Cleaning the Inside of the Smoker

[rowsteve65]

Ladies and Gents,

I smoked my first turkey for Thanksgiving and it came out fabulously--even my sons who are not big turkey fans thought it was the best they had ever had.  My question now is how best to clean the inside of the smoker (I covered the wood box with aluminum foil, as well as the floor of the smoker).  Can the inside be cleaned with soap and water, just a damp rag, should I just leave things alone, etc?  Also, I know the racks can be thrown in the dishwasher, but can the rack hangers, which are removable, also be put in the dishwasher?  Thanks.

Steve

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[NDKoze]

You can out the racks and the sidewalls in the dishwasher.

I usually just wipe out the smoker with paper towels, and then a couple of times a year with soap and water.

[rowsteve65]

Thanks Greg.  Have a happy, healthy and safe holiday season!

Steve

[swthorpe]

I clean the racks after every smoke.  The side racks get a run through the dishwasher maybe every 3 months or so.    I always do the foil on the smoke box and bottom, which just lifts right out when I am finished.  I use a paper towel to wipe down the bottom to get a juice that might have gotten under the foil.    Every now and then, but not often, I will wipe the inside of the box with a paper towel and soapy water.   

[es1025]

I clean the racks after every smoke.

i clean the bottom of the smoker with a clean paper towel. 

I figure the extra is flavor.

[Pork Belly]

My racks have been washed with soap and water one time since June 5th. Prior to every smoke they are scrubbed clean with a grill brush, they come clean with very little effort. When I seasoned my smoker I left the racks in and think it made a difference. The inside of the smoker I clean with scalding hot water & paper towels every five or six smokes.

[rowsteve65]

Thanks everyone for the very helpful replies.  I wish you and families a very happy, healthy and safe holiday season.

Steve

[elkins20]

The bottom of my smoker was sticky, so after the pork butt I scrubbed it with hot soap and water. Still looked smoked but was not sticky any longer. Think I will get the bar keepers friend and clean the bottom really good. I hate it when the foil sticks to the bottom.   

[SuperDave]

I don't know how much thought goes into buying a smoker with regards to cleaning.  After all it is a smoker and it is meant to get dirty inside.  But when I see threads about guys debating between the #2 and the #3, I think about extra room for not only meat but internal drip pans.  Now that I utilize an internal drip pan, life is a snap. 

[elkins20]

Room is very tight in the #1, and after sleeping on my order. I called Steve the next morning and my order had already shipped. I was going to change it to a #2. Reason for the #1 was will not be smoking for a large amount of people. And so far have not had any real issues with the size of meats that I smoke.