Seasoning a new Smoker - Advice

Gig'em99 · Dec 14, 2012

Hey everyone! I'm new to this forum, my first post actually. Yesterday I took possession of my new smoker. It's a beast. Its a large trailer pulled off set wood burner. (Still working on learning the acronyms :wink: )

This is the first time I've actually had to break in my own pit, and I was wondering if you have any advice?

Thanks!

Brian
Gig'em99

captndan · Dec 14, 2012

Are you talking about raw steel? If so rub some lard or Crisco on the grates, the rest of the inside will take care of it's self. Do a few hours burn I don't think you can get that stick burner to hot to do any harm. Callback when supper is ready.

Bludawg · Dec 14, 2012

Light coat of crisco shortening and burn it Hot 350+ for an hr the Idea is to carbonize the shortening like a seasoning a CI skillet.

Gig'em99 · Dec 14, 2012

Good enough! I'll just treat this beast like a giant cast iron skillet.

Lake Dogs · Dec 14, 2012

That's it; same as a cast iron skillet.

columbia1 · Dec 14, 2012

Those cans that spray vegetable oil work great!

Gig'em99 · Dec 14, 2012

columbia1 said:
Those cans that spray vegetable oil work great!

I was thinking more along the lines of rubbing it all down with bacon grease. I've got plenty of it.

PatAttack · Dec 14, 2012

Gig'em99 said:
I was thinking more along the lines of rubbing it all down with bacon grease. I've got plenty of it.

That could certainly work!

markdtn · Dec 14, 2012

From the Klose website under "pit curing"

A new BBQ pit should be cured like a new iron skillet. You may chose to rub the inside of the pit with Pam, peanut oil, cooking oils, or even bacon grease left over from bacon cooked on the stove. Then you light the pit with a medium fire, say 220 degrees for those of you with smokers. Choke the smokestack control about 1/2 and let it smoke heavily. A few hours is good, the longer the better. A Pit will cure without oils, but the buildup of the resin base on the doors doesn't seem to hold very well over the years.
I have made maybe 100,000 BBQ pits, noticing the pits seated with oils seem to produce better results. Once again, be careful with green woods. Some will produce very bitter tastes. Please do not ever use green mesquite in a smoker.

Ole Man Dan · Dec 14, 2012

Last Spring I blundered into a a used Offset at an Estate Sale. Got a buy. Hauled it home and used a wire brush on the insides and on the grill grates. When I got thru, I cleaned it then smeared on Crisco pretty heavy on the insides. (I put on too much Crisco, but no harm.) The Crisco dripped out into a 1 gallon bucket when it started melting. I sprayed oil on the grates, cause the checks are hard to get into with the Crisco.
I stoked it up with Pecan Wood then, I smoked 6 rack of St. Louis Style Ribs...
I kept my temps between 275° and 300° till done.

The insides of my grill turned out a shiny black and it smells fantastic.

I would have done the outsides of the Offset too, except it had been sprayed with High Temp Stove Paint, and was in good shape.

(You never know what you will find behind the houses at Estate Sales.)

Gig'em99 · Dec 14, 2012

Seems like a lot of good info on the Klose website.

Gig'em99 · Dec 14, 2012

Ole Man Dan said:
Last Spring I blundered into a a used Offset at an Estate Sale. Got a buy. Hauled it home and used a wire brush on the insides and on the grill grates. When I got thru, I cleaned it then smeared on Crisco pretty heavy on the insides. (I put on too much Crisco, but no harm.) The Crisco dripped out into a 1 gallon bucket when it started melting. I sprayed oil on the grates, cause the checks are hard to get into with the Crisco.
I stoked it up with Pecan Wood then, I smoked 6 rack of St. Louis Style Ribs...
I kept my temps between 275° and 300° till done.

The insides of my grill turned out a shiny black and it smells fantastic.

I would have done the outsides of the Offset too, except it had been sprayed with High Temp Stove Paint, and was in good shape.

(You never know what you will find behind the houses at Estate Sales.)

Love this! Last year, I was doing a cook-out for my neighbors, and I was borrowing a big pit that I've used over the years. I fired it up late that evening, to get the barrel up to temp, and some of my neighbors came out and said, "Smells great, what are you cooking?" Me..."Nothing, just lit the fire!" That old pit just smelled good...hot or cold.

Seasoning a new Smoker - Advice

Gig'em99

Knows what a fatty is.

captndan

Quintessential Chatty Farker

Bludawg

somebody shut me the fark up.

Gig'em99

Knows what a fatty is.

Lake Dogs

Quintessential Chatty Farker

columbia1

is one Smokin' Farker

Gig'em99

Knows what a fatty is.

PatAttack

somebody shut me the fark up.

markdtn

is one Smokin' Farker

Ole Man Dan

is one Smokin' Farker

Gig'em99

Knows what a fatty is.

Gig'em99

Knows what a fatty is.

Similar threads