Yoder Smokers Community Forum

Hey everyone,
Just last week I purchased the Cheyenne offset smoker from a BBQ shop in Ontario, after seasoning the smoker/burning off for two hours I noticed that the paint started to peel on the firebox I started to cook some beef ribs, turned out well for the first time using an offset smoker. But after the cook the paint on the firebox peeled a lot more, just wondering if this is normal, I was looking on the forum and people said they had problems similar after a few months. The next day I took a picture.


Should I get a metal brush and scrub the paint more and repaint it or just repaint?

Lastly it says to clean the cooking grates after each use what's the best way to do that with a normal grill brush or is there a better way?

Thank you!

From the photo, it appears like the fire was much to large and intense for the size of smoker, which burned the paint.

The Cheyenne only requires 1 chimney of charcoal and 2 wood splits about the size of a beer can and 12" long to get started, and then start adding the same size splits as the temperature in the cooker starts to drop.

Brush, and/or sand before applying paint. There are some that will coat the firebox with a high temp cooking oil, like canola, to actually season the metal, instead of painting.

Thank you for the response and how to take care of it. Yes you are right the fire was too big I realized as I was getting white smoke the whole time... But I didn't think it would effect the paint but good to know from now on!

I scrubbed and painted it but next time will sand it and then paint which seems like a better solution.

Yoder_Herb wrote: There are some that will coat the firebox with a high temp cooking oil, like canola, to actually season the metal, instead of painting.

Is this option for the burnt paint areas only, or can the rest of the paint be maintained by an occasion application of cooking oil ?

Need to remove the paint. A wire brush on a grinder will do the trick. I'd just paint/season as needed over time. It will develop a wonderful apocalypse sheen in time.