How often do you clean your WSM?


 
Originally posted by RichPB (richlife):
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Dave Russell:
It's funny. Some guys use cleaners to clean down to bare metal every so often, but an old Texan once told me to never clean the "seasoning" out. He said you'd RUIN it!

I just hit the "high spots", especially the dome, with a plastic putty knife between cooks. I use a wire brush on the grate while the coals are still hot after cooking.
Click to expand...

Oh, UNDER the lid? Hmm, never thought to look there
icon_rolleyes.gif
. Otherwise, dump the ashes, clear out the water pan (yes, I use water)...Rich </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


Rich, HUH???

Haven't you noticed that if you use water in the pan you need to be MUCH more diligent at keeping the "dome build-up" under control? From personal experience: black flakes don't make pork butts very presentable, unless you're bark is so dark you don't notice them.

I try to remember to wipe the dome out right after a cook and scrape out with a plastic putty knife or tin foil as often as I remember.
 
after my first couple cooks, I would break down the WSM and clean it with soapy water, then I read that I wasn't really helping seal the WSM, such extensive cleaning isn'r needed. I now just clean the bowl and place the grates in the dishwasher. Ray, like you, my grates pretty much have the DW all to themselves whenever they get washed.
Tim
 
I dump my grates into the sink with soapy water. I let them soak for about 10 minutes. They wipe clean after that. I don't clean the WSM cooker, or the kettle. I just clean the grates.
 
I'll wire brush the insides once a year maybe, give the ouside a wet rag wipedown when it's warm to keep it shiny. Grates get hit with a wire bursh every cook. When I really want them clean I'll lite up a chimmey of lump, spread it out on my kettle's charcoal grate and set the racks directly on the coals. This will burn off any and all matter on the grates. I'll re-season the grates with a bit of oil the next smoke. This only works for the 18.5" model though.
 
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