Seasoning an Offset smoker

[JG1971]

Hey all - was curious everyone's opinions, was having a conversation with a fellow bbq enthusiast and we had different views

how often do you season your pits, do you do beef tallow/oil on the inside and outside? what's your preference

Just got my new pit which is how the conversation came up. I did beef tallow inside and out got the pit going for 5 hours then let it cool, reapplied some more tallow and fired it up for another 6hours around 300 degrees to get a good layer of smoke on the metal. I am thinking I will do one more before putting any food inside. This is where me and my friend disagree he thinks only put tallow on the inside and the first smoke is more then enough.
I am also planning on re-applying tallow every 5-6 cooks ... overkill?

Its a new smoker and a prized possession so want to keep it in perfect smoky condition.

 

[tom b]

generic pam

 

[1911Ron]

generic pam

This and then cook on it.

 

[Smoking Piney]

Pam will work to season it. Rock on!

No need for wagyu tallow applied by vestal virgins under the new moon.

Pam it, and rock the cooks.

 

[txsmkmstr]

OMG.... on the outside???? Really??? I've never heard of seasoning the outside. Now there's the new fangled boiled linseed oil treatments that have become all the rage but the only "seasoning" I've ever heard of is when the firebox starts to rust and you apply some peanut oil to the exterior.

With that said - you do you and that's cool. I get keeping the pit pristine but it's going to get some wear and tear if it's used.

 

[JG1971]

OMG.... on the outside???? Really??? I've never heard of seasoning the outside. Now there's the new fangled boiled linseed oil treatments that have become all the rage but the only "seasoning" I've ever heard of is when the firebox starts to rust and you apply some peanut oil to the exterior.

With that said - you do you and that's cool. I get keeping the pit pristine but it's going to get some wear and tear if it's used.

Perhaps you are correct and I am way overboard, time shall tell after a few years lol. It will certainly patina no matter what, so perhaps I will just focus on the inside which is looking really good, for a first cook this weekend VERY EXCITED

hate the idea of Linseed oil and can't use peanut oil (wife is very allergic) which is why i did the beef tallow.

 

[JG1971]

Pam will work to season it. Rock on!

No need for wagyu tallow applied by vestal virgins under the new moon.

Pam it, and rock the cooks.

So what your saying is I didn't have to stand on one foot while wearing an eye patch swinging a chicken over my head while applying the beef fat ... I do see your point however your just looking for a adhesive to help the smoke stick to the metal so why spend $$$ just use something basic which makes sense. Guess I am being precious about this new pit

I do appreciate the laugh I got when reading your comment

 

[Big George's BBQ]

Congrats on your new Pit. What did you get. Let us know how your cooks turn out

 

[cayenne]

My smoker came in last year about September. From the factory I had them do the linseed oil treatment on exterior.

I did what most listed here...and just bough cheap cans of generic "Pam" at the grocery story and sprayed down the whole inside, fired up a nice hot fire...and that was it.

I love shopping at Costco and I bought BIG bottles of "cooking" oil that I'd never actually ingest...seed oils, etc...canola oil.

From time to time, I get an old rag, and before I fire up the smoker for a cook, I rub down the entire exterior of the smoker...to help build a protective coating....I get a rust spot here and there, but I live in the New Orleans area...and we're a *moist* bunch down here...so, fighting rust is an ongoing battle.

So far, no problems on interior...looks great so far after initial seasoning and use....

But for seasoning and preserving...go cheap...save the beef tallow for actual things you'll consume.....good for ya!!


HTH,

cayenne

 

[PGarSD]

On my painted Klose BYC offset (if you've an unpainted surface, you might consider researching linseed oil);

Nothing's needed on the inside, just cook something. I occasionally scrape the bigger loose crud off the inside (every 10 cooks?) using a wide plastic putty knife.

I've used Pam and food-grade mineral oil on the outside and find mineral oil is much less sticky. I use a damp (with water) microfiber cloth, put on ~5 drops of mineral oil, and wipe down the smoker after a cook (while it's still warm). The mineral oil doesn't dry sticky (like Pam), it leaves the smoker looking really nice, and I feel it gives a little waterproofing protection to keep rust at bay.

The mineral oil idea isn't mine, I came across it on one of these BBQ forums and tried it and really like it.

 

[orangeblood]

where you store your cooker will be a big driver in the maintenance routine. if you can keep it somewhere covered like a porch/patio or shed it will be A LOT easier to keep the exterior looking good

pam, mineral oil, used turkey frier oil, just about any cheap food related oil will do.

don't know about linseed oil as one member suggested, i cant imagine that would smell good or be cheap and i don't think it is a food grade finish

just my $0.02

 

[1MoreFord]

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don't know about linseed oil as one member suggested, i cant imagine that would smell good or be cheap and i don't think it is a food grade finish

........................

Being food grade or not doesn't matter with linseed oil since you only use it on the exterior. This is only for exterior protection. You use cheap food grade oil on the interior.

 

[Charny]

was having a conversation with a fellow bbq enthusiast and we had different views

There is a lot of key info missing from your post that will make the answer different, as other replies suggest. Like, where you are (was the enthusiast online and in a completely different place?), how the smoker is finished (paint etc), where you store it, how close you are to salt water, how often you use it.

If parts of the smoker do not get hot enough for long enough, the oil won't cure. It's the same thing with a skillet. Like how a reverse flow smoker probably tends to not get as hot on top.

Pam and the copies are mostly canola, at least based on ingredients. I find the generic stuff at Aldi sprays nicer than the big Pam from costco or Sams, so I switch the sprayer nozzles. A propane weed burner can help a lot with getting intense heat to parts of the smoker that tend to not get hot enough to polymerize and harden.

A key test for me, does the smoker smell good? Are there any fats or grease that have gone rancid? Does it smell like good smokey wood?

 

[JG1971]

Congrats on your new Pit. What did you get. Let us know how your cooks turn out

Thanks I went way over board but at the same time really happy I did. I got a 500gallon Mill Scale (on trailer) offset. First cook is this weekend, very excited.

 

[JG1971]

There is a lot of key info missing from your post that will make the answer different, as other replies suggest. Like, where you are (was the enthusiast online and in a completely different place?), how the smoker is finished (paint etc), where you store it, how close you are to salt water, how often you use it.

If parts of the smoker do not get hot enough for long enough, the oil won't cure. It's the same thing with a skillet. Like how a reverse flow smoker probably tends to not get as hot on top.

Pam and the copies are mostly canola, at least based on ingredients. I find the generic stuff at Aldi sprays nicer than the big Pam from costco or Sams, so I switch the sprayer nozzles. A propane weed burner can help a lot with getting intense heat to parts of the smoker that tend to not get hot enough to polymerize and harden.

A key test for me, does the smoker smell good? Are there any fats or grease that have gone rancid? Does it smell like good smokey wood?

You make a lot of good points. I am in South Florida, the person I was speaking with is in Texas in land. So yes decent difference there. I am prob going to use it every other week as we are BIG bbq fans in this house. You know I complete forgot about the weed sprayer .. I was using a paint roller which worked but feel like the pump and spray would be one more economical and easier to apply. Going to home depot tonight so that will be added to the list.

Curious though about the rancid smell... I have never experienced this (granted with much smaller smokers) do you find this happens a lot in your experience? perhaps my continuous application of beef tallow has built walls upon walls and i dont get that smell because of it.... not sure. When ever I do apply tallow i get the pit going for a few hours to make sure it sticks.

With regards to the PAM even though its not touching my food... i find it hard to use something like PAM personally i would rather spend the $$ (sadly) most likely a waste but I just cant bring myself to use it

rant over sorry lol