To Cover or Not To Cover?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Shawn White

Sous Chef
Joined
Jan 5, 2005
Messages
791
Location
Calgary, Alberta
I only have a WSM, which I cover with a plastic garbage bag followed by the Weber supplied cover.

If I had one of the pits you mentioned, I would probably cover it with single or double tarps and a bunch of Snappy Hookers (double-ended rubber S-hooks).
 
TexLaw said:
Nope. I keep the paint touched up, and I oil it regularly...TL
Interesting point about keeping moisture out, but with the oiled surface doesn't the pit get dirty? Dust sticking to the oil? Poplar tree fluff, etc.?
 
TexLaw said:
Sure, the pit gets dirty from time to time, but that doesn't affect how it cooks. I'm not running a fashion show out there...
:grin: true ...

I'm making progress on not cleaning the WSM so much, still scrub the grates clean in the sink after every cook, but I've managed a COUPLE of cooks in a row now without scrubbing the water pan clean, just dumped the crap

the 12 step program really works ....
 
I use sand in my water pan, Shawn...clean-up is a lot easier that way...I take a damp hot rag and rub the dome and the inside channel of the main chamber down so it doesn't get too sticky...also, I soak the grates and clean them down, but, they don't have that nickel plated shine anymore...that's ok by me!! :!:
 
A question for Shawn and Greg, just out of curiosity, I mean far be it from me to comment on another man's pit cleaning chores.

I'm pretty sure both of you own other grills, do you soak the grates clean on them also when you're done with a cook or just use a metal brush of some kind to get them clean? If you don't, what's the purpose in soaking the WSM grates and putting as much effort into them as you do?

Just curious, not being critical, mind you. Personally, at the end of my cooks on the WSM, I hit the grates with a metal brush, and prior to the next cook either the metal brush again or wadded up alum. foil.
 
I, just for the first time, used aluminum foil in the pan with my Guru cooks. Prior to this I had always used water with no ill effects. The cook came out fine (spare ribs) but they were only in for 6 hours. I'll try this method again with a longer cook and see what happens. When I was using water, I didn't understand what the fuss was about cleaning the water pan. I have no problem spending 18 hours on a cook so I also had no problems spend 3 or 4 minutes cleaning the water pan. JMHO. I just rub my grates down with a wire brush prior to each cook, just like my grills.
 
Bruce...with the gasser, it's very easy to turn the heat up and let the burn off take effect and then just brush the charred burnt crap off. Most of the time on the WSM I don't have enough coals left to do a proper burn-off and I don't feel like uncovering the gasser to thrown the WSM grates on to do it...so, I fill the utilitub up with water and get the stuck on meat off that way. No rel good answer fo it but that's what I do...Shawn?? :!:
 
Greg Rempe said:
Bruce...with the gasser, it's very easy to turn the heat up and let the burn off take effect and then just brush the charred burnt crap off. Most of the time on the WSM I don't have enough coals left to do a proper burn-off and I don't feel like uncovering the gasser to thrown the WSM grates on to do it...so, I fill the utilitub up with water and get the stuck on meat off that way. No rel good answer fo it but that's what I do...Shawn?? :!:

Then, and ONLY then, he will move it up to the attic where it will sit until he decides to cook again! #-o

Oh, I just had to say that! [-X
 
Greg Rempe said:
Bruce...with the gasser, it's very easy to turn the heat up and let the burn off take effect and then just brush the charred burnt crap off. Most of the time on the WSM I don't have enough coals left to do a proper burn-off and I don't feel like uncovering the gasser to thrown the WSM grates on to do it...so, I fill the utilitub up with water and get the stuck on meat off that way. No rel good answer fo it but that's what I do...Shawn?? :!:

That's exactly it for me too. I can crank up the gasser to burn the crud off and give the grate a brushin ... but I can't burn the crud off the racks in the WSM ....

maybe I should throw the WSM grates on the gasser like Greg mentioned...
 
Mine is sitting out in a cold rain today! Need a new , taller, garage door! Shoulda measured that thing before! Shoot, it's been sitting outside in Houstom for three months and it is fine! Woody
 
Well, uh....you see.......I , uhm........don't have a digital........camera. Greg and Kloset are coming over Saturday. I hope one of them brings one! Woodberger
 
Back
Top Bottom