Cleaning the cookshack

Me. I'd knock off any buildup with a scraper and reseason the smoker at a high temp for a few hours. Any baddies will burn off, and your smoker will be ready to go (after grate cleaning).

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Me. I'd knock off any buildup with a scraper

well thats not good enough for me

a year and a half of commercial build up and its smelling rancid ?

i would knock off all i could and then use ez-off if you can use it inside your house why not in your smoker ? then maybe some simple green or something to pretty it back up .

i want my smoker clean .

My concern with EZOff is that food will be touching it. Not necessarily the same as your home oven.

I DO know people that use that or other oven cleaners do "deep clean" it.

My caution would be if you use that, don't power wash the inside, because if there are any gaps (you won't see them) then the insulation gets wet, that's bad.

If you use it, I'd use a food safe cleaner after it, like JC said, simple green. Maybe some stainless cleaner. Get it this clean ONCE.

Reseason it and then just keep it clean by scraping off food particles and let it season like cast iron. You want it to be seasoned.

I hear conflicting opinions on cleaning the inside. I have a brand new Smokette that is still in the box and want to do it right. I'm of the opinion that it does need to be seasoned and not deep cleaned very often. I've got a few buddies that deep clean theirs after every session.
So just scrape food particles and call it good? Forever? Please help.

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Get it this clean ONCE.

this what i meant with a year and a half of restaurant crud setting for 8 months i want that stuff out of there

my crud dont bother me as much you know ?

I have two FEC 100s and I have never, and will never, clean the insides thoroughly. I scrape the walls down every so often is particles are starting to fall off, especially the inside ceiling of the smoker. Beyond that, I replace foil on the bottom, on the heat sheild, and in the grease canal every time I smoke. I also vacumm it out after each smoke also. And I also clean the grates off as needed also.

I'm assuming since it's stainless that I won't have to worry about rust later on down the line?

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I replace foil on the bottom, on the heat sheild, and in the grease canal

ribdog can i ask do you do this because you cater and compete alot ? i have my fec100 at home and dont get a big mess inside

i see pictures from others that foil the box with the firepot to

i thought the grease channel would get little nooks and crannies in it from foil and hold back grease

in mine i just have foiled the heat shield and the grease slide but i would do more if this is not enough . my son said dont write aint no more ha . coming from a pro i respect your ideas . thank you .

I've read enough to be convinced that I need to foil and don't deep clean. You guys have been very helpful.

JC,

I wish I could say I came up with all these things myself but I actually learned most if not all of this from people like Smokin, Tom, Dr. BBQ, etc.

Regarding the grease channel, I could probably go without foil in there but while I'm doing the rest, its just as easy to do it also. If you make sure really tuck the foil down in the corners of the grease channel, there should not be a problem with grease backing up from a crease or such. But if you do foil the channel, make sure you poke the hole for where the grease drains down. Also, every so often, look down the grease drain as sometimes gunk builds up in there. If it does, I just knock it out with a long screwdriver.

I do this whether I am competing or cooking at home. Just easy to get into good habits with your smoker.

RMorris,

Like most have said, just use plastic scraper every so often on the sides as any build-up occurs and change foil. BUT, I have found in both the AmeriQue and FEC, be sure to clean up the bottom if any grease gets around the foil. The bottom is the only shiny (sorta) part inside my two smokers....

i see what you mean a ill do that .

I agree, Mike, as I do the same thing. Do it so often, it just slipped the old mind.