So you’ve gone ahead and purchased a brand new smoker in hopes of taking your cooking to a whole new level. Great choice!
Now that you own a smoker, you may be wondering what you should do to get the best results when using it and while there are plenty of answers to that question, one of the things you must always do is to season your new smoker before using it.
How to season a smoker?
Well, keep reading to find out!
You want to clean your smoker as thoroughly as possible, inside and out. Whether you can use water or not depends on the kind of smoker you’re using, so make sure to check with the manufacturer.
If you’re not sure, a damp cloth with some soap will do the work, just make sure no to leave any residues in your smoker.
Dry your smoker with a soft cloth or, preferably, let it air dry.
If you’re in a rush and you must get it seasoned right away, simply make sure to dry the entire surface, as leaving wet areas will have a negative impact on your seasoning.
Coat the inside of your smoker using oils with a high smoke point, such as flaxseed, sunflower, corn and sunflower oil.
For convenience’s sake, use spray oil, as this will help you coat everything much faster and easily.
Make sure to coat everything: walls, grates, roof, doors, etc.; Don’t leave anything uncoated.
Once the inside of your smoker is properly coated with oil, fire it up and let it get as hot as possible for at least 30 minutes.
Keep the vents open so that you can see when the oil starts smoking and so that any factory residues can be cleaned.
Bear in mind that some people let the smoker run for hours when they’re seasoning it, so don’t be afraid to exceed those 30 minutes. Again, they’re the bare minimum for this.
Note: Remember that adding wood chips to your charcoal will change the smell / taste of the smoke. This will be reflected in the seasoning process as a faint taste will stay in what you cook, regardless of whether you’re using the chips or not.
Once enough time has passed, simply let your smoker cool down, remove any charcoal and wood chips and you’re done!
Use soapy water to wash the inside of the smoker. If you’re worried about using too much water, you can always use a damp cloth, as long as you make sure not to leave any residues once you’re done.
Avoid using harsh soaps and make sure to wash everything. Including top, bottom, racks and the grease tray.
Dry your smoker with a soft cloth or, preferably, let it air dry.
If you’re in a rush and you must get it seasoned right away, simply make sure to dry the entire surface, as leaving wet areas will have a negative impact on your seasoning.
Coat the inside of your smoker using oils with a high smoke point, such as flaxseed, sunflower, corn and sunflower oil.
For convenience’s sake, use spray oil, as this will help you coat everything much faster and easily.
Make sure to coat everything: walls, grates, roof, doors, etc.; Don’t leave anything uncoated.
The goal is to coat without oversaturating the smoker, as this can cause problems in the future.
Note: There’s no need to use oil on the heating element, grease tray, chip tray or water tray. Those won’t be smoked.
Once the inside of your smoker is properly coated with oil, fire it up and let it get as hot as possible for at least 30 minutes. Ideal time is 2-3 hours, but you can leave it running for longer if you’d like.
Keep the vents open so that you can see when the oil starts smoking and so that any factory residues can be cleaned.
Remember to keep the temperature to the max.
Bear in mind that some people let the smoker run for hours when they’re seasoning it, so don’t be afraid to exceed those 30 minutes. Again, they’re the bare minimum for this.
Once two or three hours have passed, feel free to add some wood chips or trays with apple cider.
Remember that adding wood chips to your charcoal will change the smell / taste of the smoke. This will be reflected in the seasoning process as a faint taste will stay in what you cook, regardless of whether you’re using the chips or not.
Once enough time has passed, simply let your smoker cool down, remove any charcoal and wood chips and you’re done!
Now that you know how to season your smoker, you’re ready to start cooking delicious barbeques!