There are several approaches for how to clean a Masterbuilt smoker. I collected a bunch of videos to let you see how folks take this on.
These videos show folks cleaning the most popular Masterbuilt electric smokers, the MES 30 and MES 40.
Some folks take the approach of, “Come on, it’s a smoker and it is supposed to be dirty!” For these folks the important things are to get the grates clean enough to cook on and to clean up the inside enough so you won’t have a grease fire later on.
Here is a look at this approach.
For those of you that decide to put the grates and other parts into the dishwasher take a tip from a pro and get most of the nasty stuff off of the components BEFORE loading. Trust me, one sure way to piss off a wife is to gunk up the inside of the dishwasher with grill debris.
If you want to do a deeper clean than a simple “Scrape and Scrub” then you can make up a vinegar and water solution and dissolve away even more gunk. The vinegar and water mix is what is recommended by Masterbuilt.
I included this video because it also shows you how to clean the window of the smoker with a razor blade.
And last up is a video showing an EASY way to clean the window of a Masterbuilt smoker using a commercial, food safe, grill cleaner solution.
Folks are really split on the idea of using a commercial grill cleaner inside their smokers.
Some folks are passionate about not wanting any chemicals inside their smokers. Other folks recognize the products as food safe and specifically designed for this job.
Personally I have no problem using commercial grill cleaners.
Ideally you should clean your smoker after every use. I realize that isn’t going to happen for most folks but try not to go too long between cleanings.
The biggest danger of running a dirty electric smoker is the potential for a grease fire to develop. If you are unable to do a complete cleaning between uses then at least take the time to wipe down the grease trap and make sure that no grease has accumulated in the water reservoir.
Related Post: Pros and Cons of Electric Smokers: Which Are the Best?
