Hi everyone,
I know that proper cleaning methods and ethics come up fairly regularly, but I can't find the answer to my specific question--so here goes. I'm doing my first turkey tomorrow and this morning I thought I'd better make sure the smoker was ready to go. ... And *apparently* I must have forgotten to clean the thing after my last pork butt--two months ago. The inside walls were covered with an impressive green growth, some form of mold. I scrubbed it off with steelwool, and it came off easily; then I sprayed it with a hose. So here's the question: is that enough? Will the heat (325-350) of the smoking kill off anything else? or should I bleach it just to be safe? (I know--my bad.) Also, while I'm out here, is it okay if the lower grate, the one below the charcoal, is rusty? Obviously I've cleaned off the cooking grate.
Thanks for the help. This is a great resource. And happy thanksgiving!
Nat
I know that proper cleaning methods and ethics come up fairly regularly, but I can't find the answer to my specific question--so here goes. I'm doing my first turkey tomorrow and this morning I thought I'd better make sure the smoker was ready to go. ... And *apparently* I must have forgotten to clean the thing after my last pork butt--two months ago. The inside walls were covered with an impressive green growth, some form of mold. I scrubbed it off with steelwool, and it came off easily; then I sprayed it with a hose. So here's the question: is that enough? Will the heat (325-350) of the smoking kill off anything else? or should I bleach it just to be safe? (I know--my bad.) Also, while I'm out here, is it okay if the lower grate, the one below the charcoal, is rusty? Obviously I've cleaned off the cooking grate.
Thanks for the help. This is a great resource. And happy thanksgiving!
Nat