Philosophical Question: Do you guys clean your racks?

[Camadile]

Do you guys clean your racks after every use or do you let them "season" like the rest of the interior?  I've done both ways and don't seem to notice the difference.  Even if I go from a salmon smoke to a pork smoke without cleaning the racks, there was no fish taste in the pork after smoking.  Besides, cleaning the racks is always a pain in the butt 

Cam

 

[Walt]

Depending on the smoke,I wash rack brackets with racks each time after use.  If I'm only smoking some sides  like peppers, potato, etc that causes very little mess I will pass until the next smoke.  I also replace foil after each use and use a plastic paint scraper to remove any grease build-up under the foil. 

The dishwasher cleans the racks & brackets quite well.

 

[swthorpe]

I clean the food racks after every smoke (or I should say my wife does) by putting them in the sink, soaking, and then using a brush to clean, or at least that's what my wife tells me     The side racks are cleaned less often, maybe once every couple of months in the dishwasher.  I always clean out the foil on and wipe down the bottom.  A few weeks ago In did my first full clean where I wiped out the sides of the smoker to get some of the smoke(?) build up off, but I wonder if this step should be skipped!

 

[DivotMaker]

I only clean my side racks once every couple of months.  It usually involves a quick bath in EZ-Off, rinse, then a trip through the dishwasher.  I should probably just throw them in the dishwasher after every cook, but I don't.

 

[puddle jumper]

Is it just me??
I thought this was going in a completely different direction... ??? :

I clean my rack, porcelain water pan and my catch pan,every time I smoke,
Good question,,,
OK,, How often do you guys change your foil??
PJ

 

[DivotMaker]

Wow, PJ!  Porcelain water pan AND catch pan??  ??? Way too much work for me to clean!  Disposable water pan, no catch pan, just foil - which I DO change every cook!  Washing the shelves is all the washing I want to deal with!  ;D  Btw - lots of discussions about catch pans messing with smoker temp; ever notice any low temps or anything?

 

[DivotMaker]

PJ - I just realized you probably meant the slide-in stainless drip pan.  I do clean that every cook! :-[

 

[Camadile]

I only clean my side racks once every couple of months.  It usually involves a quick bath in EZ-Off, rinse, then a trip through the dishwasher.  I should probably just throw them in the dishwasher after every cook, but I don't.

So, what do you with the meat racks???

Cam

 

[swthorpe]

I have been using a small can with apple juice for extra moisture, and that can gets clean each time as well after every smoke.  Eventually I will go with disposable foil pans but I have not found the small kind that fit next to the smoke box.

 

[puddle jumper]

PJ - I just realized you probably meant the slide-in stainless drip pan.  I do clean that every cook! :-[

yup, that's what I was talking about,,
Oh and the porcelain, that helps to regulate the heat.. at least that's the idea...
PJ

 

[DivotMaker]

I only clean my side racks once every couple of months.  It usually involves a quick bath in EZ-Off, rinse, then a trip through the dishwasher.  I should probably just throw them in the dishwasher after every cook, but I don't.

So, what do you with the meat racks???

Cam

Shelves are washed EVERY cook.  Foil replaced, stainless drip pan EVERY cook.  The only thing I let go for awhile are the racks that hold the shelving.  They just get smoke on them, not meat gunk.

 

[DivotMaker]

Actually a really good idea on using a porcelain water pan, PJ!  Is it one of those fancy French white pans?  Not making fun...I'm serious!  If must be some type of loaf pan?

 

[benjammn]

I clean shelves everytime, any foil is replaced, racks not so much, don't really get dirty so to speak, I have the disposable foil mini loaf pans from grocery store so they get tossed in recycle bin, I am really bad at cleaning the ss drip pan...my bad, I do scrape down the door/walls/base when they get bad

 

[puddle jumper]

Actually a really good idea on using a porcelain water pan, PJ!  Is it one of those fancy French white pans?  Not making fun...I'm serious!  If must be some type of loaf pan?

No, nothing fancy like that ,, You will probably laugh but is a mini Christmas bread loaf pan... Its got Santa and rain deer painted on the side, lol, holds about 16oz of water, but it works.
PJ

 

[Paul Case Luca]

PJ:

Ok now you have to get a photo of that to share!!!

 

[Camadile]

Hey guys:

I think that I may have introduced some confusion because I'm still a newbie when it comes to the proper lingo.  When I said "Racks" I should have said "Do you clean the shelves ?"

 

[DivotMaker]

Santa and reindeer?  Hehe!  Why doesn't that surprise me, PJ! ;D ;D

 

[old sarge]

I clean the wire racks after every use. I wipe them with vegetable oil on occasion, or spray with PAM just to make the job easier.  And I prefer to clean/wash by hand. As for the brackets that hold the shelves, never. I will wipe or brush them down but I am really concerned only with the wire racks.  And I change out the foil after each smoke.

 

[DivotMaker]

No problem, Cam!  I think you've probably gotten more info than you thought you would!  I think everyone thought you meant the side racks that hold the shelves.  Definitely clean the shelving...makes life good!

 

[es1025]

I clean my racks after every smoke
I use the little cooking spray to avoid sticking.

the racks typically clean up with soap and hot water.