Looks like a rust inhibitor. All of mine didn't come off but it was close enough. You'll still have to burn and wire brush ( I like the angle grinder wire brush )
Remember it doesn't have to be perfect.
Hit it with a scotchbrite pad - if you can get it to bare metal with little to no effort, skip the burn in. If it comes off easily, use a little elbow greas. Scotchbrite it out- then hit it with HOT water and Tide (washing detergent) rinse with clean water. Dry it off quickly and coat with Pam/Cooking spray asap. That mild steel will rust before you can blink. IF you are lucky, your first fire will be to season your brand new cooker. :-D
IF the coating does not come off easily? Well- burn the hell out of it. :grin:
Yup, MUCH rather use a electric powered grinder/wire brush than elbow grease with scotchbrite pad. You go Spaceman! :becky:I tryed little sections with my cheap HF gravity sandblaster/Fail. Weed burner/Fail / takes to long and I still have to wire brush it. I settled for dressing up like a spaceman with mask for the Drill Cup Wire Brush/sander/ grinder stripper method. Thanks for the suggestions.