Cleaning the Smoker?

[pushbutton]

Mine is about a year old and while i do use a drip pan, it is starting to get nasty in there. How often and what method do you gals/guys use for cleaning it out? Is there a such thing as creosote build up/ more carcinogens if not cleaned to the bone each time?

While not a tree hugger, could take or leave eating meat before I got the smoker....got to say this could even make a vegan drool a little. Took a cheap arm cut and gave it some slow love and 10 hours later melt in your mouth vittles. Add some cheese and crusty bread to sop up the juices...yum! Sorry about the paper plate photo, but at the lake have a no dishes policy.....

[Gus]

If it's really bad, I'd just scrape off/up what you can and call it good.

If you are getting a big buildup on the cover/sides, make sure you have the exhaust wide open and regulate your heat with the intake only.

If it's just the bottom drippings, just scrape it up when it's gets bad. No harm.

Happy smoking.

[hockeybc69]

I was waiting for some feedback on this one.

I tried cleaning it good one time.... one time.... What a mess.

So now I havent done much other that crank the heat up way high periodically and cook the inside.

I have no idea if its right or wrong, but I am not sure what the right answer is.

[reinhard1]

what i usualy do is scrape off any build up basicly. when i do large amounts with BBQ sauce involved for example i line the grill/smoker with foil so it's a easy clean up. but i realy have no intention of getting it super clean, so to speak except the cooking grates. and many times i buy the cheep webbed aluminum sheets for cooking on top of the grates. i have also bought some re-usable aluminum sheets that i can clean off and use again for a few times. they have 1/4 inch holes in them for even cooking also. good luck.