Cleaning out the bandera.

[ckkphoto]

what a mess! have a pressure washer, and blew the chunks out of the inside of the smoker. Just wanted to clean it up.

Strongly considering a replacement smoker as soon as this one dies. no idea what I want, but will want to consider how hard it is to clean out the firebox and the smoke box.

The shelf racks on the firebox of the bandera make cleaning a bit of a challenge..would rather have something that was easy to shovel out.

I used to smoke often enough that the inside of the smoke box never got that bad, but my current schedule means I open the smoker door and go "EWWWW"
scrape it out then start a fire just to sterilize the inside of the smoker for an hour before I can start to cook.

Am open to helpful suggestions on either maintenance tips, or affordable replacements. BGE?

 

[Bill-Chicago]

Chris, get a weed burner. That will clean the chit out.

Or do the drain mod, then join a barber shop quartet.

Keeps my Dera clean

 

[kickassbbq]

Smoke your meats in pans and you will never have that nasty stuff in there again!!!!
Smoke On!!!!!

 

[ckkphoto]

Or do the drain mod, then join a barber shop quartet.

Keeps my Dera clean

OWWWWWWW! You REALLY know how to hurt a guy. At least ya didn't suggest the kitty litter.

 

[Mark]

Depending on use, a once or twice a year scraping is usually all that's really necessary. I use a variety of different sized paint scrapers & putty knives. and wipe of any grease/residue with news paper. BTW, a little of the residue and greasy paper can really help start your next fire. I always line the bottom with aluminum foil after cleaning.

 

[BBQchef33]

hey STEAM CLEANING!!!

big fire, get the temps up to 400.. and hit it with the hose on fine spray..

rinse, repeat..

and re-season.. only mess is in a bucket.

 

[tommykendall]

I pressure washed mine once. All that chit shot right back out the cooking chamber all over me. Then I proceeded to power wash the chit off me and cut my stomach in a couple spots :roll: Good thing I was wearing shorts cuz I could have sliced my dingy. My advice - WSM.

 

[Bill-Chicago]

hey STEAM CLEANING!!!

big fire, get the temps up to 400.. and hit it with the hose on fine spray..

rinse, repeat..

and re-season.. only mess is in a bucket.

This might work on one of those fancy smancy rigs, but you hit any of the firebox with water on the Dera and the metal will roll up on you its so thin (I did this to the lid on accident and warped the chit out of it)

 

[Norcoredneck]

Hey Bill rumor has it not the only thing warped around there :biggrin: .

 

[ckkphoto]

My prob is I opened it up and found MOLD growing in the bottom...ewww. So I burned it clean and dry for an hour before cooking. I cant cook as often as I used to so the germies get the one up on me now.
My solution this time was to burn enough wood to dry the smoke box comnpletely after use, but its kindof a waste.

Thinking about going down to a bullet smoker...smaller, more patio space, but and wont have the grease probs, but limits me to smoking over lump and not wood, cuts the capacity a ton, hmmmmmm.

 

[Arlin_MacRae]

I figured I would sacrifice some personal cleanliness when I cleaned my 'Dera out for the first time. Yeah, once every three years...

I used my brother-in-law's power washer last Saturday. Then he hosed the insides of the 'Dera off ME. Whoa, what a trip.

Goggles Mod

 

[Bill-Chicago]

I put down (and remove when done) a layer of HD foil.

Never have the build up you folks speak of, but I use my Dera maybe 5 times a year.

 

[Mark]

Get a grease eating pet. Some ant species also eat grease. You could specialty bred an ant farm for cleaning up your smoker. For the record, specialized bacteria that eat oil have been developed for cleaning up oil spills. Try EPA for sources.

 

[Arlin_MacRae]

<guffaw>

 

[Bill-Chicago]

Some ant species also eat grease. You could specialty bred an ant farm for cleaning up your smoker. .

I nearly did the ant mod.

I got to my ninth generation in my test clones, but getting them to wear those ant sized heat resistant jackets were a bitch.

Every time I got up to temp, little farkers would explode

 

[Arlin_MacRae]

Ant sized heat resistant jackets...

Don't tell me they're unionized already!!?

 

[Bigdog]

Ant sized heat resistant jackets...

Don't tell me they're unionized already!!?

OMG I'm dying here.:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Mark]

Oil eating bacteria

Apparently, they $hit plastic too.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Bact...d-Producing-Biodegradable-Plastic-18787.shtml

 

[Mark]

I nearly did the ant mod.

I got to my ninth generation in my test clones, but getting them to wear those ant sized heat resistant jackets were a bitch.

Every time I got up to temp, little farkers would explode

Kinda like smoked Rice Crispies?