First Time on My WSM!

After 5 years of using my ECB I broke down and bought myself a Fathers day present of a WSM. Due to one thing and another, I wasn't able to use until this weekend. I think I'm in love! What a dream to be able to dial in a temp and stay there. Or, if I wanted to go up 10?, just crack a vent a little more.

I can't beleive the difference between the ECB and the WSM. Even though I had done research and gotten people's opinions about the WSM, the magnitude of the difference hadn't sunk in with me until this weekend.

The only question I have is that I was filling the water pan and a little bit of water slopped down into the charcoal pan. This seems to have caused a rust colored stain on part of the lid and the body of the smoker. I haven't tried to remove it. Should I? Is this normal?

Thanks
Doug Wilbur

Hi Doug....

Welcome to our little, but growing, WSM family!!

In regards to your question on cleaning......let it be!! To me..a dirty pit is a used pit!!!

I have NEVER even cleaned my 2 grates on the WSM...I just put them in my Weber gasser and hot-clean them...no muss, no fuss!! My WSM ended up in our neighbors tree a few weeks ago during a tornado and it came back all "dirty"....still haven't even wiped off the lid!!

Of course, I realize that many do not share my opinions on cleaning their grills...so I hope somebody will help you out!

Stogie

Hi Doug,

That rust-colored material is not rust, nor is it from the water you sloshed over into the charcoal. It's just a mixture of smoke and grease that deposits on the interior of the WSM. Some people clean this off after each cooking session, but most of us just let it be. After a while, it will begin to flake off. You can just brush away the loose material with a stiff bristle scrub brush before you cook.

At some point in time, the build-up may become so great that it begins peeling off in big chunks. When this happens, a quick brush and rinse out with the garden hose will return the surface to its original porcelain finish.

There's a whole topic on Cleaning & Maintenance
on the web site.

Regards,
Chris

Hey Stogie, Chris,

Thanks for your replies. Stogie, I was never too fussy with the ECB, but it seemed a shame to leave my nice new WSM any dirtier than it had to be. I'm sure this will pass as I use it more. I am sure not one to clean anything that doesn't need cleaning! LOL. Have a good one.

Doug