The Franklin, due to its 100% stainless steel composition, requires special protection to benefit from its maximum durability.
Don't panic! You don't need to be a professional to maintain your smoker easily.
I'm telling you all the secrets you absolutely need to know right here. 👇
When and how to oil the Franklin
First, you have to take the time to prepare the smoker before using it for the first time, because when you receive it, it has no protection, the metal is in direct contact with oxygen and if it is not protected, the Franklin will oxidize.
It is important to oil all parts of the smoker except the legs and the inside of the fire box. The oil will therefore be applied to the inside and outside of the cooking chamber, the outside of the firebox and on the chimney.
As for the type of oil to use, you want an oil with the highest possible smoke point between 450°F and 550°F. Peanut, grapeseed, canola and avocado oils are ideal.
The following steps will show you how to properly season your Franklin Smoker:
- Preheat the Franklin until the temperature of the steel is between 200°F and 225°F. Here, it is not the temperature on the built-in thermometer of the BBQ that you will be looking at, you must obtain a laser thermometer in order to know the temperature of the exterior steel surface.
- Spray a light, even coat of oil over the entire exterior surface of the smoker and spread with a microfiber cloth.
- Raise the temperature of the steel to between 350°F and 375°F (always check with a laser thermometer). The oil will become more liquid and, using a new microfiber cloth, you will spread it again over the entire exterior surface. The cloth will absorb any excess oil that may have been applied.
- Spray a light, even layer of oil over the entire interior surface of the cooking chamber; you do not need to spread it.
- Raise the temperature of the steel to 450°F (always check with a laser thermometer). This last step allows the oil to form a strong, durable protective layer on the smoker.
Precautions and maintenance
The outside of the fire box gets very hot, so you have to watch the oil you apply to make sure it doesn't burn. When the oil forms a protective layer, the smoker will turn a bronze color, if the oil on the firebox burns, the surface of the firebox will turn brown or even black. The solution is simple, just take the oil-soaked rag (the one you used earlier to spread the oil all over the outside of the smoker) and rub it again on the area where the oil burned. Since the steel is very hot, you may have to do this step several times if the oil burns again.
For the Franklin's seasoning to last, you should avoid heating the inside of the smoker to more than 350 °F, because that's not what it's designed for (here, rely on the BBQ's built-in thermometer). Also, when it comes to cleaning, you should absolutely avoid chemicals, such as degreasers. For the exterior, you can scrape the surface with a scraper and simply add oil afterwards. Inside, you can scrape off the deposits using a spatula, this way there will be a light film of oil for taste and protection in the cooking chamber.
In short, the main things to remember are to use an oil with a high smoke point, not to apply oil to the legs or inside of the firebox, not to use chemicals on the smoker, and not to regularly heat it above 350°F.
Now you know how to oil and maintain your Franklin smoker so you can get the most out of its durability.
Happy BBQ! 🔥