Electric Smoker Maintenance Tips Every Owner Must Know
One of the most pleasing and amazing product for all those smoked food lovers is an Electric Smoker. If your tongue can’t just miss the flavors of smoked food, then this is a must to own appliance for you. You can’t go out to the restaurants daily for enjoying smoked food. Instead, you can have an electric smoker that will be meeting all your smoked food needs.
The electric smoker is a mechanical device. Therefore, it requires proper maintenance such that it can work smoothly for years. Also, it is a one-time investment, and you really can’t let it go for many reasons. And we can strongly say that food smokers can last up to a decade if kept with proper care. So that’s pretty clear, maintaining your smoker will improve the durability of the unit.
Apart from durability, a well maintained smoker will also provide you delicious food every time, as it would be perfectly smoked. So if you’ve a smoker or you’re looking to buy a latest electric smoker but have no idea about its maintenance, then this is a must read article for you.
Here are the few electric smoker maintenance tips:-
Clean Your Electric Smoker Properly
One thing which is in favor of these smokers is they are very easy to clean. Users will not face any complications or problems while cleaning the unit. And if you’ve to maintain the unit for a longer time, then regular cleaning is mandatory.
One of the most common issue with an electric smoker is the dribbling down of grease to the cooking grates. All the excess grease and oil deposit over the grates, which becomes difficult to clean. And if you dare to skip the cleaning task, you’ll have to struggle with the heating unit of the device. But if you regularly clean your smoker after every use, then the cooking grates will be prevented forever.
In order to clean the greasy grates, place it in your kitchen oven where grease will be melted at the temperature of 900 degrees Fahrenheit. This is one of the best methods to get shiny new grate after every use. Moreover, you can even use some water and detergent to make it look even better.
Look at the Seasoning of the Smoker
We want to make it clear that performing seasoning is not a very complicated task, but you must have a little knowledge to perform it properly. However, most of the smoker brands provide a reading manual with the unit, where you can find every detail about the smoker.
If you’re not provided with any manual, firstly apply oil in the interior of the smoker. You can use any kind of oil, but we recommend you to use good-flavored oil as it will affect your meal. Once you’ve oiled the interiors, turn on the heating unit of the device. This would take the temperature to the 275° F mark and will disperse out oil around the surface.
This oil layer will fight against the water and air, and in turn, would prevent the unit from getting rust. Some of the new smokers don’t require seasoning. But you can just heat it around 275 degrees Fahrenheit to produce smoke that can be used as a substitute for seasoning.
Prevent your Smoker from Rusting
The next thing you’ve to do is to prevent the smoker from getting rust. No matter how much you care about the unit, any iron object is always prone to rust.
Moreover, it uses high temperature and water sometimes, that catches more rust. And if you do not take some strict precautions, then the unit may have some serious damages. Apart from damages, this could even cause some technical problems.
However, you can get the solution to this problem if you identify it in the early period. All you’ve to do is to take sandpaper and a metal brush to perform cleaning. Now, rub the rust with the wire brush and scrub it down with the help of sandpaper. Just make sure that you scrub the rust from corners and unreachable areas. As the rust often expands in those areas, where you don’t expect it.
After scrubbing the rust, remove all the residue and debris. To be more secure, apply some heat resistant paint to create a protective layer over it.
Check the Ventilation System of your Electric Smoker
Another important thing you’ve to do is to check whether the ventilation system is working properly or not. It is always recommended to have a clean ventilation system as this would prevent your smoker from getting clogged.
Moreover, we would also suggest you clean all the ashes, dust, and other debris from your smoker after every use. If you don’t do such, then ashes and debris would absorb the water and would affect the working of your electric unit.
Clean the Thermostat and Meat Probe of Smoker
The final step you should do is to clean your thermostats and other hardware (like meat probe) with a damp cloth. Usually, two thermostats can be found on the rear inside end of the smoker. The cleaning of this part becomes important as both the thermostats play an important role in maintaining the temperature of the smoker.
Also, users are recommended to clean the meat probe carefully. Make sure you don’t immerse them in running water. However, you can use a damp cloth dipped in soapy water to clean the surface of thermostats. Also, use dry cloth while cleaning electronic hardware rather than using water.
Before performing the cleaning process, always check that the socket is not plugged-in with the electric connection. If you don’t do so, the device could lead to a short circuit or fire. So be careful while doing the cleaning process.
Conclusion
The most important fact for maintaining your electric smoker is to be consistent. If you’re consistent with the cleaning process of your smoker, then your unit will last for long. On the other hand, if you’re not consistent, then it’s all upon your smoker. So make sure to follow the mentioned steps after every use and get the best out of your electric smoker.