Pellet BBQs are truly beautiful machines.
By the way, Camp Chef BBQs are super easy to clean. If you were hesitant to buy one, you will surely want to go to BBQ Québec direct nearby, precisely because I will show you how simple it is.
So here we go!
Cleaning the exterior of the BBQ
To keep your BBQ looking good on the outside, you can simply wash it with soapy water, preferably hot (it always looks better!), then wipe it dry.
Otherwise, I advise you, once in a while, to tighten the screws on your BBQ lid (especially if you do it as often as I do!), to make sure it stays in place. A star screwdriver, a pair of pliers, a little force and that's it!
Maintaining the interior of the BBQ
When the outside is beautiful, it's time to tackle the inside.
The grids
In a Camp Chef, there is a main grill (the bottom one), but also a double grill at the top, which allows you to maximize cooking. You can even slide the one on the edge under the one at the bottom to have a "normal" top grill.
The top racks are made of chrome, so they are really easy to maintain. After each cooking, ideally, or once in a while, clean them thoroughly with a small, green, abrasive 3M type sponge and soapy water.
The bottom ones are made of enameled porcelain. They are just as easy to clean; the enamel on the grates really makes the process easier. In fact, the same cleaning principle applies to them. You scrub them with a sponge, preferably, after each use and… “that’s it”.
If you're not the type to maintain your grills every time, but want to give them a 100% makeover from time to time, you can (and this goes for both the top AND bottom grills) put a little BBQ Québec Degreaser on your grills, scrub them with a 3M sponge, let them soak in a tub, then rinse them thoroughly with water afterwards. Seriously, Camp Chef grills are among the easiest to clean grills on the market.
The heat “equalization” plate
Once the BBQ grills are removed, you have access to the heat diffusion tray ("diffusion" here has more the sense of "equalization", unlike the one I'm going to talk to you about later, which actually diffuses the heat). Depending on the Camp Chef model you have, there may be small slots on this tray. What are they for? They allow the fat from the food to flow and go down, quietly, not quickly, into the fat container under the BBQ.
So before you clean this part, heat your BBQ to max. Once that's done, scrape the tray from left to right with a flat scraper (the ones with a metal head do a great job) to remove excess grease and dust (the latter usually comes from burnt wood pellets) and send it all to the container.
The heat diffusion plate
Once the heat diffuser plate is removed, you are faced with a rectangular piece that covers the "fire pot" of your BBQ. To clean it, lift it up, then scrub it with a small brush to remove dust or grease. (Be careful, if your BBQ has the Slide and Grill, this piece will be attached, but you can easily separate it from the grill by unscrewing the screws.)
The "fire pot"
All the combustion in the BBQ happens there. In this circular chamber, there is a small tray at the bottom. You can move it by pulling on the small ball next to the "fire pot" and all the ashes that were in it will fall into the ash bucket under the BBQ (make sure the small "cup" is there first!). To clean this part, you can just pull on the ball, or even pass the vacuum cleaner through the hole.
As for the frequency, you can empty the "fire pot" every time you cook, or every 2-3 times, to make sure that the bottom of your BBQ is always clean. As for the ashes, you can spread them in your garden or empty them into the BBQ Québec Ash Bucket .
The tank
Once all the components are clean, you still have to clean the BBQ tank. What I advise you to do is to take a plastic scraper (so as not to scratch the inside of the BBQ) and scrape the internal surface of your Camp Chef from top to bottom so that the dust and grease go down to the bottom of your machine. Once this is done, you remove the residue from your BBQ and it will be practically new.
Be careful though! This step should not be done before you put your BBQ away for the winter (I say that, but if you're like me, it's something that won't happen, "anyway"; you'll put an insulating cover on it! 😜). Yes, there must always be some fat in a BBQ, so if you remove it all, make sure to cook it right after or very soon so that a new layer is created.
The cover
For the lid, use the same scraper as for the tank, but don't hesitate to scrape its entire internal surface.
The pellet bin
Once everything is clean, all that remains is to take care of the pellet bin (the hopper). To empty it, first disconnect the BBQ, lift the panel on top and pull on the small plate on the side of the bin to empty the pellets. You then unscrew the screws, remove the grid, scrape the inside of the bin, then remove the excess pellets. Once that's done, you put the grid back on and start your BBQ to "feed" so that everything that was left in the auger of the appliance falls out.
It's important to "refurbish" this part from time to time so that there is no excess dust or small pieces of pellets that get stuck in the "rod" (the auger). If you don't do it often, chances are that the pellets will get stuck in the "rod" and it will break. If this happens to you, it's very easy to fix. You remove the screws that hold the digital panel to the front of the bin, then you have direct access to the auger. Pull the "pin" that holds it, do what you have to do, disconnect and reconnect the panel, then put everything back together. Boom, finito! (I'll give you some links to consult below, if you are more of a visual type. 😉)
And… there you have it! That’s pretty much all there is to know to take good care of your Camp Chef.
I'll take this opportunity to clarify something. Earlier, I talked about an insulating cover. Be aware that it doesn't help protect your BBQ from the elements, but rather insulates it from the cold (there are still electronic components in there, so it's pretty much a "must" to have one!). With a cover like that, you won't need to put your BBQ away because it will keep its temperature. It will even have the same energy efficiency as in summer in the middle of winter!
If, however, you want to protect your BBQ from all temperatures, there are "regular" covers that you can put on it. With this, your appliance will also be protected against pollen, dust, humidity... lots of stuff! Personally, I put one on my BBQs and I'm very happy; it's really practical.
On that note, I wish you all a great BBQ and… a great clean-up!
PSST! To learn more, feel free to come see us or visit the Camp Chef Youtube page to watch videos on BBQ maintenance and repair, and even recipe ideas. Here are a few that might interest you:
- How to assemble a Camp Chef pellet BBQ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXSnaUjQ9NM&list=PLe0LNMHCof3gUPfrkQxtVtPw9ArKBB4j5
- How to replace the "hot rod": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9Q5IMCbj_A&list=PLe0LNMHCof3h_OFuN8g-JJJ6EkrM_3acs
- All about Camp Chef: https://www.youtube.com/c/campchefofficial