My buddy cleaned my smoker should I buy a new one?

myxxolydyan · 10-29-2004, 09:38 PM

After loaning my smoker to a friend, he called me all excited because he cleaned the inside of it all nice and neat for me. AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGH!

I worked awful hard on getting it all coated and gnarly inside, and now ................... it's clean. :whazzup: What would you do? Isn't there some folklore about cleaning the inside of a smoker? AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGH!

Sliderite · 10-30-2004, 12:13 AM

First of all I would politely say thanks! Although I have never cleaned mine except the racks.. his stance on cleaning was well founded with someone not in the know. I would just say thanks with enthusiam but then educate him.
Why buy a new one when you could just do some "DRY" runs with chips and no fish if it is that important. A few runs and the smoke flavor/smell is there.
Thanks are to the borrower who tries to improve(in his mind) from the lender! Most just want to use and abuse!
My .02

cotalot · 10-30-2004, 05:03 AM

Boy, it's ruined now. You should give it to me! I can give it to my neighbor so he'll stop borrowing mine.

No big deal, your seasoning process just starts all over again.

Bluetick · 10-30-2004, 06:00 AM

Was it clean and shiney when you bought it?

FishinMission · 10-30-2004, 06:43 AM

I wouldn't worry about it....Just smoke up another batch of fish! The flavoring comes from the smoke..(I hope) and not the crud on the inside.

Mark

ampersat · 10-30-2004, 07:57 AM

Find out what he cleaned it with, then make sure all of the cleaner has been removed. You'd hate to waste the time, energy and fish only to have it end up "tasting funny" because of residue.

BCF · 10-30-2004, 08:52 AM

My words exactly Fishin Mission. When you run out of fish do you scape and eat chunks of the side? The smoke flavor comes from the particals of smoke that adhere to the fish ,meat , or product that is placed on the racks during the smoking process. Hopefully.
BCF

Tide Change · 10-30-2004, 09:29 AM

My condolences.

Friends don't let friends clean smokers.

To get rid of any possible caustic chemicals, smoke up a batch of carp and throw it over the fence for the neighbor's cat. :grin:

Just kidding about the cat part.

Send me the smoked carp so I can throw it over my fence.

Rakkasan · 10-30-2004, 11:05 AM

Well, first of all I would be greatful that you have a "Friend" who is a true friend and cares enough to think of you and your smoker. It sounds like he was wanting to help a buddy out and did not know any better. Yes, a huge thanks is in order. To be honest mine was shiney and new when I bought it and now it is seasoned. I could not tell you the differance fromt he fisrt to the last batch I did. It never lasts long enough to tell. Sounds like a good friend to have. They are hard to come by these days. Again, he was thinking about you and what he could do to help. He did not know.

myxxolydyan · 10-30-2004, 11:32 AM

I had a conversation with my cousin recently in which he told me "never clean your smoker. Just the racks." Of course I knew that already, I just thought it was funny timing. My friend and I are going fishing on the Grande Rhonde this Sunday. We'll have plenty of fish to season the smoker with after our trip. He told me he just used water and some dish soap. It wasn't oven cleaner or I most likely would send it off to someone else. It was my fault for neglecting to tell him my superstition about cleaning the inside of a smoker.

Pyramid · 10-30-2004, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Well, first of all I would be greatful that you have a "Friend" who is a true friend and cares enough to think of you and your smoker. It sounds like he was wanting to help a buddy out and did not know any better. Yes, a huge thanks is in order. To be honest mine was shiney and new when I bought it and now it is seasoned. I could not tell you the differance fromt he fisrt to the last batch I did. It never lasts long enough to tell. Sounds like a good friend to have. They are hard to come by these days. Again, he was thinking about you and what he could do to help. He did not know.

Mega Ditto's to this previous post!

slamin salmon · 10-30-2004, 06:08 PM

Now thats funny! Boy do I know where your coming from.

drano100 · 10-30-2004, 07:13 PM

Quote:

First of all I would politely say thanks! Although I have never cleaned mine except the racks.. his stance on cleaning was well founded with someone not in the know. I would just say thanks with enthusiam but then educate him.
Why buy a new one when you could just do some "DRY" runs with chips and no fish if it is that important. A few runs and the smoke flavor/smell is there.
Thanks are to the borrower who tries to improve(in his mind) from the lender! Most just want to use and abuse!
My .02

sunshinefisherman · 10-30-2004, 08:03 PM

I don't clean the racks until you can't see through them.

Fast Water · 10-30-2004, 08:10 PM

Just run a pan or two of chips to start the seasoning process again before trying the next batch of fish.

:tongue:

Rakkasan · 10-31-2004, 07:54 AM

I have some extra crud on mine if anyone wants to transplant some in there smoker

I only clean the racks and the water pan myself.

onebadfish · 10-31-2004, 09:30 AM

throw it away immediately. all that good bacteria has been wasted.