If you’ve just bought a Masterbuilt electric smoker or have had one for a while and it’s been sitting in the garage unused, there are a few things you need to do before you can start smoking meats.
In this context, we’ll walk you through the steps necessary for how to season a Masterbuilt electric smoker so that it cooks evenly and produces delicious smoked foods.
What is Seasoning an Electric Smoker?
The process of how to season a masterbuilt smoker is known as “seasoning.” The seasoning process prepares the unit for cooking. It will seal the pores in the metal and create a non-stick barrier between it and your food so that nothing sticks when you cook with it.
Over time, juices from meat can drip down onto the heating element. This can cause a build-up known as “smoker flare-up,” which will produce an off taste in your food.
Seasoning is essential if you’ve bought a used electric smoker or where the previous owner didn’t take care of it properly while cooking with it.
The Masterbuilt company recommends that you season your smoker after every grilling or smoking session, as it helps maintain your unit’s quality and keeps its temperature more consistent.
How To Season a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker – Step by Step Guide
Now that you know what it means to season an electric smoker, here’s how to do it with your Masterbuilt unit. It’s easy and doesn’t take long at all!
Cleaning
To begin the process of how to season a Masterbuilt electric smoker, you’ll want to clean your unit first. This will ensure that any excess grease or residue from the manufacturing process is gone, and it won’t smoke off later when you try to season your smoker.
Remove all of the screws from the cart first. This will allow you to remove the side panels and the cart top so that you can access all areas of your Masterbuilt smoker.
Then, use a damp paper towel to clean up the inside of any grease or residue leftover from manufacturing. Try using some heavy-grade steel wool to scrub them until they’re clean for stubborn spots.
After you’ve removed any excess grease and residue, it’s recommended that you spray the smoker’s interior with non-stick cooking oil to keep it from sticking in the future. You can then use a paper towel to wipe everything down without leaving lint or fibers.
Seasoning your Masterbuilt electric smoker
To preserve your smoker’s durability and its resistant properties, you’ll need to season it after cleaning. To do this, use pieces of aluminum foil soaked in vegetable oil.
Then, place it over the warmth element at the bottom of your smoker. Once the foil is lit on fire, carefully close your smoker’s top and vents.
Wait about an hour or until you see that all flames have died out before opening the lid of your smoker. You’ll need to wipe down the racks with a paper towel, then them using vegetable oil spray on both sides. Once you’ve done this, place the racks back in the smoker, close it, and set your temperature too high.
After an hour of allowing the smoker to heat up, it’s time to add in your smoking chips. Place them over the heating element at the bottom of your electric smoker, then close the lid again. Once you see smoke starting to build up, reduce the thermostat so that there are just a few wisps of smoke being released from the top vents.
You have to wait for the smoker to heat up and smoke more. Your goal is to allow enough time so that a coating has been deposited over all surfaces of your smoker, as well as on the racks inside it.
You’ll know that this step is complete when you write your name on the glass window. This usually takes about 20 minutes or so, depending on how hot your smoker is running.
Cleaning again
Before cooking meats in your Masterbuilt electric smoker, you must clean all the accumulated residues from the previous step off the racks. Then, spray the meat with vegetable oil to stick to the racks.
Before smoking any meats like ribs or sausage links, a personal recommendation is to cook the bacon first. This is because of how greasy bacon is, and it’ll coat all of the surfaces inside your smoker for you, making clean-up a breeze.
In addition, bacon is very easy to smoke, as well as it doesn’t require as long as some other meats do, so there’s no waiting around for hours before you can eat.
Then, cook your meats in any order you want, and at any temperature you prefer. Just be sure that all vents are closed and that no flames or embers are peeking out from under the lid. Clean your smoker again after you’ve finished cooking to remove any excess fat, oils, or carbonized meat particles before storing it away.
FAQ About Season a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker
How often should I clean my electric smoker?
However, if your Masterbuilt electric smoker isn’t staying as seasoned as before and foods are sticking to the racks, then you’re going to have to repeat the step of burning foil and adding in smoking chips.
How long should it take to clean my smoker?
Does my Masterbuilt smoker have a warranty?
If the body of your smoker is dinged up or dented, then it’s considered normal wear and tear. The warranty states that it does not cover damage caused by dropping the product. If you are concerned about your smoker’s body, then you can purchase a grill cover to prevent this from occurring.
How do I clean ash off my electric smoker?
If some charcoal crumbs are lying around at the bottom of your electric smoker, then use a pair of tongs to grab them and shake them out into your garbage can.
How do I clean the glass on my smoker?
How do I clean my Masterbuilt smoker’s food tray and racks?
Final Verdict
Keeping your Masterbuilt electric smoker seasoned and clean is very simple if you follow the tips listed above. It’s also important to note that Masterbuilt’s warranty does not cover some issues like dents on the body of your smoker, so be sure that it doesn’t have any dings or scuffs before you buy it. I hope this whole article will be helpful for you and you enjoyed it.