Seasoning my new smoker

[Patrick NC]

Just got a new ( cheap) smoker. I have a big smoker made from a 250 gallon fuel drum, but it isn't very economical when you just want to smoke a 6 lb chicken.  I picked this one up yesterday and I'm about to do the first burn and season the cast iron grates.

 

[aigheadish]

I have what appears, from here, to be the same larger part of that grill and I'm pretty pleased with it. I don't have the smoker attachment and I've never smoked anything but it seems like it could be fun some day. Let me know how you like it for that, if you would!

[YellowHammer]

Are you going to cook that big rock?  It will take a while for it to get tender. :D :D :D

Just kidding, it looks like a great day to cook.  Congrats. 8)

[Raider Bill]

Those offsets do a good job.

[newoodguy78]

I've got one very similar to that. Once you figure out controlling the fire it works very well. 

[taylorsmissbeehaven]

I have a similar smoker that I really like. Takes a time or two to get the vents just right but then its smooth sailing. Lets see some pics of the finished products!! Im glad I saw this thread as I may fire mine up this weekend. Brian

[WV Sawmiller]

Robert,

   That reminds me of a guy here whose mom was from London. His dad met and married her there when she was 16 during WWII and brought her home to WV. He came home one day and said she just busted out crying. When he asked what was wrong she said one of the neighbors brought over a batch of roasting ears and she had boiled them all day long and those centers still had not gotten soft.

Patrick,

   I did not know you needed to season the grates. i just bought a used smoker Sunday and I was just going scrub the grates real good. I have run them through the wire wheel on my 6" grinder to knock any rust or crud off them. If I had a pressure washer I'd use it. 

   I know about seasoning cast iron cookware with oil but never heard of seasoning smokers or grates. How do you do it?

[aigheadish]

Howard, the seasoning of the grill grates is done the same way as cast iron pans. I'm not good at it because I don't oil them enough on a regular basis, but basically oil them (or bacon grease), heat them screaming hot, and oil them some more. I think to do it right you want to repeat that process many times over prior to cooking anything on them, then oil prior to cooking every time.

It probably wasn't exactly right but when I smoked that pork butt the grill grates got a lovely season on them, I think I started fat side down for several hours, where the fat just sat and dripped through. I typically only cook on 2 of the 4 grates, so I have 2 that are rusty and not in great (grate) shape and 2 that are ok. I'm going to try to remember to oil them more as I did when I cooked some fish last week. It makes a big difference as the cleanup is just a swipe or two with the wire grill brush or maybe just the scrubber grill brush.

[K-Guy]

Howard the seasoning is more for getting a surface the food won't stick to easily. On my gas grill I cheat and use the spray on oils but when I do it I do the entire grill even though I rarely use more than 1/2 of it. The same goes with cleaning.

If you don't know how your used grill was used you may want to strip them down to bare metal and start over. That way you know whats been on it, these days people do some really stupid stuff.

[WV Sawmiller]

  Okay - follow up questions. Do you do this on the grill or in the oven? The smoker I bought last week looks similar with a separate smaller chamber the the heat and smoke goes up to the main grill. Do I need to get a hot charcoal or wood (I know where I can get wood real cheap ;D) fire in the main grill or do I use the smaller chamber on the side? Does the smoke affect the seasoning?

   Memory lane - while stationed in Albany Ga I rented a big super cooker from the Base MWR to our church group to use for a cookout at a park 8-10 miles away. I got the "great idea" of loading the smoker with dry oak wood, with kindling and such below then just before the picnic I lit the paper/kindling and drove to the park. I well remember the flames shooting out all openings and I still don't know how I avoided getting stopped by the police or fire department on the way over. When I got there I had a bed of hot coals ready for cooking. I do not recommend that technique to others. You might use a leaf blower on a stationary grill/fire to expedite the process but don't try driving down a busy street with a flaming grill.

[K-Guy]

I would do it on the grill, in the oven the oil will give off fumes that may not smell to pleasant. I would use a good quality vegetable oil or lard, bacon drippings are too valuable.350°F or 400°F is high enough, the higher the heat the less time it takes.

I would oil the grates down put them on the grill for about 4 hours, then do it again. Let it cool and check to see if it needs to be redone.

[aigheadish]

Part of my problem is now that I think about it I may have only seasoned the top of mine... The bottom should likely also be oiled.