View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
OddThomas BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 07 Mar 2007 Posts: 2010 Location: North Carolina
|
Posted: Aug 30 2008 Post subject: Seasoning the Outside of Your Firebox |
|
|
Howdy,
This is going to sound like a noob question, but have any of you guys ever seasoned the outside of your firebox?
I've been having to leave my DP 70 outside in the elements while I'm doing some work on my house and I am not happy about it. It's not permanent though, I'm building a new 12x12 storage building for all my catering supplies with an attached, semi-enclosed (3 sides) “carport” for the smoker on one side and a wood storage deck on the other. In the mean time I've been trying to be diligent about proper oiling and whatnot to avoid rust. I always oil it when it was cool.
So I was doing a cook yesterday and thought to myself I wonder what would happen if I put some cooking oil on this here firebox while she's going full blast. So I got some tongs, a bowl with some oil in it, and an old kitchen towel. I rolled up the towel and dipped it in the oil and proceeded to rub down the firebox. Okay... when I say there was a lot of smoke, that's an understatement. A couple of times the towel even caught on fire--especially when I was working right in the middle of the firebox where my fire was going strong. The cool thing is, it started to carbonize really fast (within seconds) and left a sort of cast iron finish on the outside of the firebox. I kept at it once every hour or so until it was coated pretty well and when the fire burned mostly out I was able to coat the center really well also.
I was checking it out this morning and it looks pretty cool and it looks like it would hold up to at least some water and morning dew. It's shiny and just the slightest bit tacky, but really sealed up well. It wouldn't surprise me if it eventually burned off completely, so I'll probably have to do it again.
I just had never thought about trying it and thought it was kinda neat and wanted to share. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Fatrat BBQ Super Pro

Joined: 24 May 2008 Posts: 1551 Location: Lockport, Il
|
Posted: Aug 30 2008 Post subject: |
|
|
I oil up the outside of my firebox as well, though I do it cold. It can be difficult to fight the rust during season, as my smoker is always out side. I may perhaps invest ina cover, but the outside seasoning of the fire box does help. And to answer the back door question, you will have to repeat the process as long as you leave it outside after the cooks.
Ray _________________ Only when humor is married with intelligence does it become wit, until then it's just another dumb assed thing better left unsaid...
Brinkmann Southfork Smoker
Weber One Touch gold
Weber Performer
UDS
Cast Hibachi |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
JamesB BBQ Super Pro

Joined: 19 Oct 2005 Posts: 2406 Location: Irving, Tx
|
Posted: Aug 30 2008 Post subject: |
|
|
I too use oil on my fireboxes. I normally do it when they are still very warm after a cook. I will also use some spray oil (cooking spray) to oil 'em up in between cooks. Keeps the rust away!
My fireboxes are square, so I've also been known to use the tops as griddles and cook bacon, eggs etc right on 'em. _________________
 |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
J0K3R-X BBQ Fan

Joined: 02 Aug 2008 Posts: 357 Location: New Port Richey, FL
|
Posted: Aug 31 2008 Post subject: |
|
|
I also use veg/corn oil on the outside of mine, works great! I also bought a large tarp to throw over it and I just bungie it down. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
OddThomas BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 07 Mar 2007 Posts: 2010 Location: North Carolina
|
Posted: Aug 31 2008 Post subject: |
|
|
Yeah... I've always oiled it since day one. I burned the paint on the first time I fired it up, lol! I've just never oiled it while I was cooking full blast. It seriously looks just like my cast iron pan, lol. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
OddThomas BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 07 Mar 2007 Posts: 2010 Location: North Carolina
|
Posted: Aug 31 2008 Post subject: |
|
|
J0K3R-X wrote: | I also use veg/corn oil on the outside of mine, works great! I also bought a large tarp to throw over it and I just bungie it down. |
That's what i've got going on right now... blig blue tarp.
I'm thinking a 3-sided carport/pole barn will do the trick, but I'll probably go a head and close the whole thing in. I'll put big swinging doors on it, so I have plenty of clearance. The down side is, I'm probably not going to put in concrete... I'm working with a gravel budget right now, so...
At any rate, I just thought it was cool how the finish came out. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
J0K3R-X BBQ Fan

Joined: 02 Aug 2008 Posts: 357 Location: New Port Richey, FL
|
Posted: Aug 31 2008 Post subject: |
|
|
That's what I have a big blue tarp. You must really love your baby to build her a home of her own! I would do the same if I had the $$$!!
Last edited by J0K3R-X on Sep 01 2008; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Bryce Crane BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 1182 Location: Sandy Springs, GA
|
Posted: Aug 31 2008 Post subject: |
|
|
Do it cold _________________ www.fattyshackbbq.com
Stump's GF 222P
3 Weber Kettles
Klose Offset
2 labradors |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
OddThomas BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 07 Mar 2007 Posts: 2010 Location: North Carolina
|
Posted: Aug 31 2008 Post subject: |
|
|
Bryce Crane wrote: | Do it cold |
Why? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
BBQMAN BBQ Super All Star

Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Posts: 15475 Location: Florida
|
Posted: Sep 01 2008 Post subject: |
|
|
I do the same as you do with my Stumps Mike, and it works real well. When I received it it was a rusty crusty mess.
I normally apply the oil while the cooker is still warm, as opposed to red hot.
My Stumps lives under a carport.
I would recommend the enclosure you mentioned- those blue tarp have the potential of trapping moisture and actually making the problem worse.......................
I'd also add that I've never had that problem with my big cookers!  _________________ BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
SMOKESTACKS BBQ BBQ Fan

Joined: 18 Jun 2006 Posts: 293 Location: ozarks
|
Posted: Sep 01 2008 Post subject: |
|
|
you can use oil as stated before, you can also use silicone spray, ive used it with good result. i also use the silicone on my race car headers to keep them from rusting. _________________ IT'S BARBECUE WITH AN ATTITUDE!! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
OddThomas BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 07 Mar 2007 Posts: 2010 Location: North Carolina
|
Posted: Sep 01 2008 Post subject: |
|
|
BBQMAN wrote: | I normally apply the oil while the cooker is still warm, as opposed to red hot. |
So do I because it goes on easier. This was the first time I tried it while it was red hot and I think the idea struck because I had re-seasoned an old cast iron pan I picked up earlier in the week. I figured what the heck, the end result would either be somewhat similar to the same sort of carbonization you get on cast iron or it would just be too hot and burn off.
I checked it again today and the finish is now harder and not very tacky at all. It's like I clear coated it, lol.
BBQMAN wrote: | My Stumps lives under a carport. I would recommend the enclosure you mentioned- those blue tarp have the potential of trapping moisture and actually making the problem worse. |
Mine already had an indoor home too, but I had to move it out to do some much needed renovation. I've decided to build something dedicated, so I don't have this problem again and so the cooker and my catering equipment are not taking up space I usually use for other things. For now, I take the tarp off every day it's sunny out, so I don't get moisture build up.
BBQMAN wrote: | I'd also add that I've never had that problem with my big cookers!  |
That would be nice, but the cost for all stainless is just way too much for me--even if you count the cost of my “cooker garage”. I'll deal with the oiling and the rust (I don't have much problem really).  |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Harry Nutczak BBQ All Star

Joined: 01 Mar 2007 Posts: 8558 Location: The Northwoods
|
Posted: Sep 01 2008 Post subject: |
|
|
I do mine after every cook, I went a step farther and bought an HVLP gravity feed spray gun filled with cheap veggie oil, I run about 10-12 PSI at the gun, and coat the firebox and snouts after every cook.
The steel is blued very nicely, I have no rust, and the smoke is minimal during the initial start-up. And I do not need to be reaching over a smoking hot steel cylinder waiting to burst into flames when oil hits it.
Keep an eye on the bottom of the firebox too, It is tough to get in there with a rag, A spray gun hits those tight places and low clearance places too. _________________ Just remember that the toes you may step on during your climb to the top will also be attached to the a$$es you'll be forced to kiss on your way back down! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
OddThomas BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 07 Mar 2007 Posts: 2010 Location: North Carolina
|
Posted: Sep 01 2008 Post subject: |
|
|
Harry Nutczak wrote: | Keep an eye on the bottom of the firebox too, It is tough to get in there with a rag |
I spray mine too Harry (with a regular pump sprayer--have to heat the oil a bit first though) and yes the bottom on the DP is hard to coat. BTW the flames weren't huge or anything and only lasted a second at a time... like flare ups on a grill. I mostly kept doing it on purpose, lol. When I was putting the oil on initially though it did smoke like the devil. Not something I'd do on the job.
It cooked for 3 hours after I stopped oiling it and it didn't smoke at all by then. I'll be cranking it back up tomorrow, so I'll let you know if it smokes like crazy or not or if the coating burns off. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
icecoldkicks BBQ Pro

Joined: 11 Aug 2008 Posts: 585 Location: SoDo District Georgetown, Seattle
|
Posted: Sep 03 2008 Post subject: |
|
|
I wipe Crisco on the fire box with a towl
as the fire box is cooling off
I also use Crisco to season the inside of the smoker as well
 _________________ 287Gal RF Project
Slow & Low, That is the Tempo!! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Bushbow BBQ Fan
Joined: 12 Sep 2007 Posts: 110 Location: Fowlerville, MI
|
Posted: Sep 04 2008 Post subject: |
|
|
Crisco works great - Put it on HOT and it makes a thick hard finish. Last quite a wile but you will have to re-apply from time to time
Bob Urban |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|