You have done the research. You have made the investment. You have the smoker that has put out some great food for you and the family. How about you make sure it lasts you a while? Seasoning a smoker is one of the key ways to make sure your unit is looking immaculate on the patio, especially if it sleeps outside in all types of weather. Not only will it keep it looking great, but it will also prevent rusting. Now, I am not a proponent of cleaning your smokers inside and out after every cook, but at least once a year, my Bronco gets a nice clean-up.

Here’s how I season my Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco drum smoker once yearly after a spring clean. First and foremost, I deep clean my smoker only about once a year. I do not de-grease my smokers at all. A pressure washer and water is all I use to do my cleaning.

Bronco Smokers: Why?

Grease is what preserves the metal in the unit. It makes no sense to remove all the grease and then have to replace the grease to keep your smoker in tip-top shape.

Seasoning your smoker is one of the most effective ways to prolong the life of your smoker and just keep your smoker looking good. Here is my step-by-step.

• First, use water and a pressure washer to remove excess buildup and old grease from the smoker. This is basically all you need to remove from the smoker, especially if it is your smoker. I do a strip clean whenever I buy a used smoker from someone else because I want to add my own flavor to it. Since this is my smoker, I want to keep my seasoning pretty much the same.
• Next, get all the excess water dried off. Place your fire basket inside and start a fire. This only needs about half of a chimney of charcoal to get seasoned up. Next spray down your smoker, inside and out. Use a cloth to spread the oil around in an even layer over the inside and outside of the smoker.
• Run the smoker for a couple of hours around 300-350 degrees to allow that oil to bond to the metal to create a hydrophobic layer. This will cause water to just run off the surface of the smoker and help prevent rusting.

Maintenance Cleans

Every couple of months as needed, I will use a cloth to remove the excess buildup in the bottom and empty my grease cup as needed. Every now and then, I just use a cloth with some cooking oil, (canola oil, flaxseed oil, grapeseed oil, or even vegetable oils are all options) to wipe down the smoker when it is still hot after a cook. I have seen people use spray oils but I don’t buy those in my house. 

When you season your smoker, there should be a beautiful sheen but no oily residue from a touch. It is very important to keep your smoker protected from the elements that can damage your unit. I season my smoker and also keep it covered as much as I can, just to give you an idea.