smoker racks

[toxic]

Hi and thanks for your hints on the smoker you built.
I made one out of an old pop cooler that is 50 inches wide X 22 inches deep and 60 inches high. I need to make some racks and was wondering if that was just ordinary expanded metal you used or if I need special stuff? Also how do you keep the food from sticking to the metal?
Thanks and would really appreciate any help you can offer, thanks a million.
Have a Great Day!!!!
Darryl

Hey Darryl,
Expanded metal racks will work provided you season them first! I was lucky enough to find 1" stainless rock mesh in Canada but I do not know of a source for that material domestically.

I would stick to aluminum rather than steel...and your fish will stick to the aluminum as well unless you follow this simple seasoning process:

Cut your rack material to size and if custom cutting is available from your local sheet metal shop by all means, have them cut it!
Keep in mind that expanded metal is often curved so make your racks as big as you can to ensure they will not flex under the weight of your fish and fall off of their supports!

Wash the racks in very hot, soapy water. Use dish soap and glove up so you can really use scalding water. Remember that you're turning a piece of industrial metal into a food-grade rack!

If you have a pressure washer, use it to "power-rinse" your racks, if not, rinse in hot water and let them dry.

Stack all of your racks on top of one another and hit them with a can of PAM non-stick cooking spray. The next point is crucial:USE THE ENTIRE CAN AND SPRAY THE RACKS TOP AND BOTTOM! Flip and rotate the racks to ensure complete coverage!

Finally, install the racks which should be dripping with PAM, fire up the smoker and smoke them for at least 3-4 hours.

When you look at the racks after the PAM & smoke drill, they should have changed color and are now ready for use!

I hope that helps and happy smoking!!!!

Thanks a million Tom, I am from Alberta Canada and I was wondering where you found the 1" stainless rock mesh for your racks?
Another thing I just realized this morning was the frame around the glass doors of my cooler was made of hard plastic so I tore it all off but was wondering if I could use spruce 2X2's and cut grooves in them to insert the glass, if this would be OK, or will it burn on me? When I make summer sausage, I increase the heat to about 250 degrees for the last hour to get the internal temp of meat to 160 degrees
If I use aluminum for the racks and I fire up the smoker to cure them should I have the heat on, if so what temp?
In the future if I have a new question I promise to put it on the forums.......if you would like you certainly could post these questions there, like I said I just wanted to keep it together.
Thanks and have a Great Day!!

Regards
Darryl

[Nelly]

Hey Darryl,
My racks are made out of 1" mesh rock shaker screens. My cousin up on Vancouver Island works for a sand and gravel company and when those screens wear out they discard them.
Now, they ca "discard" them right into my smoker!!!

As far as your door frame, I think you'll be fine at 250. Once that wood gets seasoned and oily, it should last for years!

Good luck and happy smoking!