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How Dirty is Your Smokeware Cap?

Mine's pretty dirty!  No time to clean it now.  Poke butts are on sale at Meijer for $0.99/lb.  Thanks for the heads up @Bustersdad.  I got three rolling right now.  Have a good weekend!


Flint, Michigan
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Comments

  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    ..... .... .... .... yep, I'm speechless. 

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

  • Jupiter Jim
    Jupiter Jim Posts: 3,351
    :o

    I'm only hungry when I'm awake!

    Okeechobee FL. Winter

    West Jefferson NC Summer

  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    They get dirty? :wink: 
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    What is one of those things for? My egg just has this big gaping hole in the dome. It never needs cleaning.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    What is one of those things for? My egg just has this big gaping hole in the dome. It never needs cleaning.
    Michael we can't all be Super Cool like you :smiley: 
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    edited March 2016
    What is one of those things for? My egg just has this big gaping hole in the dome. It never needs cleaning.
    ,John Michael, do you really have an egg?  I visualize you cooking on a black rock heated by the sun.  Or, cooking in your kitchen ... wood fired I'm sure. =)

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Who's John?

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    Who's John?
    Opps ... sorry Michael.  Now, back to that black rock ...

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Who's John?
    Opps ... sorry Michael.  Now, back to that black rock ...
    I have a solar shower, but no solar rock. 

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,459
    I'm with you bob. The one on the large is welded to the egg
  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    I was afraid to look  =)
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,465
    I just don't get the pre-occupation with cleaning fanatics but neither do I go for cruddy caps, cruddy grates and cruddy plate setters either. If it looks bad to me then I'm going to clean them from time to time. Not preaching - just sayin what works for me.
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    @RRP ... come now Ron, we've seen your shop ... stop trying to identify with the jocks when you're a nerd like many of the rest of us.  Geez.

    @theyolksonyou ... When you rotate the upper cap and the egg spins, then it's definitely time to clean your cap.

    Cleaning fanatics ... I married one.  Love it.  Want to be happy? Marry a gal who likes things just a little cleaner than you do.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

  • reinhart36
    reinhart36 Posts: 253
    Pardon my ignorance, but what functionality does that cap add to the egg?  Is it for if one is planning on cooking in torrential downpours or something? :-)
  • Pardon my ignorance, but what functionality does that cap add to the egg?  Is it for if one is planning on cooking in torrential downpours or something? :-)
    It's a preference.  The daisy wheel is functional, but stainless doesn't rust.  Also rain can't get in unless it's pretty darn windy.  If you're curious, www.smokeware.com
    Flint, Michigan
  • reinhart36
    reinhart36 Posts: 253
    Gotcha, thanks for the feedback.

    Have you had issues with water getting into your grill while cooking and/or with rust?  I ask so I can learn and prevent issues before I learn the lessons the hard way too!

    I'll check out the link - thank you.

  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    edited March 2016
    @reinhart36 ... I switched over from the daisy wheel to the Smokeware cap after having rain run down onto the protein and carry some of the black gunk with it.  Unfortunately it was chicken that day and the missus wouldn't buy into the "beautiful char" story.

    Since we have lots of rain in the summer, a SW cap has been added to each new egg.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

  • I've had some rust on the daisy wheel before.  I prefer the Smokeware cap.  IMO, it does the job better than the daisy.  
    Flint, Michigan
  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    @RRP My grids are cleaned with heat mostly and every blue moon I'll hit em w/ the "Woody or Woody Paddle". But, my SS table, MM carrier handles, Smokeware and shiny stuff in general I am OCD about. 
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • XC242
    XC242 Posts: 1,208
    edited March 2016
    Mine isn't dirty at all. That's because I just ordered one and it hasn't arrived yet...  =)
    LBGE (still waitin' for my free T-Shirt), DIgiQ DX2 (In Blue, cause it's the fastest), Heavy Duty Kick Ash Basket, Mc Farland, WI. :glasses:  B)
    If it wasn't for my BGE I'd have no use for my backyard...
  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    I never remove my SW cap. That said, I didn't really have an issue with the daisy. Just pimping for me, mostly. 
  • rifrench
    rifrench Posts: 469
    I discovered that if I open the SW cap and lower vent, after the fire is out, I don't see the mold I used to in the small egg. It isn't used as much as the large one...

     1 LBGE, 1 SBGE, 1 KBQ and a 26" Blackstone near Blackstone, Virginia
  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,484
    I've been using my SM cap since I got it for Christmas and it is only dirty on the inside of the top.  I will remove mine to get the fire going then put it back on for low & slows.  I also use the flat cap to help put the fire out quicker.  I have also noticed it helps the egg to get to temp quicker and stabilize faster.
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    edited March 2016
    Pardon my ignorance, but what functionality does that cap add to the egg?  Is it for if one is planning on cooking in torrential downpours or something? :-)
    For me, it was providing protection from the torrential rain showers we get down here in the subtropics.  I get as much rain in a half hour as some of you get all year. (I stretch the truth a bit).

    besides they are shiny!   :)
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
  • DaveRichardson
    DaveRichardson Posts: 2,324
    Curve ball to the OP....  Anyone get their Smokewear caps etched with a name, logo, etc?

    LBGE since 2014

    Griffin, GA 

  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,459
    Curve ball to the OP....  Anyone get their Smokewear caps etched with a name, logo, etc?
    @NPHuskerFL
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,465
    Curve ball to the OP....  Anyone get their Smokewear caps etched with a name, logo, etc?
    I know Matt (SmokeWare) has sold commemorative caps at John Hall's eggfests at least a couple times so I know it can be done.
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827


    Saw this picture after the last eggfest ... looks neat.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

  • Mine is pretty ugly...but its burnout day so I thought I would give it a good cleaning...any tips on how to get a smokeware base off the egg when it is putting up a good fight?
    Making the neighbors jealous in Pleasant Hill, Ia one cook at a time...
  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,484
    Mine is pretty ugly...but its burnout day so I thought I would give it a good cleaning...any tips on how to get a smokeware base off the egg when it is putting up a good fight?
    It should move a little more free when the egg gets hot I would think.  Just wear some good heat resistant gloves though.  If you get it to hot the gasket may melt and run.  How high are you going and do you need to remove it.  Be careful taking it to high with the top on.  I found this on the Naked Whiz site review.  Read below.

    So, things were going along fine as the cooker rose to 850° and stayed there for about 30 minutes. We then decided to shut the cooker down by closing the bottom vent of the cooker and then the vent on the Smokeware cap. Dark foul-smelling smoke immediately began seeping from the edges of the Smokeware cap. Within no more than 1 to 1.5 seconds, black evil-looking goo started oozing and bubbling from between the cooker and the lower edge of the base. We immediately removed the cap and the base to prevent any permanent bonding between the base and the cooker and sure enough the entire gasket had virtually instantly melted. Here are photos of the remnants after things had cooled down:

    The remnants of the melted gasket attached to the inside of the base
    The remnants of the melted gasket attached to the inside of the base.
    Similarly the remnants of the melted gasket attached to the cooker
    Similarly, the remnants of the melted gasket attached to the cooker.


    So, what happened? We think that as long as the hot air from the cooker was able to shoot through the cap and out the vents, there wasn't enough heat transfer to the metal cap to melt the gasket. Once the vents were closed and the hot air was trapped, the air temperature inside the cap most likely went through the roof, heating the cap and melting the gasket. So what's the takeaway from this? Well, personally, we just don't see a need for the gasket, for a number of reasons. First, it melts. Second, if you want to use your Ceramic Cap or DFMT, you may damage the gasket. And third, we just don't see a need. It worked perfectly fine without the gasket. However, if you feel you want a gasket, Ron Pratt on the original Big Green Egg Forum is selling short sections of Rutland gasket for use instead of the gasket which comes with the cap. We'd suggest looking Ron up over there and purchasing a piece of Rutland. You can then attach it to either the cooker or the cap using Permatex Ultra Copper gasket maker.

    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.