Basic
maintenance for your barbecue smoker or pit is not as hard as some
people make out, infact there is not that much to worry about other
than initially finding our whether your pit or smoker has been cured
before use.
If you are unsure as to what this means, read this useful
article on barbecue pit curing written by
David Klose.
If your pit or smoker doesn’t need curing we
recommend that you light
her up and let it run on a highish heat, say 260 degs or so for about
an hour. This "burning-in" process helps to reduce the effects of
contamination that may be present within the smoker before you start
cooking with it.
The smoking process is very important as it effectively provides a
protective barrier and will help to keep your barbecue pit or smoker
well treated and ready for proper use.
Highly Recommended BBQ
Smokers
Always
ensure that you have adequate ventilation around your smoker,
this is vital for a number of reasons. Firstly safety, you don't
particularly want to choke on the fumes from your pit! - and secondly
it will help to reduce the chance of a harmful toxic build-up caused by
too much smoking.
Keeping
your smoker or pit clean is not neccessarily a tough task but it does
pay to ensure that you keep the grey residue ash out of your smoker.
If
the ask is allowed to remain in the smoker for prolonged periods it can
start to absorb all manner of things including fats from your food and
of course water.
If you take a few minutes at the end of the day to just give the
barbecue a good scraping (being careful not to scratch your smoker down
to the bare metal), you will be helping to prevent any nasty greasy
buildups that can lead to hygiene problems and rusting in your smoker.
This is certainly something you don't want! You may like to read our
section on barbecue
hygiene, it is well worth a read and contains useful advice.
Rust,
how to prevent it ? Keeping your pit or smoker clean using the tips
above will help to keep the rust levels down in your smoker but regular
checks are also a very good idea so you can take action as soon as it
starts to appear.
Like on a car, rust can spread very quickly if left untreated, and
exposed flaking paint being burned on top of your food can be a very
bad thing indeed!
When you first spot rust in your pit, it's time to take action and you
can follow the tips and guidelines in this article about barbecue pit painting to help you
get started.
It is also a good idea to drop your pit manufacturer a
quick call or mail to find out if they have any preferred products that
they use as it may have better results than the products that you could
by at your local hardware store.
Taking
care of your pit or smoker is very important and these basic guidelines
will help you on your way to making better food, improving barbecue
hygiene, and of course extend the life of your prized barbecue pit.
Barbecue pits and smokers can cost a lot of money, so like any large
investment in something we care so much about (our barbecues!), it
makes sense to take that little bit of extra time and do the job
properly.
The results are well worth it!
Barbecue
Smoker Maintenance Articles
Routine Care - Before
you do anything, you will need to know how to take care of your smoker
or pit on a day to day basis. Most smokers and pits require little
maintenance, but of course the best results will come from a clean
barbecue! Here is the low-down on how to provide basic
maintenance for your barbecue smoker or pit.
Pit Painting - Is
your smoker or pit getting flaky around the edges ? David Klose gives a
good insight into what is involved in his tips for pit
painting.
Pit Curing - Before
you use your smoker for the first time it is essential to ensure that
your pit or smoker is cured properly before use. Take a look at these
tips for pit
curing by David Klose.
Barbecue
Smoker Articles
Barbecue Hygiene -
Read this article to find out how you can improve your barbecue
hygiene and what steps you can take to ensure that your meal
is safe for both your family and guests.
Barbecue Safety -
This interesting article explains how you can improve your barbecue
safety which is one of the most important aspects of any
barbecue and is well worth reading.
