Is it normal for the inside of a smoker to be painted?

[Twisted Belly]

I recently (4 months ago) purchased an insulated cabinet style water smoker and the inside of it is painted??? Now the paint on the inside is flaking off and getting on my food... Is this normal?

[sliding_billy]

Many companies do it. I wish they wouldn't do it, but they do. What brand do you have?

[Twisted Belly]

Humphreys
Half Pint

[ssv3]

Not familiar with Humphreys but sounds to be the seasoning on the inside walls is chipping? Its normal after so many uses for the inside build up to chip off. Happened in my kamado and PBC (drum)

[HankB]

Webers are notorious for building up a layer of smoke on the inside which flakes off from time to time, particularly if you run a hotter cook than typical. Is that what you're seeing? It does look like black paint.

[Twisted Belly]

no its definitely paint, im familiar with seasoning. It's high temp powder coat paint. Im just curious if any other smokers have it as well. I have owned several other smokers over the years (2 rebels, bws, fec) and havent seen it on them.

[sliding_billy]

I would start scrubbing the inside hard to get rid of any more paint that is ready to flake and then season the hell out of it with some lard.

[Bludawg]

Zip Strip a Putty knife and lots of water.

[Twisted Belly]

Webers are notorious for building up a layer of smoke on the inside which flakes off from time to time, particularly if you run a hotter cook than typical. Is that what you're seeing? It does look like black paint.

I know exactly what youre talking about, and there is a little of that, but it looks the paint is coming off and there is clean metal below.

[IamMadMan]

I would check with Chad or Kevin to see if it is paint or an inside seasoning gone bad.

I have a humphrey's down east beast and it came bare metal on the inside, NOT painted or powder coated. As experienced as they are, I find it hard to believe they would paint it, especially since they don't paint the smokers, but powder coat them..

I did a poor job of seasoning it (used spray) because I was in a hurry to use it, and with the heat / humid environment I had the inside looking like it was peeling paint a few months later. Bare metal where the seasoning peeled away leaving it bare like when I received it.

I wiped it out with a scrubbie and then used crisco to season it, took the temperature up and let it sit. I have not had a problem since and every six months I re-coat with crisco because of the humid enviroment.

If you boil water in a seasoned fry pan for 22 hours you would also start to lose the seasoning, if you repeated this over and over again. Smoke and food residue on the inside of the smoker will begin to peel with higher temperatures. I also had the same problem with my Backwoods Smoker.

EDIT: I did notice the peeling to be more common when I used briquettes rather than lump. Might be coincidental, who knows...

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[Twisted Belly]

I've cook some of the best briskets on my half pint, but I'm just unsure about the interior though

[IamMadMan]

I would check with Chad or Kevin to see if it is paint or an inside seasoning gone bad.
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I've cook some of the best briskets on my half pint, but I'm just unsure about the interior though

I asked Kevin to chime in on this message.....