Should I Be Cleaning My Smoker After Using It?

by Carl
(Cincinnati,Ohio)

What's the best way to clean my smoker after use? Should you line the shelves with foil? How often should a meat smoker be cleaned?

I've noticed a buildup inside my smoker and need to find out the best way to clean it off. Should I use any chemical cleaners, or will soapy water clean my smoker?

Thanks!

Filthy interior of a (my) Masterbuilt electric smoker. Note the flakes, ready to fall off onto smoking foods.A Filthy Masterbuilt Smoker!

Cleaning Smoker Racks and Grates

Cleaning smoker racks

by: Anonymous

Put the smoker racks on your gas grill and bring it up to about 400°.  Shut it off, scrape them off, and you're done. I never clean the inside of my smoker when it has become well seasoned.

A dirty smoker rack, on a picnic table.
Cleaning the electric smoker

by: Anonymous

Easy, just messy. I filled a plastic container with dish soap and cleanser. Used a gritty sponge and cleaned the outside of the smoker, then the side walls.

Wiped with paper towels. Then cleaned the inside. Wiped out the back to remove the grease and the side walls. Used a spatula to scrape out the bottom.

I had sprayed the grates with grill spray before cooking, so I just washed the grates in the kitchen sink. I cleaned out all of the pans with paper towels, then washed them as well. Now the smoker is ready for the next use and looks almost unused and new.


Cleaning
by: Anonymous

Should you clean your smoker inside after cooking or just wipe the inside (or do you cook it clean) help my wife thinks it should be food and grease free?


Cooking spray
by: Steve

Spraying the racks with cooking spray prior to use does wonders as well and makes the clean-up easier also.


Cleaning electric smoker racks
by: Lea

As silly as this may sound, fill a container large enough to submerge racks with the hottest tap water and a bit of Dawn dish washing soap. I use a big restaurant roasting pan.

Next I stack my 3 racks together with a Bounce dryer sheet sandwiched in between in the water and let sit overnight. Everything wipes right off with a sponge or sprays off. This also works great on glass casserole dishes.

Enjoy~

How To Clean a Smoker When It Becomes Messy

How To Keep a Smoker Clean By Using a Disposable Pan and Auxiliary RackUSE A DISPOSABLE PAN AND EXTRA RACK TO KEEP YOUR SMOKER CLEAN

cleaning smoker
by: Homie

At Lowe's or Home Depot they sell small black tubs for mixing concrete fill it with dawn detergent and water soak grates,water pan and grease pan for a couple hours all the crap comes right off with very little effort.


Simple Green-grills
by: Anonymous

I find Simple Green to clean the racks works very well if you soak a little.


Smoker cleanup
by: steve

The best way I found to clean the pans and racks is to put them in the bath tub along with dish washing detergent.

I know this sounds like it quiet messy but the detergent helps prevent the gunk from sticking to the tub. This allows the racks and pans to be fully submerged therefore it loosens everything for easy removal with a brush.

Hope this helps. I'm smoking a 13# turkey today. It's my first so wish me luck. By the way I'm using a Mastercraft electric smoker. Simply love it so far.


Cleaning a Smoker After The Smoking Is Done
by: Bill

I remove the racks and put them in my kitchen sink, filled with hot soapy water. I dip in what I can and let soak until the goo is loose. Then scrub it off with a plastic scrubber pad. A couple of times I put the racks in my dishwasher, but some crusty stuff clung on.

Interior of a very dirty Masterbuilt electric smoker. Thick scales of crispy, black smoke residue are beginning to flake off, potentially contamination the smoking foods.

Only other thing I clean is the water pan. I also leave the smoker opened up for a day or two to allow it to air dry thoroughly, then I put all the parts back together, ready for the next time.

No need to clean the smoker interior unless it has so much buildup it starts falling onto the food.