New Workhorse 1975t Cleaning Advise

[jrTheSmoker]

Picked up my new Workhorse 1975t last week, but storms prevented me from doing anything until Monday. I used dawn and a bristle brush to clean the grates, and you could see the oils in the water as I washed them off. The grates still felt sticky like grease was on them, so I got my pressure washer and washed each grate and the internal of the smoker a good bit, but the dried grease "sticky" feeling is still there on the grates. The directions said to season then run at 200-275F but not over 275F, for 4-6 hours to season the smoker.

I've searched this forum and seen where people clean food grease off, but I haven't seen machine oils and grease. I have googled and seen where people use vinegar or citrus acid type cleaners to clean items, but most of those were porcelain or stainless grates, not raw carbon expanded and square round metal.

Anybody have experience with above and how to clean raw metals, specifically new machined metals?

 

[seattlepitboss]

The only part of the cooker that touches the food is the cooking grates. Pressure wash them and stand them up to dry, ideally in the sun. That said, funky smells and vapors will affect your food too. Best cure for those is fire and smoke. Build a big hot fire and take it up over 400F for at least 2 hours, then let it come down to 225-250F for another 2. After that's all done, stick your head in and take a big sniff. Smell sweet? You're done.

I don't know anything about any commercial smokers cuz I've always built my own. Mine have a grease drain for during the cook, and a washout drain for after. My main cleanout tool is a cheap electric pressure washer. I also use a long-handled scraper to get most of the caked-on goo off of the bottom brfore I pressure wash.

There isn't anything at all complicated about using a meat smoker. You'll be making top quality food in no time.

seattlepitboss

 

[Newglide]

Build a big hot fire and take it up over 400F for at least 2 hours, then let it come down to 225-250F for another 2. After that's all done, stick your head in and take a big sniff. Smell sweet? You're done.

seattlepitboss

I don't have a Workhorse but this is what I did with my Old Country Pecos.
I also sprayed some canola oil on it. Mine had the same sticky feel I couldn't wash off. After I burned it in it was good

 

[Fooball]

Maybe it's some kind of food safe spray they put on to stop rust from happening like they use on cast iron pans and grill racks. Call Workhorse and ask.

If that's the case, oil her down and season it without worry.

 

[sackedbysapp]

As soon as those grates dry, you need to get them sprayed with oil they will start rusting

 

[fatguy]

IDK about that pit but most say to spray with cooking oil and run it hot. Will smell the chemicals but after it should be gone. I suspect Workhorse has instructions or customer support but that 275 doesn't sound hot enough.

 

[gtsum]

Just like any other pit…spray it or wipe down with oil and light a fire and let it go for a few hours. I ran mine around smoking temps for awhile and then cranked it up after a few hours.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[16Adams]

Over the years I've used Klose recommendations for seasoning almost automatically. Offset, drum, ceramic, steel and pellet. I've never been disappointed. I don't exclusively cook with hickory, but guessing I've seasoned almost all of my 30+ cookers with hickory.

Here is Klose link to seasoning a pit

https://bbqpits.com/2019/12/how-to-season-your-smoker/

 

[Mike Twangzer]

Is it clean yet ??? Get to cookin' !!!!

 

[jrTheSmoker]

Thanks all. I had a buddy who just got a vertical offset from Academy for his bday last month, and he said he got some Zep Citrus degreaser from Tractor Supply that worked good. I reread the WH manual, it does state to use citrus based cleaner for prior to first and after last cook of the year prior to storage.

I bought the concentrated Zep and sprayed on the grates and inside the pit where oil still was and let sit for 1 minute per bottle instructions, then whipped/scrubbed with an old cloth, then washed off with water really good on Tuesday. I let dry all day yesterday and when I went and put a tarp over the pit last night prior to today's rain, the grates and inside the pit were smooth raw metal with no sticky feel!

I'm going to try and make time to season and burn in this weekend. I bought some of that black label wagyu beef tallow to spray on the inside, and have a gallon of canola oil and pump sprayer I'll use for the grates.

I'm still deciding on using the tallow for the inside of the pit or just canola. Has anyone had any issues down the road after seasoning, with mold or foul smell when using tallow on inside and burning in to make the seasoning? I live in N FL so it's always hot and humid, and if I forget to burn off for an hour or more after a cook, or if I forget to clean out my smoker or pits it gets rough to sit outside near them.