FE 100 Cleanup

Dale,
I also lay down a piece of foil along the drip thing, (grease deflector?) with a hole punched out at the drain so a little foil goes down into the pipe. I also notice that the grills clean a little easier later if I wipe them off while they're still warm, just to bust off any cooked on drippings.
Empty out the drip pan while the fat is still liquid, or semi-liquid, and spray it with a hard stream from a hose. Take the foil off the rest of the stuff you've covered as soon as you can after a cook. Wipe down well. Blast out the tube at the same time you blast out the drip pan. Don't ever let the foil set up on the fat. Then it tears apart.
I use a long bottle brush to clean out the tube also.

Peggy

What all is used for the sides and door?....I am wanting to cut some of the buildup, but I dont want to use something that will affect the taste of the next smoking....

Thanks

what i use for that is the cheapest lemon juice i can get my hands on. use a green scrubbie and just wipe it on. it cuts grease great, can't poison anyone and if you don't get it all off with the clear water rinse it leaves no odor.
i learned this trick years ago from a dishwasher who once was a chef but had lost his nerve.
jack
ps. i really worry about chemical cleaners and what might happen if someone ingested them. plus since the lemon juice is an edible product the health inspector had no problem with it being stored in our rig.

this won't help you yankees but I cut a orange or grapefruit off a tree, cut it in half and scrub my grills with that. Cuts the grease real nice.

Hi.

As I sit here, eating a really great pulled pork sandwich which we cooked on the New FEC last night, I am pondering what we might have to equal the orange, lemon, or grapefruit right off the tree. Best I can come up with are cranberries or pine cones! No help there! But I do like the idea of the citrus cleaner, it makes good sense to me and I think I will go with that. I did wrap up the FEC with lots of foil, mummy-fied it. The only really dumb thing we did was to leave all four racks in the smoker when we only used two.

Thanks ! Great tip on the fresh citrus cleaner!

Think I can just fit one more half sandwich in my stomach!

Kate

Katelesley,

You are not alone. I made a great brisket and butt on the top shelf, but I left the other 3 in. I guess these asre rookie mistakes!

Hi Craig.

One that I will not repeat. Mine came clean easily though, I soaked them in my laundry tub filled with hot water and they are now neatly back in the unit.

I have a question for the forum at large: I cleaned my racks, peeled the foil from all the covered parts, and wiped up a few splashes, but, on the inside body of the FEC should I be wiping all the interior walls down? I have some runs and splashes on the walls, especially the back one. Should I remove them or what? I am thinking that if I remove the smoke and all the splashes I have lost my seasoning? Advice please. Remember I am going to be dealing with the health department, it is not just for me.

Thanks,
Kate

Kate,

As we always say about Health Depts...doesn't matter what we think, it matters what they require, so you might have to ask.

Keep them from looking in an empty smoker, just keep it hot and full of food and they can't see the back wall

I don't think the health dept will care about seasoning, in a smoker, but just look for the big, loose and obvious food that is sticking inside and get rid of that.

The smoker is seasoned, and just like a cast iron, you won't "clear" the walls. What I try to do is keep the chunks from building up. A simple putty knife keeps that clean. Don't worry about any areas you scrap off, the next smoke will take care of it. Every couple of years, I clean my CS's real good and then I just re-season.

And I never use any cleaner inside my smoker that isn't food safe. When you heat 409 up, it doesn't make the food smell great.

Thanks SmokinOkie!

Hot ,full and I will add, on the smoke setting. That ought to put a crimp in looking too closely! Obviously I don't want to be dirty, or unhealthy, but I do want to be reasonable.

I went with plain hot water to clean. I didn't have anything too grotesque, so it was relatively easy.

I tend to go a bit heavy on the foil, overkill I am sure, but it sure makes clean up more tolerable, since I am doiing the cleaning!

I was in a fast food fish place once where they sprayed 409 over the fish and chips to clean their glass gaurd. I had paid by then and the fish and chips were stinky with 409, they went back with a complaint! It amazes me how daft some people can be! Even soaps that are scented seem to a residual odor. I liked the idea of citrus, made in another post, to clean the grease away.

Thanks for the guide, I will discuss it with Health too! : )

Kate

Kate,
Our smokers were well seasoned when the inspector saw them. They had darkened walls and doors. They were empty at the time, so he could see them really well. We don't allow food particles to stay on the grills or grease to stand. The only thing he wanted was a different fire extinguisher. We had one that was supposed to be better than the one the state asked for. If you feel better with a different fire extinguisher, get it but be sure to supply the one they ask for as well.
We had to have our inspection done at the commissary kitchen location, so we weren't operational at the time of inspection. I don't know why we were required to be there. They didn't inspect the commissary, but they had recently been inspected by the state also.

??????? Our tax dollars at work ??????
Peggy

Hi Peggy.

We are being set up and considered as a full service restaurant in essence. In other words we are required to follow all the rules any commercial kitchen would have to follow, but the up side is that we need no commisary. We have to carry 40 gallons of potable water and hold 46 gallons of waste water, but that is not a problem. We have three standard sinks, a prep sink and a hands free handwashing sink to boot. In Wisconsin, it is my understanding that a mobile unit using a commisary not only needs to be inspected, but even if the commisary is or has been recently inspected, it must be inspected again! More $$$ ! If this country had to run on the budgets we all have to live within things might be a bit more reasonable! Our inspector is very nice and is willing to listen and bend a bit, if we can support our point of view, which helps. I have followed Jack's and your story from the start and think you have done a great job of getting through and over all the hurdles. It seems like as long as I am not dripping old grease and have no build up of chunks and hunks of food laying about, my seasoned smoker should pass the critical eye of the Sanitarians. i want a clean and healthy smoker, but I was unsure that if I was too vigilant, to an nth degree, that my unit would never get that great seasoned build up that I have noted others talking about. I think that I can keep it clean, but retain the seasoned finish, which works for me.

Thanks!

Kate

Kate,
We also had to have the 3 compartment sinks and a separate handwashing sink. After we cook, we remove the removable parts, soak, scrub, and spray. Wipe off the walls and door with the lemon juice. Then go back over with a damp cloth. I leave the door open to air dry. It's stayed nicely seasoned. I don't scrub the walls or door with anything rough. There hasn't ever been any particles stuck that hard. I think our inspector went easy on our commissary because they have a different, more stringent inspection to begin with. They prepare meals on wheels and feed the elderly, so they have to tow a harder line than a restaurant as I understand.
Best of luck!
Peggy

To cut down the cleanup on the grease pan, put a disposable foil pan in the drip pan. when you get done or it gets nasty, throw it away.
you can get them @ Sams or ant restaurant supply place.
Also, I soak the racks in a tub while still warm, the throw them in the dishwasher at the end of the day. They come out great.

On my grease pan I just foil it also and then pull the foil and throw it out. The pan looks just like it did the day I received it.

I just cleaned mine out the other day by taking out all the tin-foil and running the temp up to 450* and then shutting the unit off. After a 1/2 hour, I put on my mitts, and used a brass wire brush on the racks and any loose stuff on the sides. It was all pretty dry and easy to vacuum out. Peggy is right about emptying the drip pan when warm if you go that way, but SmokinRon has the right idea. I use a foil pan with a little tin foil under the drip spout and the tray drip to help direct the grease into the pan.
Joe