Cleanup Advice


 
D

DomD

New member
Hi Everyone, New 18.5" WSM owner here and just want to say how great it is to have the wealth of knowledge on this forum for advice.

I've completed two smokes on my WSM and so far I love it. I'm amazed with how easy it was to maintain consistent temperature in the WSM. My first smoke was beef ribs and was on one of the coldest, windiest days of the year and I was still able to maintain 260 for 5 hours, they were good but could have stayed on an hour or two longer. I also used way too much salt in the rub.

For my second I did babybacks which turned out great but I probably overcooked them a little bit as the ends and smaller bits were pretty dry. I used the Memphis dust rub recipe from Amazingribs.com which I thought had way too much ginger power in it, I'll have to adjust next time I use the rub because I have a lot left.

Anyway to my question, How do you clean out the ash after a smoke without making a total mess? I'm having a very hard time dumping it into a bag without spilling ash all over the place due to the wide diameter of the WSM. Are there any tricks out there that I'm not thinking of for easy ash disposal?
 
Trying to post some pics so hopefully this works.

The Setup for the first smoke, I tried to shield from the wind with snow, it partially worked.
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The Beef Ribs
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The Pork Ribs
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Hi Dom, I have a bucket with a small metal shovel to take out the bulk of the ash. After that, it's much easier to dump the rest in a bag or my bucket.

Those ribs look tasty!

Chris
 
I've read on here that some guys cut the bottom out of a plastic milk jug and use that to scoop the ashes out. I just dump mine on my burn pile.
 
Paul Pearson said:
I've read on here that some guys cut the bottom out of a plastic milk jug and use that to scoop the ashes out. I just dump mine on my burn pile.
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that is what I did. It works ok. usually I do that and get most into a bag and then just dump any last parts way in the back yard in a wooded area I have
 
Keith R said:
that is what I did. It works ok. usually I do that and get most into a bag and then just dump any last parts way in the back yard in a wooded area I have
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That sounds like a good idea to try. Cheap and sounds like it will work. Thanks everyone for the input!
 
My scoop is made of a laundry detergent bottle (thicker plastic, should last a bit longer), but the idea's the same. However, just to be safe, I dump the ash and any un-reusable bits of charcoal into a 5 gallon galvanized bucket with a tight-fitting lid and shut it up tight for at least 24 hours. Then, once everything is 100% cold and extinguished, I transfer from that to an empty charcoal bag.
 
I let mine sit overnight to ensure all of the embers are burnt out then I just pick up the bottom and dump it in the trash can. Yes, the inside of my trash can is a mess but the guys picking up the garbage haven't complained yet. I also double check to make sure there are no hot spots.
 
I have a small metal trash can with a lid. I put a plastic garbage bag in that and it holds the bag while I dump the ashes. Similar to above where Todd put the ashes in the garbage. The thing I would caution is that if you put them in the garbage, that it is a metal can and it is not inside or next to a structure. I would not trust ashes to be fully out for at least a couple days. Personally, I don't ever trust them. That's why I keep them in a metal can with a lid and don't put that bag in the trash until trash day. Basically though, to answer your question, I use the can to hold a bag and pour them out. I also use a brush to clean out the bottom section. I don't get it clean, but the brush does a good job and I'm ready for the next cook.
 
I wait until it's dark and dump it over the fence.

Kidding....sorta.....I open up a garbage bag as wide as can on the ground and just tip it over. It spills a little I guess but not too bad.
 
Jerry N. said:
That's the same metal can I have. Works great. The lid and that it is metal are the important features.
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Yep. I like the products cause they are made here and I can purchase locally from Farm & Fleet. You just pick up the base by the legs and the 18.5" and 22.5" are easy to dump in without worry of spilling any stray ash. Had some K-comp which still had some red embers after a 24 hr rest.

Tim
 
Thank again everyone for the input. I guess I should probably get an ash can of sorts. I live in Brooklyn and have no outdoor space so I got the smoker to keep at my in-law's summer house in the North Fork of LI. They don't have trash pickup there so we have to bring everything out with us.
 
I use the large size yard waste bags from Costco. They will pull completely over the top of the charcoal bowl. I'm lazy and wait several days, even a week before dumping ashes, so never an issue of hot coals. Dump into the bag then brush any remaining ashes out of the bowl with a palmyra brush.
 
Chris Allingham said:
I use the large size yard waste bags from Costco. They will pull completely over the top of the charcoal bowl. I'm lazy and wait several days, even a week before dumping ashes, so never an issue of hot coals. Dump into the bag then brush any remaining ashes out of the bowl with a palmyra brush.
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That's a good idea Chris (putting the bag entirely over the charcoal bowl). Last cook, I dumped my coals and the wind blew a bunch back in my face. I try to stand up wind, but it really did not work at all this time. I'll look for a bag that goes over the bowl. I also use a brush like you do but mine is nylon (I think). Either way, I really like brushes for cleaning things and that type of brush works great for cleaning out a charcoal bowl.
 
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