# Clean Grease from Smoker?



## John Redcorn (Sep 8, 2009)

I always sweep the ashes from my pit once I am done with a smoke. However, on the business end of the pit I have accumulated a pretty good amount of grease. 

Pros and cons of cleaning that? Will it promote rust?


----------



## Flat's Hunter (Oct 18, 2007)

Here is a con. It can catch fire and toast your meat in a huge enferno. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk


----------



## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

I periodically spray my pits with a jet stream of water from the hose. Whatever comes off does, I don't scrub or scrape, just the hose and NEVER any soap whatsoever. One trick is to build your meat grates out of stainless expanded metal, never rust and any remaining meat/etc will just hose off or burn right off. I will take out the tuning plates and scrape them as they catch all of the drippings in my reverse flow pit and that design causes it to dry and burn rather than drain out the bottom.


----------



## Last Drift (Jun 30, 2009)

What he said above, drain what you can and scrape the rest. I use a 6" drywall knife.


----------



## HiggsBoson (Jul 25, 2014)

I have used a pressure washer with plain water and it worked quite well to remove the grease and soot buildup. Run a small fire to re-season and you are back in business. I find that keeping the grease buildup down results in a cleaner tasting end product. IF you don't clean you can get flare ups or the grease can run back into the firebox. Burning grease = bitter taste.


----------



## manintheboat (Jun 1, 2004)

That is why you are seeing more people smoking meat in pans. Take a foil pan, full hotel size, put a cooling rack in the bottom for air flow, and put your meat on top of that. For more air flow, rest the rack on top of foil balls to raise it up and get more air flow/bark on the bottom side. This way, all of the grease is contained in the bottom of the pan and not in the bottom of your smoker. I have not tried that personally, but will give it a shot when/if I get my new smoker this fall. It seems that a lot of tournament cooks use this technique with supposedly no loss in meat/bark quality.


----------



## Lagunaroy (Dec 30, 2013)

I just take a couple of paper towels, rub in the grease, and use that to start the charcoal. Smells like bbq when you light the fire.


----------



## Tall1 (Aug 3, 2009)

If your smoker has a grease drain on the end opposite your firebox, you should be able to shim the firebox end so the grease can drain as it accumulates. Put an old coffee can or something under the drain.


----------



## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

Tall1 said:


> If your smoker has a grease drain on the end opposite your firebox, you should be able to shim the firebox end so the grease can drain as it accumulates. Put an old coffee can or something under the drain.


This is what I do on my barrel smoker. It drains well and I don't get any grease build up. On the BGE I use a foil pan under the grate to catch the drippings, and on the Smokin Tex I line the floor with heavy duty foil an poke a hole in the foil where the drain hole is.


----------



## KayakCowboy (Aug 25, 2005)

I've seen guys using pans and can't imagine how they can get as much smoke as without one. Cleaning the pit after a smoke is just part of the process for me. If you don't clean out the fat, aside from fire, it'll go rancid and nobody wants to add that to their smoke. I use a putty knife and lightly scrap it clean then rub a light coat to avoid rust.


----------



## MTFishbox (Apr 15, 2015)

I use a pear burner for the inside of the pit. But do before you put the meat on! LOL


----------



## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

I've seen maggots in others smokers that don't clean them.I scrape mine out with a putty knife,and wipe down with an old towel or paper towels in a pinch.I always wire-brush the grates before and after.All wiped down and the doors open with the grates laying in 106 degree heat and sun,mine looked nice yesterday.


----------

