My WSM needs help!!!

[Patrick Sullivan]

I have cooked 8 pork butts per time the last two cooks I've done on my WSM. There's about a quarter inch of residue on the sides now. The residue is pretty hard. How should I clean it?

 

[timothy]

Sounds like it's well seasoned?
You could either burn it out or steam it out.

 

[Phil S]

I would either steam it or head to the car wash. You can try burning it off but unless you get the WSM up to 450-500, you may wind up baking it on and making it twice as hard to get off.
I'm a BIG fan of Dawn Professional 56037 Dish Power Dissolver. It isn't as strong as oven cleaner for burnt on food but works like magic on smoke residue. I can squirt some on a foil pan that's been in the smoker for 5 hours, take a soft brush to it and everything rinses off.

 

[Brock Gingery]

I have cooked 8 pork butts per time the last two cooks I've done on my WSM. There's about a quarter inch of residue on the sides now. The residue is pretty hard. How should I clean it?

If you really struggle cleaning it spray the inside with heavy duty oven cleaner, set it out in the sun on the hottest day you can, put a garbage bag over the assembled WSM, and then try taking it to the car wash or use a pressure washer on it. A full day with the spray on should be sufficient.

Just run a bare fire in I afterwards before your next cook.

 

[timothy]

The residue is pretty hard.

Is it slick and shiny like a well seasoned cast iron pan or fugly and tacky?