove oders from a freezer that lost power and the meat rotted was to unplug power to unit. then fill unit with old newspapper in single sheets balled up. i know it works on freezers so it should on a smoker.

hope this helps
j foley

I clean my grates by sticking them in my gas grill, and baking off any residue.