Cleaning rituals for WSM and Accessories....


 
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Andy Rine

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The length of time between smokes on my WSM is directly proportionate to the length of time it takes me to muster up the fortitude to clean the bullet and it's acc. I usually open all the vents at the end of a smoke and let everything burn until it burns out, but I still end up with a greasy, disgusting mess on everything (lid, grills, racks, water pans, lid handle, etc...). Even worse, when I handle these items, I then end up transfering the greasy mess (as well as all the little flakes and residue from the charcoal) to the accessories. What am I doing wrong. I would love to be able to smoke meat for every meal, but with this cleanup, it's reserved for weekeds only.
 
Andy, dont clean it

just get a nylon tire brush from an auto place to brush off the flakes

for the grates try just wire brushing like on a regular outside grill

I used to clean mine like crazy..now rarely
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I'm with David other than I try to empty and wash the water pan as soon as it cools down. Ususally the next day. Then I dump the sludge out of the bottom. I'm always amazed at how much water collects in the thing over a few weeks. Mine sits out on the deck in the open < hanging head in shame >. Ocassionaly I will take the hose and a wire brush to the grates before a cook. It must work pretty well. Couple of weeks ago I borrowed a pressure washer to clean the deck. While I had it I hit the grates and water pan with it and couldn't tell a noticeable difference. Unlike the deck.
 
I clean the day after a cook when everything is cool. I save pastic containers to dump the water bowl gunk. Then I take the empty water bowl and the cooking grates and lay them out on the concrete drive and hose them off. I then spray them with degreaser (Simply Green), let'm sit for a minuite or 2 and go at them with one of those green scrubbies. That's it for the bowl. The grates look fine by know but I still wash them again in the kitchen sink. Saves me from having a bunch of greasy mess in my kitchen.

I don't deal with the unused charcoal and ash 'til the next cook. I brush the inside infrequently - no schedule.

As for rain getting in the bottom of the WSM, Check this link for ideas. The vinyl cover's not waterproof. I just used the seam sealer but don't yet know results.
 
Only thing I really clean is the cooking grates. I don't use water and foil the pan, I just remove and replace the foil.
 
I use brillo pads on the grates with good results but I always try to find an easier way and so far it works well. I dont worry about the inside of the bullet.
DP
 
I find that soaking the grates overnight makes the sooooo easy to clean. I obtained a new garbage can lid that was fairly flat on top and about 2 inches deep. Fill it with water and some ammonia. Next day everything comes off very easily with a brillo pad or small wire brush (the kind for soldering).

For the outside of the WSM, I do like Chris recommends in the Cleanup, Maintenance and Storage section of Tips & Mods here.
 
One thing about the wire brush for the grate :

Make sure it is brass or stainless steel. If a regular steel brush is used ir can leave fibers on the grate (caught in the welded joints) that will rust. Same goes for sttel wool pads like brillo--make sure to get off all the fibers that tear off the pad as they will rust and stain the grate.

jeff
 
I put the grates down on the charcoal ring after i'm finnished with the cook and let them burn off. I go over them then with my brass grill brush and finnish with a good spray of Pam for the Grill.When the inside gets really flaky i just hose it off. Bryan
 
I plop the grates in hot soapy water in my utility tub then hit with the brillo pad. They work great and bring the grates back to a shiny start.

I wait till the WSM cools a little(warm) then take a damp towel and wipe the edge of the dome(gets sticky) and the top inside of the center piece where the dome fits in(gets sticky also).

That's all but it is still kind of a pain...about 35min total clean-up time.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Andy Rine:
I still end up with a greasy, disgusting mess on everything (lid, grills, racks, water pans, lid handle, etc...). Even worse, when I handle these items, I then end up transfering the greasy mess (as well as all the little flakes and residue from the charcoal) to the accessories. What am I doing wrong. I would love to be able to smoke meat for every meal, but with this cleanup, it's reserved for weekeds only. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Line your water pan with a double wrap of heavy duty foil. This will really help with the water pan. Forget cleaning inside every time. Brush it out once in awhile. To clean the grates I take the body off of the bootom section and place the grates over the fire. The gunk burns off and everything is clean.
 
I mainly worry about the grates. I clean them off real well the day after each cook with soapy water and one of those plastic scratcher pads. I once over the water pan and I don't really bother cleaning the rest of the WSM. Plus the gunk helps seal it up even better.
 
Agree, I worry more about the grates. Soaking the grates in a garbage can lid works great. Very easy to clean the next day.

Rath *slowly getting outta the clean after every cook habit*
 
The water pan cleans easily in the sink with dish setergent. As for the cooking grates, cover the top side only with aluminum foil, lite your gas grill to cook or your kettle to grill and put it on the cook grates and cover grill. When the smoke stops pouring out from under the grill, open cover, remove grates with a pair of tongs and wire brush them. They will look like they were cleaned in a self cleaning oven.

Nick P.
 
Bryan S., That's a great idea to burn off the grill on the charcoal ring. I'm not much at saving the unburned charcoal anyway. I was burning it off on my gass grill but your idea is better. cliff
 
ugggghhhhh!


This reminds me my grates are still soaking in a (clean) garbage can lid by the garage.
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I better get on that.

jeff
 
After the smoke, I close all the vents to snuff out the briquets.

Later in the week I remove the foil from the water pan (I don't use water/sand since I'm using the Guru), shovel the leftover briquets into a bucket I use for grilling, and empty the remaining dust out in the yard (I'm on 20 acres).

At some point in the week I usually grill, so I take my smoker grills on a very hot kettle grilltop, let them heat up, and clean them with a grill brush.
 
I usually do as John L. regarding closing all vents. The next day or so I will take the ashes and dump them in the water pan to absorb the remaining water or drippings. I don't ever use a full water pan and I don't usually add any water during the cook. Removing the foil from the water pan...ashes and all go right into the trash. Must be nice having 20 acres.
 
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