Looking for tips how to clean an electric smoker? You come to the right place. A step-by-step guide to cleaning your electric smoker inside and out so it runs smoothly, produces the finest food, and lasts longer.
With ash, dripping fat, sauces, and more to deal with, smoking meat may be a messy procedure. As a result, you’ll need to understand how to clean an electric smoker. They leave you with crusty grill grates, a drip tray full of grease, a chip tray full of ash, and all sorts baked onto the inside walls and floor of your smoker after you’ve smoked some delicious cuisine and massively impressed your guests. Looking for best electric smoker? we have a list you can check.
Equipment Needed to Clean an Electric Smoker
Lists are the secret to efficiency for the most organized among us, so here’s a brief checklist of everything you’ll need to clean your electric smoker:
- Cover work surfaces and floors with tarpaulin or newspapers. Grill brush with no bristles
- a pail of soapy, warm water
- A scouring pad and sponges or cloths
- Grill scraper or metal spatula
- Vegetable oil, tongs, and paper towels
- Boiling water and a tin or microwave-safe bowl
- Cleaner for windows (for glass windows only)
- Stainless steel cleanser or a specific grill cleaning product (for stainless steel smokers only). A teaspoon of liquid dish soap per four cups of warm water is the appropriate answer for the soapy water.
Cleaning the Interior of Your Electric Smoker
It’s considerably easier to clean electric smokers when they’re still heated. So either let it cool down a little after each use and clean it then, or heat up your electric smoker to its maximum temperature for about an hour and then start these processes once it has cooled down a little.
The general rule is that it should be warm, but not to the point of being untouchable. Before you start, keep in mind that a smoker isn’t supposed to be immaculate, and it will darken as you smoke. This darkening also serves to prevent corrosion and even aids in the smoking process, so simply focus on getting rid of the grease and burnt bits of food, and don’t bother about making it shine again.
Note: If there is mold on the inside, go straight to the mold part below. If there isn’t, then proceed to the next step. Now that you’re ready, double-check that you’ve disconnected the smoker from the power source, and you’re ready to get started with the first steps.
Clean an Electric Smoker: Cover Your Work Area
This darkening also serves to prevent corrosion and even aids in the smoking process, so simply focus on getting rid of the grease and burnt bits of food, and don’t bother about making it shine again.
Note: If there is mold on the inside, go straight to the mold part below. If there isn’t, then proceed to the next step. Now that you’re ready, double-check that you’ve disconnected the smoker from the power source, and you’re ready to get started with the first steps.
Clean an Electric Smoker: Remove The Ash From The Chip Tray or Smoker Box
All of the wood chips that give the smoky taste are burned in the chip tray or smoker box, and the ash collects at the bottom after smoldering. Simply take out the tray and toss the ash into the bin. Remember to deposit the ashes in a non-combustible container if they are still warm to avoid starting any fires!
Clean an Electric Smoker: Remove Shelves, Water Pan, Drip Pan, and Clean Them
Remove the shelves, water pan, and drip pan, and if they’re dishwasher friendly, toss them in so you can get on with cleaning the rest of the house while your trusted machine takes care of the dirty work.
If not, scrape the grease out of the drip tray with a metal scraper, then wash each part in a bowl of warm soapy water with the grill brush to remove any built-up grease and dirt.
Clean an Electric Smoker: Rub Down Sides and Bottom of Your Smoker
Because of the smoking process, the interior of your smoking chamber will get highly oily and sticky with residue after each usage, and not just at the bottom! Scrape away any thick grease with a scraper, and then scrub the inside walls with a sponge or damp cloth dipped in warm soapy water.
Scrape the fallen lumps and grit from the bottom into a bag or pan once the sides have been cleaned down, and then rub the bottom with the sponge and warm water. Make careful to clean the top of the smoke chamber first, then work your way down the sides, finishing with the bottom; otherwise, you’ll end up cleaning the bottom twice.
Clean an Electric Smoker: Clean The Glass Door
Many people dislike not being able to see how the meat is going in the smoker, so keep it clean so you can see the activity! If the grease is thick and gloopy, you’ll have no choice but to use a scraper to assist it glide off. To avoid scratching the glass, always use wood or plastic, not a metal scraper or a metal bristle brush.
If the grease isn’t too stubborn and only requires a little elbow grease, simply use the sponge to wash it away with soapy warm water.
Reassemble Smoker and Fire It Up
The messiest part is now through, but it’s still not beer time! Just keep in mind that your smoker will never be as immaculate as it was when you initially bought it, but as long as it’s clean, the work is done on the inside.
Now all you have to do is put it back together in the same sequence as you took it apart, using memory, the manual, or the images you took if you get stuck. When you’re satisfied that everything is in its proper location, turn it up to its highest setting and blast it for 30 minutes. Any extra water or soap suds will be evaporated as a result. Alternatively, blot it dry with paper towels and leave the door open for an hour to allow it to air dry.
Whatever you do, don’t close it up and store it away while it’s still damp, because you’ll almost certainly end up with mold the next time you open it.
Oil Your Grates
After the smoker has cooled down, oil the grates with a paper towel soaked in vegetable oil, just like you would with any other smoker or grill. This not only prevents food and grime from clinging, but it also prevents corrosion in the future. Because your shelves will still be hot from the heat blast in the previous step, do this with tongs (unless you waited out complete cooling.)
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