Cleaning/restoring my WSM... Any advice?

[blazinfire]

Hey guys hope everyone is having a good weekend.. I'm in search of something to do.. and I remembered I had a WSM 18 in pretty rough shape.. i was an idiot and I didn't clean it up after the last use (year or so ago)... Well I went and got it out took some pictures.. hopefully you guys can give me an idea if I should try cleaning the grates or buying new grates..


There was a couple fuzz balls growing on the grate but they were easily knocked off and here's what I'm left with.. Do you think this can get cleaned up with a brilo pad? and then Will it be safe to cook and eat from? I am the most paranoid person when it comes to cooking food I just want it to be safe.. if I have to buy new grates I will.. a top grate is only 15 bucks. and I only use the top grate in my WSM anyways.

Here's the lower part of the cooker.. This seems to be an easy clean up job.. I'm not concerned with this at all.

Once again.. someone was a good boy and lined the water pan with foil.. So looks like the body and the water pan will be an easy clean up... The metal shelves that holds the racks.. how should I clean them?

My main concerns here.... Should I use a brilo pad on all cooker parts? Can the cooking grate actually be cleaned and safe to eat on? Once the cooker is cleaned up... Should I put a fire in it to make sure all the nasty stuff is killed off?

 

[JJJBBQ]

Burn everything out and see what the top grate looks like. Or if you’re as worried about poisoning friends or family like I am, get a new top grate!

 

[blazinfire]

Burn everything out and see what the top grate looks like. Or if you’re as worried about poisoning friends or family like I am, get a new top grate!

you know.. that's probably a great idea HAHAH.. I don't think its that bad.. But should I burn it out first? What is the process of doing that? I was just gonna scrub it all down with a brilo pad then fire the cooker up lol so pretty much in reverse ....


I mean truthfully a grate is only 15 bucks I can be cooking on it by Wednesday! Might just go this route.. and spend the next day or two cleaning the rest of the cooker up

https://www.amazon.com/Weber-7432-C...955011&rnid=2470954011&rps=1&s=gateway&sr=8-6

 

[SlowmotionQue]

Burn it out. Wire brush the inside of it down.

Then;

Get ahold of Cajun Bandit for a new fire ring and door and replace the latch too while you're at it with a South lift and turn latch.

Get new top and bottom coking grates either from Weber or somewhere else.

Get new vents from Weber or somewhere else.

Get new handles from Weber or somewhere else.

Get a new bottom charcoal grate from Weber or somewhere else. WSM Grates are a disposable item.

Get a real dome thermometer from Kamado Joe, BGE, River Country, etc.

 

[blazinfire]

Alright here we go! I decided to clean her up.. What I did was I took my weed burner torch and torched the living crap out of the entire smoker. mostly the grates. Then for the grates I scrubbed with a rag, brillo pad, and a scrub brush.. Everything else got a good cleaning too..


Sooooo... Question is.. Would you cook and eat food from it? Should I buy a new grate? I personally think its fine. It cleaned up a lot better than I thought it would. If you would cook and eat from it would you burn the cooker first or would you just fire the thing up and get it running and throw food on it?

 

[blazinfire]

Burn it out. Wire brush the inside of it down.

Then;

Get ahold of Cajun Bandit for a new fire ring and door and replace the latch too while you're at it with a South lift and turn latch.

Get new top and bottom coking grates either from Weber or somewhere else.

Get new vents from Weber or somewhere else.

Get new handles from Weber or somewhere else.

Get a new bottom charcoal grate from Weber or somewhere else. WSM Grates are a disposable item.

Get a real dome thermometer from Kamado Joe, BGE, River Country, etc.

Ok about the Thermometer.... what size River country thermometer would be best for this cooker? how long of a stem and everything? I'm looking for one as we speak.. not sure exactly what to buy! Also.. I say you were replying at the time I posted my last post.. I don't think I need to buy anything for this cooker.. It seems like it cleaned up really well!

 

[Stingerhook]

Your not cooking yet?

 

[PatAttack]

I would NOT take a wire brush to anything porcelain coated but YMMV.

 

[blazinfire]

Your not cooking yet?

Nope I'm still paranoid on the grill grate.. debating on buying a new one..... HAHAHAHA! Honestly.. I think its ready to be fired up.. but wow still gotta deal with the paranoia for a bit.. Truthfully I'm debating on what to upgrade.. if I should buy a cheapish wireless thermometer to measure grate temp like a Maverick t-732.. or get a new dome thermometer.. or just roll with it.. I don't have a reason to have smoker temp's.. I think i'm pretty good at winging it

 

[drunkenmeatfist]

Nope I'm still paranoid on the grill grate.. debating on buying a new one..... HAHAHAHA! Honestly.. I think its ready to be fired up.. but wow still gotta deal with the paranoia for a bit.. Truthfully I'm debating on what to upgrade.. if I should buy a cheapish wireless thermometer to measure grate temp like a Maverick t-732.. or get a new dome thermometer.. or just roll with it.. I don't have a reason to have smoker temp's.. I think i'm pretty good at winging it

Are you sure you want to start spending money on upgrades if it is a cooker that you let sit idle for over a year?

 

[blazinfire]

I would NOT take a wire brush to anything porcelain coated but YMMV.

I didn't use a wire brush on it.. I used a regular kitchen style brush that was not wire. I did however use the brillo pad but very carefully to help remove the soot and chunky stuff off of the cooker.. We'll see hopefully it didn't mess anything up.

Are you sure you want to start spending money on upgrades if it is a cooker that you let sit idle for over a year?

Well you do have a point however.. I just spent 20 dollars on charcoal.. So i'll at least get that much use out of it. Honestly the main reason it has sat for over a year.. I just could not get into the cooking with charcoal. I never found charcoal i was pleased with burning.... But for now I'm looking for a smoker that's more convenient than my big offset. So I'm willing to give it another shot I honestly don't need a Thermometer.. but I know factory one is junk.. Mine was never real accurate.. If harry Soo can make world class BBQ from a WSM it must be something I'm doing wrong lol

 

[food4thot]

Alright here we go! I decided to clean her up.. What I did was I took my weed burner torch and torched the living crap out of the entire smoker. mostly the grates. Then for the grates I scrubbed with a rag, brillo pad, and a scrub brush.. Everything else got a good cleaning too..


Sooooo... Question is.. Would you cook and eat food from it? Should I buy a new grate? I personally think its fine. It cleaned up a lot better than I thought it would. If you would cook and eat from it would you burn the cooker first or would you just fire the thing up and get it running and throw food on it?

I've cooked on grates looking far worse that that with no issues. Fire it up!

 

[Happy Hapgood]

New to grate and a hot burn off. Your good. I know.

 

[JJJBBQ]

That looks like new. Have to imagine the weed torch generates more heat than a burn out would do. I’d say you’re good to go!

 

[blazinfire]

That looks like new. Have to imagine the weed torch generates more heat than a burn out would do. I’d say you’re good to go!

Yeah.. that's is my question. Wonder if I should actually go through with a burn out now that its cleaned? I figure last time I ran the WSM.. It ran for almost an hour before I put food on.. to get to temp, and clean smoke. That would be good enough anyways..



I have two racks of baby backs.. I'm just gonna fire the smoker up tomorrow and go for it.. I literally scrubbed that grate for 5-10 minutes each with a rag, brillo pad, and a scrub brush.. There should be no nasties on it at all.

 

[Norm]

Dude that is an outstanding job!

It's better than out of the box ready.

 

[Sandybum41]

Fire it up!

 

[rookiedad]

you did a real nice job cleaning that thing up! i would not worry about anything. if you did want to get a real nice indestructible grate that you could put in the dishwasher you could go to www. killagrilla.com for a stainless steel cooking grate. you will not be sorry. also www.cajunbandit.com has alot of good upgrades too. i got the stainless steel water pan. all of that stuff can be sanitized in the dishwasher.

 

[blazinfire]

you did a real nice job cleaning that thing up! i would not worry about anything. if you did want to get a real nice indestructible grate that you could put in the dishwasher you could go to www. killagrilla.com for a stainless steel cooking grate. you will not be sorry. also www.cajunbandit.com has alot of good upgrades too. i got the stainless steel water pan. all of that stuff can be sanitized in the dishwasher.

Well.... When the wife is the dishwasher.. she doesn't enjoy getting new things to wash HAHAHAHA!

 

[dward51]

Good job cleaning the WSM. Looks fine to me. I would use it any day. A little oil on those grates will carbon up under heat also. Unless there is flaking stuff coming off the grates, they are going to be fine.